Wooden Outdoor Furniture

• Pre-treat pieces with a teak protectant
• Your furniture should be cleaned twice a year 
  
  • To clean use 2/1 ratio of a laundry detergent with bleach and water applied with a soft bristle brush.
  • Rinse your furniture with water to remove any dirt residue or leftover suds.
  • Painted wood can be wiped down, but avoid high pressure sprays, as it may flake off the paint entirely
• If you want your teak or eucalyptus to have a natural soft silver gray patina that comes from exposure to the sun than this is all the care your furniture will likely need.
• If you want your furniture to stay its original honey wood color you will need to seal your furniture with a teak sealant to preserve the honey color. Most teak sealers also contain agents that prevent the growth of mold and mildew. 

Note: Both Eucalyptus wood and teak are oil based woods that are cleaned and maintained in the same manner.  Therefore teak sealant and protectant can also be used for Eucalyptus wood

Painted Wood Furniture with Polyurethane Finish
 

• wash with mild soap and water 

Aluminum

There are two types of aluminum furniture. Painted and not painted.

• The painted aluminum can be treated like any other painted metal surface. Clean it with a mild soap and water, rinse it to remove sticky soap residue, and protect it with an automotive paste wax. 
• Unfinished aluminum doesn't rust, however it does oxidize. This type of corrosion actually protects the metal from the elements, however it is not nearly as brilliant as the piece looked originally 

This can be rectified by using a metal polishing paste. This paste has very fine abrasives, which actually remove the oxidation. 

Once polished up, protect this surface with an automotive paste wax.

Alkaline cleaners will CAUSE oxidation, so avoid chemicals like ammonia (found in Windex), and TSP.

If a piece is lightly oxidized (from pollution) try an acidic solution (1:1) of white vinegar and water.

Metal (Iron) Cast and Formed

When you wash it, check for paint damage, and rust. If you catch this damage early, it can prevent a great deal of subsequent damage.

• Dirt, and dust on the surface will hold moisture against the paint, which will lead to premature failure of the coating. To keep your furniture in good condition, the first step is to keep it clean.
•  When washing use a mild detergent, scrub the surface gently and rinse with a low pressure hose.
• Best advice is to apply two coats of automotive paste wax, which will help keep moisture away from the surface. This may be impractical with some detailed designs, so you can also try a spray on liquid wax 
• Iron rusts. Remembering that will drive everything you do in keeping your furniture looking good. 

Sand the rust off, along with the damaged paint, right down to bare metal, then prime, and paint with a rust resistant paint.

Plastic Resin Furniture

Resin plastic is very durable, and inexpensive yet its one drawback is that the finish, while being very smooth, is also slightly porous, which attracts and holds stains.  

• It is wise to protect new furniture with an automotive paste wax, to repel water borne dust and make cleaning easier.
• Washing these chairs in the spring, and again in the fall before you store them, will help immensely, as does storing them in a shed or garage through the winter.
• Spray down the furniture with a garden hose, and then scrub with a mild detergent and warm water, before rinsing the furniture off.
• To help brighten white furniture, set it in the sunshine for the natural bleaching effect of the sun. You can even wax these chairs with automotive paste wax. This will make water bead off, and make washing them much easier