How to maintain your garden furniture? 

As soon as the warm weather arrives, we love to spend quality time with our loved ones and enjoy our outdoor spaces. However, to ensure that these convivial moments last, we must take care of our outdoor furniture. Indeed, chairs, sofas and garden tables are exposed to dust, weather and sunlight all year round. To keep them looking their best, it is advisable to put in place some good maintenance habits, which we will share with you.

Stainless steel (inox) garden furniture

Stainless steel, as the name suggests, is rust resistant and is also UV resistant. However, it is best to put it under cover in winter. A stainless steel lounge should be washed once a year with a cloth and soapy water and then dried. Then clean it with a cloth soaked in a cream specially designed for stainless steel maintenance. After rinsing and drying, polish with a chamois leather. Thanks to these operations, you will find the new aspect of the stainless steel of your garden furniture. CAUTION: stainless steel does not stand up well to sea spray, so we advise against buying stainless steel garden furniture if you live very close to the sea. However, it is important to note that it is not the stainless steel that rusts but the dust and spray that settles on it. If you see small rust spots appear, don't worry, it is not the stainless steel itself. This is called surface oxidation. This "rust" is easily removed, there are maintenance products for stainless steel that can repassivate the stainless steel and bring it back to life. It is not recommended to use a wire brush or steel wool to maintain stainless steel. This will destroy the chrome layer and facilitate corrosion.

Metal outdoor furniture

First of all, it is important to know that at Les Jardins du Sud we only sell metal and epoxy painted garden furniture. This means that the metal has been powder coated and baked at a high temperature for better corrosion resistance. The advantage of epoxy is that it offers maximum protection against rust. You will therefore only need to clean your outdoor furniture occasionally. The frequency of cleaning will depend on the degree of soiling and your personal preference. It is usually sufficient to wipe with a clean, soft cloth or to use water and soap first. CAUTION: Never use abrasive products, products intended for the maintenance of copper or chrome, or products intended for polishing furniture. Avoid using metal pads and wool, hard brushes, nylon brushes, abrasive pads and powders (even very fine ones). Chlorinated and bleaching products or waxes designed to increase the shine of surfaces should not be used either: they leave a film that can encourage particles to adhere to surfaces.

Teak garden furniture 

Teak garden furniture is an exotic wood that is perfect for a durable and trendy garden furniture. If you want to enjoy it all year round, we give you some maintenance tips. First of all, it is important to know that teak is a rot-proof wood, so it is not necessary to waterproof it, but you can do so for optimal protection against humidity. To keep its original colour and shine, we advise you to clean your teak furniture once or twice a year with a hard brush and soapy water. You can then polish your furniture and apply a teak oil to refresh its golden honey colour, which tends to turn grey due to UV rays and the weather. Be careful not to use a high-pressure water jet when cleaning it so as not to damage it.

Outdoor furniture in woven resin 

Do you have woven resin garden furniture? Take care of it with black soap and a soft sponge. This gentle cleaning will prevent your furniture from getting damaged and keep its shine for years. Avoid using bleach, strong detergents, abrasive sponges or metal brushes that could damage the resin of your furniture. If some stains persist, clay stone can be a very effective remedy. In addition, it is an ecological cleaner, very simple to use. Simply rub a damp sponge over the clay stone and then clean your furniture.

Polypropylene (PVC) garden furniture 

Polypropylene furniture is very easy to maintain. Simply use a cloth with soapy water to restore its shine. If your furniture gets stained, simply add a mild or neutral household cleaner to the water. Under no circumstances should you use aggressive cleaning products or abrasives. You could damage the surface of the PVC furniture. Make sure you use soft cloths, cleaning cloths, natural or synthetic sponges. If possible, remove ballpoint pens, felt-tip pens and markers quickly before they dry, and for all other stains, a simple cleaning with soapy water will do.

Aluminium garden furniture

Aluminium is a metal often used in the design of garden furniture for its lightness and resistance to oxidation. Moreover, at Les Jardins du Sud, aluminium furniture is treated with an anti-corrosion epoxy paint. Your aluminium outdoor furniture from Les Jardins du Sud will resist to bad weather and sunlight without any particular maintenance. However, any stains or food residues should be removed immediately with a sponge and a little soapy water and finished off with a soft cloth to avoid any traces of limescale.

Outdoor cushions 

At Les Jardins du Sud all our cushions are equipped with a water-repellent fabric, which is effective against small splashes or light rain. However, water-repellent does not mean waterproof, it will not be able to fight against large quantities of water, unless you use a waterproofing product beforehand. It is therefore advisable to keep your cushions in a dry place during bad weather or during the winter period. To clean, simply remove the covers and soak them in warm, soapy water. You can also put them in the washing machine on a cold setting or on a gentle programme at 30°C max, without spinning to avoid damaging the fibres. You can then leave them to dry in the open air and wait until the fabric is completely dry before re-covering the cushions.

Things to remember

Although resistant and designed for outdoor use, garden furniture must be maintained regularly in order to preserve its original condition. It is important to ensure that it is protected and maintained according to the materials it is made of. Indeed, your garden furniture is exposed to daily variations in weather conditions between UV rays and bad weather.