GARDEN OUTDOOR ANSWERS — FREE GARDEN FURNITURE CARE CHECKLIST ================================================================ STARTER KIT — WHAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED FOR A NEW SET ---------------------------------------------------- - A furniture cleaner suited to the material (or plain washing-up liquid diluted in water for a quick weekly wipe of metal/plastic — not enough on its own for teak or rattan) - A soft-bristled brush and a microfibre cloth - Oil for wooden furniture (only if you're planning to oil rather than let it silver — check the material section below first) - A breathable, well-fitted cover — sized for your specific set, not "one size fits all" - A rust converter/primer if you have any metal furniture with visible chips or scratches in the coating THE MOST COMMON CARE MISTAKE BY MATERIAL ------------------------------------------ TEAK — scrubbing it hard or pressure-washing it. This strips the wood's own natural silica layer, making it MORE porous and prone to dirt and algae, not less. A soft brush and mild soapy water is usually enough. RATTAN / RESIN-WEAVE — soaking it and not drying it fully. Water gets into the weave gaps and sits there, which is exactly where mould starts in UK damp. Wipe, then let it air-dry properly before covering it. METAL — waiting until rust is visible before doing anything. By the time you can see it, it's often already started under the coating at a chip or scratch. Treat chips and scratches early with a rust converter. PLASTIC — assuming it can't be helped once it fades. Polypropylene plastics often respond to gentle heat-based restoration; polyethylene (most budget ranges) usually don't — check which you have before spending on a "restorer" product. QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING REFERENCE ---------------------------------- MOULD ON CUSHIONS OR FRAMES — a fungicidal cleaner (not just bleach) is needed to kill the root structure, not just the visible surface. Dry fully in shade, not direct sun. RUST SPOTS ON METAL — light surface rust: a rust converter usually works. Deep, pitted rust: needs wire-brushing back to bare metal before priming — the converter can't reach rust that's eaten into the metal itself. WOBBLY CHAIRS — check whether the frame is bolted or welded first. Tightening bolts on a welded frame won't fix a wobble that's actually coming from the weld joint itself — that's a "replace or get it assessed" situation, not a spanner job. STICKY "OILED" FINISH — usually a cheap teak oil that never fully cured. In UK humidity, budget oils can stay tacky for months and attract grit. A better oil, or simply leaving the wood to silver instead, both beat re-applying more of the same product. A UK WINTERISING ROUTINE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS ----------------------------------------------- 1. Clean and dry everything fully before covering or storing anything damp. 2. Remove cushions and store them somewhere dry and ventilated — not a sealed plastic bin, which traps condensation from UK temperature swings. 3. If covering furniture in place: use a breathable cover, sized to allow some airflow underneath — a tight, non-breathable cover often causes more mould than leaving furniture uncovered. 4. Elevate wooden and metal furniture off the ground slightly if you can (feet, bricks, anything to stop standing water sitting against the base). 5. On a dry day mid-winter, pull covers back briefly if you can — UV light is a natural mould inhibitor and covers block it completely. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Garden Outdoor Answers — https://gardenoutdooranswers.co.uk Independent, research-led UK garden furniture care guidance.