Garden furniture cleaning and care

Garden furniture is best cleaned with mild soap and a soft brush or sponge after you’ve rinsed off loose dirt with a garden hose. Avoid harsh chemicals, chlorine, and abrasive cleaners, which can discolor and scratch the surface. Denwax Clean is made from 85% pure lye and water and cleans effectively without scratching, whether the furniture is made of plastic, poly rattan, nonwood, or wood.

Clean and maintain your outdoor furniture at least once a season, typically in the spring when you first set it out. If it stays outside all summer in the sun and rain, an extra cleaning midway through the season might be a good idea. Applying a care and waterproofing treatment after cleaning makes it harder for dirt, water, and algae to accumulate, so the furniture stays looking good longer.

Always clean before you treat. First, rinse off loose dirt with a garden hose, wash the furniture with a mild soap, rinse again, and let it dry completely—preferably in the sun. Finally, apply a layer of care product that waterproofs and protects. With Denwax, that means “Clean” first and “Care” afterward. If you treat dirty furniture, you’ll just seal the dirt in.

Rinse the furniture with a garden hose, then wash it with mild soap and a soft sponge or brush. Wipe it down and let it air dry. Avoid abrasive cleaners and bleach, which can make the plastic dull and discolored. Denwax Clean cleans plastic without scratching, and a subsequent coat of Denwax Care creates a surface where new dirt and algae have a harder time sticking.

White plastic chairs can be cleaned by washing them thoroughly with mild soap and a soft brush that gets into the texture of the surface. Rinse and dry afterward. If there are grayish streaks or green algae, they often need to be washed a few times. Denwax Clean removes the gray, dirty layer without scratching, restoring the chairs to their original color. However, the results depend on how deeply ingrained the dirt is, and old furniture can’t always be salvaged with regular cleaning.

It depends on what’s causing the yellowing. If it’s dirt, grease, and a gray film, a thorough cleaning can make a big difference. If, on the other hand, the plastic has yellowed deeply from many years of sun and UV light, the material itself has changed, and it’s rarely possible to wash that away completely. A thorough cleaning will, however, always restore the surface’s original appearance, and a subsequent waterproofing treatment will slow down further yellowing and dirt buildup.

Remove green algae by rinsing the furniture and washing it with mild soap and a soft brush to completely remove the algae layer. Let the furniture dry, and then apply a layer of protective treatment. The water-repellent finish makes it harder for algae to reattach, so you won’t have to wash it as often. Avoid using a pressure washer on delicate surfaces, as it can damage the material.

Teak should be cleaned with soap and a soft brush, preferably in the direction of the wood grain, and then allowed to dry completely. Over time, teak turns gray due to weathering, which is completely natural. If you want to preserve its warm color, you can treat the wood after cleaning. Denwax Clean acts as a soap treatment for untreated wood, and Denwax Care nourishes the wood and provides a protective, water-repellent surface.

Clean poly rattan with mild soap and a soft brush that can reach into the grooves of the weave after you’ve rinsed off dust and dirt. Avoid pressure washers, which can fray or loosen the weave. Let the furniture dry, then apply a coat of protective treatment to help it retain its color and better withstand the elements. You can read more on our page about poly rattan.

Nonwood is a low-maintenance material that can be cleaned with mild soap and a soft brush after an initial rinse. It does not require oil treatment like real wood, but cleaning and waterproofing it will keep it looking nice and make it easier to keep clean. You can find a more detailed guide on our page about Nonwood.

Aluminum furniture should be cleaned with mild soap and a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface. After cleaning, applying a coat of care product can give you a beautiful, even finish and protect against weather and mineral deposits. Denwax Care can be used on aluminum and helps keep the color looking great. Read more on our page about aluminum.

That’s a good idea. Waterproofing makes the surface water-repellent, so rain, dirt, and algae have a harder time sticking, and the furniture becomes easier to maintain. First, clean the furniture, let it dry, and then apply a coat. Denwax Care both conditions and waterproofs in one step and works on plastic, poly rattan, nonwood, wood, and aluminum.

Be careful when using a pressure washer. On hard, durable surfaces, it’s fine to use it from a distance, but on poly rattan, painted surfaces, soft plastic, and wood, it can fray, scratch, or force water into the material. As a general rule, you’ll get the best results with a garden hose, mild soap, and a soft brush, which clean thoroughly without damaging the furniture.

Avoid chlorine, abrasive cleaners, steel wool, and very harsh cleaning products. They can discolor, scratch, and dry out the surface, and on plastic, they can leave the furniture looking dull. Also, be careful when using a pressure washer on delicate materials. Instead, use a mild soap and a soft brush, and follow up with a protective treatment to ensure the surface is protected rather than worn down.

Start by rinsing off the winter dust and dirt, and then wash the furniture with a mild soap. Let it dry in the sun, and check for green algae and stains that may require an extra cleaning. Finish with a coat of furniture care and waterproofing to protect the furniture from the start of the season and make it easier to keep clean for the rest of the summer.

Give the furniture a thorough cleaning and let it dry completely before storing it away to prevent mold and mildew over the winter. A care and waterproofing treatment before storage will protect the surface. Store the furniture in a dry place, preferably off the floor, and use breathable furniture covers rather than tight-fitting plastic, which can trap moisture.

Remove bird droppings and stains as soon as possible, before they have a chance to dry or soak into the surface. Soften the stain with a little water, and gently wash it off with mild soap without rubbing it in further. Mild soap also works best on grease and food stains. Denwax Clean can be used on these types of surface stains without scratching the furniture.

Yes. Denwax Clean is made from 85% pure lye soap and water, and Care is a Danish natural care product; both are handmade in Denmark without optical brighteners or abrasives. This makes them gentle to use in the garden, near plants and on the patio. Always rinse off any excess soap and let the furniture dry before treating it.