Preserve & Protect
Teak Care
Maintaining Teak
One advantage of teak furniture is that it requires little, if any maintenance. You can leave your furniture outdoors all year and the teak will weather naturally. Over time this weathering will transfer the color of the teak into a beautiful silver-gray patina as the surface pigments begin to fade usually within nine months. At Patio.com we recommend that you allow your furniture to weather naturally and simply clean it once or twice a year with soap and water.
While the furniture is weathering, you may be alarmed to see "checking" or small cracks that appear in the wood. This is perfectly natural and purely cosmetic so you can feel at ease about the structural integrity of your furniture. Water spots or other discoloration may also occur but these will fade with time.
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Metal Care
Maintaining Aluminum
Aluminum is a light and tough metal with an excellent strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance which makes it an ideal material for outdoor furniture. Certain manufacturers such as Gloster take additional steps. The corrosion resistance of Gloster's aluminum furniture is enhanced by pre-treating the aluminum extrusions with a chrome conversion coating that deposits a thin layer of chrome on the surface. The treated frame is subsequently coated with an electro-statically applied, powder coat finish. The electro-static application method ensures 100% coverage of the metal's surface area and provides a consistent and tough finish that far exceeds other conventional paint finishes. The resulting finish is knock and scratch resistant, impervious to moisture, highly resistant to corrosion and easy to clean.
Maintaining Stainless Steel
The recommended procedure for cleaning changes based on the type of finish. It is important to remember to avoid abrasive cleaners or cloths as they can scratch the finish.
Standard Stainless Steel Finish: Rinse the frame thoroughly with fresh water and high hose pressure. For further cleaning, wash the furniture with mild detergent and warm water. We find that using a soft cloth or sponge is easiest. Make sure to always wash with the grain of the steel not against it.
Electropolished Standard Stainless Steel Finish: With fresh water, rinse the frame with high water pressure similar to the standard stainless steel finish above. For deeper cleaning, warm water and mild detergent applied with a soft cloth or sponge works wonders. Additionally, to further prevent corrosion and weather proof your furniture you can apply an anti-corrosion wax once a year. Kingsley-Bate makes a great product for this
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Woven Care
Maintaining Woven Furniture
To clean your woven furniture, rinse the frame with fresh water using a high hose pressure. Be careful to avoid any teak details on the furniture as the high pressure can erode the surface of the timber. Optionally, you may wash the woven material with mild detergent and warm water using a soft brush. After washing, rinse with fresh water until there are no soap bubbles remaining. Allow the furniture to air-dry. If using a specialty outdoor furniture cleaner, avoid using a foaming product, as foam cleaners can leave residue in the gaps of the weaving and later attract dirt
Winter
Kingsley-Bate, a leading manufacturer of luxury outdoor furniture, recommends that woven furniture be stored for the winter in climates exposed to snow and freezing temperatures. Furniture must be stored in an upright position to allow for proper water drainage. Storing furniture upside-down may cause water to accumulate and freeze inside the frame, causing structural damage. Always thoroughly clean your furniture before placing in storage. The best place to store your furniture is a dry garage, garden shed, or basement. You may also store your woven furniture outdoors using breathable furniture covers.
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cushion Care
Maintaining Cushions
Cushions from leading manufacturers such as Brown Jordan, Gloster, Barlow Tyrie, and Kingsley-Bate are made with either Sunbrella or Outdura fabrics, a 100% solution-dyed acrylic. The fabric should be cleaned regularly before environmental deposits such as dirt are allowed to accumulate.
Sunbrella and Outdura Fabrics are treated with a fluorocarbon finish that acts as a sealant, making it resistant to water and stains. If you use liquid detergent instead of a natural soap to clean your cushions, it may be necessary to reapply the water repellent treatment to the fabric.
We strongly recommend that you do not remove the fill from your cushions when cleaning the cushion fabric. Instead, clean the cushions with the fill in place. Most cushions are 'stuffed' using specialized machinery, and it is not always possible to re-stuff the cushions by hand and achieve a professional, finished appearance.
To clean the fabric, simply brush off any loose dirt, and then clean briskly with a sponge using fresh water and a mild natural soap. Water temperature should be no more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius. Do not subject the fabric to excessive heat as it will shrink. Do not steam press, iron, or dry in electric or gas dryers.
If your cushion becomes saturated with water, unzip the cushion and stand it on its edge in a dry, sunny location. The zipper-side should be facing down to allow the water to drain through the opening. Cushions will typically dry in 24-48 hours depending on the level of saturation and the weather conditions during the drying process.
When cushions are not being used, you may also wish to stand them on edge within the furniture frame. Doing so will reduce the surface area exposed to the rain and allow for faster drying.
Avoid putting the fabric in direct contact with oil-based products, which may cause the fabric to age more rapidly. If direct contact with an oil-based product occurs, clean the fabric promptly.
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