Caring For Aluminium Garden Furniture

Aluminium garden furniture continues to grow in popularity and it’s easy to see why.  Despite the rustic quality of wooden outdoor furnishings; the aluminium equivalent is not only modern, stylish and light, but also easy to clean, durable and rustproof – for those who might consider iron or steel instead.  When compared to other materials commonly used for outdoor furniture, aluminium is incredibly easy to maintain – a little care and attention here and there goes a long way!  Here is a brief guide to caring for your aluminium furniture, to help keep it looking as stylish as when you first stripped off the polythene.

For day-to-day cleaning, the best method is to simply hose down your furniture.  Aluminium isn’t damaged by water and won’t rust if left wet (because it contains no iron to oxidise in the presence of water and oxygen), so feel free to hose it down on a daily basis if you really feel like it!  This wonderful resistance to corrosion also means you can leave your furniture out in the rain without worrying that it will get damaged or mouldy.  However, when the winter cold comes along, it is advisable to coat your aluminium furniture with some oil before you store it away.  This will help keep it in tip-top shape for the spring, as long as you also remember to not to store it upside down!  Keeping your garden furniture the right way up will help prevent moisture accumulating in the legs, which might freeze in the winter and damage your furniture way before spring comes along.  By summer time though, it is wise to keep your eyes peeled in case your furniture comes into contact with suntan lotion; this can cause discolouration in some finishes and should hence be cleaned off quick-sharp!

In cases like the above mention suntan lotion scenario, it’s advisable to clean aluminium garden furniture  with some soapy water.  It is also quite nice to do this every now and then anyway, to help remove any tougher dirt and keep that modern shine to your garden furniture.  Try to use quite a mild soap, as stronger cleaners may also cause discolouration, which would be horribly ironic.  For other scuff marks, it is suggested that you use a light abrasive to remove them; wire brushes and fine sandpaper work well on deeper scruffs, for example.
 
The most important thing to remember is to pay attention to the care instructions provided with your garden furniture.  Different manufacturers will often instruct you differently in the maintenance process, so be sure to not take a one-cleaning-style fits all approach if your furniture comes from different providers.  This isn’t just because manufacturers are being awkward for the sake of seeming different; the right care for your furniture will depend, in part, on which kind of aluminium it is made of – cast, extruded or wrought.  Otherwise, aluminium furniture will withstand most things that everyday life can throw at it – so have fun!

About the author

Carl White is an exterior and landscape designer, who suggests using aluminium furniture to decorate your patio of garden, especially if you have a modern home. For more information about aluminium garden furniture, please visit http://www.tredecim.co.uk/

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