Caring for Your Garden Furniture: Teak, Metal or Plastic

With winter fast-approaching, the weather is getting more unpleasant day by day. Whilst you might know exactly what to do with your plants this winter, you probably don’t know how you should be looking after what’s potentially the most expensive aspect of your garden – your furniture. To help you out, we’ve put together a guide to caring for your garden furniture no matter what kind you have, so you can get to work before the winter really sets in.

Teak/Wood

Teak furniture turns a greyish colour over time, but if you want to avoid this happening there are a few things you can do to prevent it. First of all, clean it up using specialist teak cleaner, or a little bleach mixed with water if the furniture isn’t too grey. Then use a protective sealer, which should be applied around three times a year to protect the wood. A treatment to revive the colour of the wood should be applied next and you’ll be left with teak furniture that looks good as new. Simply pop a garden furniture cover from somewhere like the Garden Furniture Centre over the set and rest assured that it’s well protected for the winter.

Metal

Metal garden furniture is perfect if you don’t have much time to care for it, as it’s often built to withstand damage from the elements. If you want your set to last for years to come though, you should clean it once a year and check for any rusty patches. It’s a good idea to do this after the summer, as that’s when it will have had most use. You’ll need to oil any hinges to ensure it doesn’t seize up whilst in storage over the winter, and you could also use a protective spray every few years to keep it looking as good as new.

Plastic

Plastic garden furniture is perhaps the most low-maintenance of all, and looking after it couldn’t be simpler. All you need is a bucket of warm, soapy water and a sponge to wipe away any grubbiness that’s built up over the summer. If there’s mould on your furniture, a specialist cleaner can be used, or simply a weak bleach solution if that’s what you have to hand. Plastic furniture may not be the most stylish addition to your garden, but it certainly requires the least upkeep, so it’s great if you don’t have much time on your hands.