Outdoor Furniture Care & Protection
Protect your outdoor furniture with these simple tips to extend its appearance, function and lifespan. Quality outdoor furniture is a substantial investment and regular care is critical to avoiding damage caused by harsh weather, salt spray, pollen and mildew.
Protecting Teak Wood Furniture
Teak furniture requires little maintenance. You can leave your furniture outdoors all year and teak will weather naturally over time into a beautiful silver-gray patina without concern. If you prefer a newer bronze appearance, apply a penetrating Teak Sealer once a year after cleaning.
Clean the frame twice a year with a dish soap water solution and rinse with a garden hose. If you live in a salt water environment, do this more often.
When not in use, always use a protective cover that will not trap moisture. See Patio Furniture Covers
Learn More About Teak Wood
Protecting Aluminum Patio Furniture
Aluminum is durable and has an excellent strength to weight ratio, making it the most popular material for outdoor furniture. Unlike iron-based metals, aluminum will not rust, rather it will “pit” without a protective coating. Therefore, caring for aluminum patio furniture is actually protecting the powder coat finish.
It's critical to touch-up scratches to prevent corrosion by using the manufacturer's matching touch-up paint.
Clean the frame twice a year with a dish soap water solution and rinse with a garden hose. If you live in a salt water environment, do this more often.
When not in use, always use a protective cover that will not trap moisture. See Patio Furniture Covers
Protecting Wicker & Woven Furniture
No matter the formulation – natural weaves like rattan, wicker and seagrass or synthetic wicker and rope, care is the same by keeping furniture clean and dry. This is mainly because organic debris collects in weave crevices overtime which can lead to mildew, potentially breaking down the fibrous materials (this isn’t as much of a problem with synthetic materials).
Periodically vacuum with a brush attachment to remove dirt and pollen, then gently clean with a dish soap warm water solution using a soft soft-bristle brush.
When not in use, always use a protective cover that will not trap moisture. See Patio Furniture Covers
Cushion Care and Cleaning
Patio furniture cushions are typically covered with performance fabrics from a textile company such as Sunbrella. These specialty fabrics are made to resist sun damage, stains, moisture and mildew. Before cleaning, determine which type of fabric you have. We don’t recommend deep cleaning non-performance fabrics.
Routine Cleaning: Periodically vacuum with a brush attachment to remove dirt and pollen.
Stains & Deep Cleaning: For specific cleaning protocols see Sunbrella Cleaning Guide and refer to our Cleaners page to order products.
IMPORTANT:
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Never power-wash outdoor furniture
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Never machine wash cushion coverings or put in a dryer
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Never use chlorine bleach, pine oil, abrasives / harsh cleaners.
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For small scratches and chips (aluminum / metal frame) use manufacturer's touch-up paint to protect from corrosion.
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If you see pitting or corrosion (aluminum metal frame) or other areas of concern ex. flaking paint, we recommend hiring a professional (beyond furniture warranty period).
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If needing manufacturer touch-up paint, teak sealer, specialty cleaners, protective covers or replacement parts Contact Us.