Garden furniture maintenance: How should you do it?

Outdoor furniture is often exposed to rain, humidity, sun and temperature changes, which can affect both its appearance and durability. Therefore, if you want your patio and garden sets to have the longest possible lifespan, it is important to know how to maintain your garden furniture.

However, materials such as wood, synthetic rattan, plastic and aluminium react differently to the aforementioned weather conditions, so it is important to understand what factors influence their preservation in order to care for outdoor furniture properly in each case.

In this post, we want to tell you how to care for outdoor furniture depending on the material it is made of, as well as how to protect your furniture during seasons when it is not in use.

How to maintain garden furniture according to its material?

Outdoor furniture can be made from a variety of materials, but the most popular are mainly four: metal (predominantly aluminium), plastic (especially polypropylene), resin (usually synthetic rattan) and wood.

Let’s take a look at how to care for garden furniture in each case.

How to care for wooden furniture?

Maintaining outdoor wooden furniture is one of the most complex tasks, because although wood is an elegant material, being natural, it is one of the most delicate when exposed to the sun and, especially, humidity. Therefore, it is important to keep the following in mind:

• Clean frequently: use a damp cloth or soft brush to clean the furniture with a mixture of soap and water, avoiding abrasive products that can dry out the surface.
• Protect against moisture: both after cleaning and, especially, on rainy days, you must take care to dry the furniture thoroughly, without allowing water to accumulate, as wood absorbs moisture very easily and can warp or crack.
• Check for damage: periodically, it is advisable to check whether the furniture has suffered any damage, such as cracks or imperfections resulting from use, and sand down the affected areas.
• Apply oil: caring for outdoor wooden furniture also requires treating it with a protective varnish or oil once or twice a year to nourish the wood and protect it from UV rays and wear and tear. In some cases, it may also be necessary to apply treatments against wood-eating insects.
• Cover them when not in use: ideally, wooden furniture should be protected with covers during periods when it is not in use to prevent it from deteriorating due to exposure to the sun and rain.

As you can see, caring for wooden furniture is quite extensive, which is why at Home Zentrum we prefer to opt for other materials that are more suitable for outdoor use, such as synthetic rattan, aluminium or polypropylene, which are much easier to maintain.

Maintenance of synthetic rattan furniture

Synthetic rattan is a type of braided resin that imitates the natural material but requires much less care, given its artificial origin. So, just keep the following in mind:

• Dusting: before cleaning, or even when you see that dust has accumulated, it is advisable to remove it with a brush, feather duster or handheld vacuum cleaner.
• Regular cleaning: simply wipe with a damp cloth or sponge with soap and water to remove any dirt, although this material is not prone to staining. In general, cleaning two or three times a year is sufficient to keep it clean.
• Pay attention to the joints: if you are wondering how to care for synthetic rattan furniture, probably the only thing you need to pay special attention to is the weave, where some dirt can accumulate, which can be easily removed with a brush.

How to maintain polypropylene furniture?

Polypropylene is another popular material for outdoor furniture, partly because it is easy to maintain. It is a very resistant and lightweight type of plastic, and there are only a few things you need to bear in mind when cleaning it:

• Easy cleaning: maintaining polypropylene furniture is one of the most basic tasks, as it only needs to be cleaned with water and neutral soap a couple of times a year, although you can increase the frequency if your furniture is white and stains are visible.
• Water resistance: unlike wood, polypropylene does not warp or absorb moisture, so it can remain outdoors without any problems, even when it rains.
• Prevent yellowing: some types of white plastic, especially if they are of low quality, may tend to yellow over time, in which case you can use products such as bicarbonate of soda, hydrogen peroxide or bleach diluted in water to restore their original colour.

Maintenance and cleaning of aluminium furniture

Finally, aluminium is the most commonly used metal outdoors due to its lightness and resistance to rust, which gives it a significant advantage over other types of metals. Therefore, when caring for your aluminium garden furniture, you should bear the following in mind:

• Easy cleaning: again, simply wipe with a cloth soaked in a mixture of water and soap, avoiding abrasive products as always.
• Avoid scratches: although aluminium does not rust, it can be scratched, so take care when moving or stacking furniture, and avoid using hard scouring pads when cleaning.
• Protective finishes: some models are powder coated or anodised, in which case it is important to keep this layer intact to ensure the durability of the furniture.

And how to protect outdoor furniture?

But beyond the specific maintenance required by each material, you also need to know how to protect your garden furniture during periods when it is not in use.

In the case of wooden furniture, it is a good idea to store it or cover it with protective covers to protect it from dirt, sun and rain during periods when it is not in use. Synthetic rattan, aluminium or plastic furniture can also be protected with covers, but this is not usually necessary as it is much more resistant.

Of course, you can always place them under a porch, pergola or awning to reduce direct exposure to sunlight and rainfall.

It is also a good idea to raise the furniture slightly off the ground to avoid contact with puddles or constant moisture. Again, this is much more important in the case of furniture made of wood or other natural materials.

Are you looking for easy-to-maintain garden furniture?

As you can see, if you prefer to enjoy the outdoors without investing a lot of time, it is best to opt for easy-to-maintain patio furniture. That’s why we’re telling you what to look for when buying your garden furniture:

• Choose materials that require little care: as you have already seen, synthetic rattan, polypropylene, and aluminium are excellent options if you prefer maintenance-free garden furniture. These materials are also very versatile and easy to integrate into any style of décor, useful for furnishing a large garden or decorating a small balcony.
• Consider the finishes: look for furniture with UV protection to ensure greater resistance. In the Home Zentrum catalogue, you will find a wide variety of pieces with this type of treatment.
• Low-maintenance textiles: opt for cushions with removable covers that can be washed, as well as water- and sun-resistant fabrics that are easy to clean.
• Go for functional designs: lightweight, modular or stackable furniture tends to be more convenient, as it is easy to move to protect it from the weather when necessary.