What is the easiest outdoor furniture to clean?

In our experience, most high quality garden furniture is pretty easy to keep clean if you do it regularly. Smooth surfaces such as wood, ceramic and metal are easy to wipe clean and dry. waterproof fabric outdoor furniture such as cushions can also be cleaned this way, especially if they are water and/or stain proof. Pieces of food, trapped in rattan weave and the corners of your furniture can be removed with a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner.

The trick is not to let any kind of dirt - food, drink, mud, pet poo - stay on your furniture long enough for a stain or mould to develop which will be more difficult to remove. 

Here, we answer 5 of the most commonly asked questions regarding cleaning garden furniture:

1. What is the fastest way to clean outdoor furniture?

If the dirt is mild, you might get away with simply brushing it off. Otherwise, mix some mild detergent (eg washing-up liquid) with warm water in a bowl. Use a sponge or clean cloth to dab and wipe down the furniture. Then rinse your outdoor furniture thoroughly using another bowl of fresh warm water or a hose (but not a harsh jet spray). This should get rid of the majority of food and drink stains before you leave it to dry naturally. Once your furniture is dry, and you notice a few stubborn stains, repeat the washing process. Maybe use a soft brush to remove dirt caught in the corners or the weave of your rattan.

2. How do you clean patio furniture without a hose?

A few bowls of fresh warm water, together with a cloth or sponge, should be enough to rinse your patio furniture if you haven’t got a hose. Be sure to use enough fresh water to rinse off the soap so it doesn’t leave a mark or residue.

3. Will baking soda clean patio furniture?

Baking (or bicarbonate of) soda is often used to clean patio furniture. Before you use it, however, please check the furniture manufacturer’s cleaning instructions to see what they advise on stain removal. If you do go ahead and use baking soda to clean your patio furniture, test it out on a small area first just to make sure it’s going to work OK.

Using baking soda to remove stains is simple: mix a little of the soda with enough water to form a paste which you spread over the stain on your patio furniture. Let the paste stay undisturbed for around 15 minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly.

4. Can outdoor cushions be washed?

Check the manufacturer’s instructions first to see if your outdoor cushions can be washed. Some may be machine washable or might need more careful hand washing. If you’ve chosen weather-resistant cushions you should be able to just wipe or brush them clean. Whichever option you choose will be far more effective if you don’t leave food, drink spills or mud on your cushions for long. The sooner you act to remove stains, the less maintenance your garden furniture will cause you.

5. How do you get dust off patio furniture?

A soft brush (including on the end of a vacuum cleaner) might be sufficient to remove dust from patio furniture. If the dust has been on your furniture for some time, it’s likely to need cleaning off with a sponge soaked in a solution of mild detergent and warm water. Then rinse the furniture with fresh water, and leave it to dry naturally.

Keeping your outdoor furniture low maintenance

It’s absolutely possible to keep your outdoor furniture clean and in good condition with little effort on your part. Here’s a round up of our recommendations:

1. Regular checking for dirt, and prompt removal to avoid stains
2. Complying with the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions
3. Careful cleaning – mild detergent or baking soda, warm water, soft brushes, vacuum cleaner, hose but careful with harsh jet sprays
4. Thorough rinsing and drying – preferably naturally
5. Care (covers or shade) during poor weather, and out of season

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Have further questions about different types of garden tables we stock? Our friendly, knowledgeable team are always on hand to help, just give us a call or visit one of our showrooms in Wakefield or Newcastle.