A Casualife Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor Furniture Lasts Longer When Made with Durable Teak
Here at Casualife, we use Natural Grade A Teak, which is the most durable wood for exterior use. Since it is a natural material, it easily absorbs moisture. We always recommend letting your grey teak weather naturally for minimal maintenance.
With our frosty Canadian winters your NATURAL, non-treated teak outdoor furniture may develop some surface-level mold and mildew. To prevent this from happening we recommend NOT covering your teak pieces during the winter months. While this may seem counter intuitive, covering your teak furniture will trap moisture in and encourage mold and mildew to grow.
A Solution for Teak Furniture Mold and Mildew
If you find your teak furniture has developed a little mold, not to worry because we have a solution for you!
With ten parts water, one part bleach—and some elbow grease—your teak will be clean in no time! For best results, we recommend first using a cloth to saturate your teak with the cleaning solution. Once it is fully saturated please use a Scotch Brite® pad, moving in the direction of the grain of the teak. Use with some force to remove any debris and mold. Once any debris is sufficiently removed, it is very important to rinse thoroughly to remove any lingering bleach. It’s that simple!
Cleaning Tips for Your Woven Resin Patio Furniture
Casualife’s woven resin has been extensively tested to stand up to our cold Canadian climate, as well as UV exposure. Made of high-density polyethylene, our woven resin patio furniture will not crack or absorb moisture. In the winter months, we do recommend covering these products to ensure your outdoor furniture will last for many years to come!
To clean these products, a non-abrasive cloth, water and a mild detergent (e.g.,. Dawn dish soap) will do the trick. Make sure to not use any chemical-based cleaners and opt for a rinse from your hose rather than a power washer to ensure the longest-life possible for your outdoor pieces..
Best Practices for Maintaining Your Powder Coated Aluminum Outdoor Furniture
Our powder coated aluminum outdoor furniture is made from non-rustable heavy gauge aluminum. These low maintenance patio pieces are a great option, just remember to cover them in the winter months to protect the powder coated paint finish. If you have an aluminum extension table, fully extend your table to allow moisture to fully exit your extensions. Next, close the extensions on your outdoor pieces back up for the winter and cover immediately while dry to prevent water from re-entering and freezing inside, which can expand and crack your frame.
To clean your powder coated aluminum use nothing more than a non-abrasive cloth, water and a mild detergent. DO NOT use any chemical cleaners of any kind. This will void your warranty and can affect your paint finish if cleaning chemicals get baked into the paint by the sun.
A Spring Tune Up for Your Stainless Steel Outdoor Furniture
Our 304 Marine Grade Stainless Steel outdoor pieces feature the strongest metal you can use against corrosion/rust! However, surface level rust and pitting can occur, especially if exposed to chemicals, salt or pollutants.
You can minimize this happening with a few easy steps. Before and after every summer season, clean your Stainless Steel outdoor furniture with a non abrasive cloth, water and a mild soap (e.g., Dawn dish soap). After your furniture has fully dried, apply a thin coat of mineral oil over the entire surface and wipe off the excess with a clean microfiber cloth.
If rust/pitting does occur, a Scotch Brite® pad and CLR Stainless Steel CREAM are your best friend! Move the pad in the same direction on all steel elements of your furniture, then rinse extremely well with water and apply mineral oil over all cleaned surfaces. Don’t be afraid to use some muscle!
Purchasing high end outdoor furniture means that you have invested in your future. The maintenance required is minimal, but at the end of day it is outdoor furniture. With a bit of simple cleaning, you can ensure your patio furniture looks as new as the day you bought it—for many seasons to come!
Happy Spring Cleaning!