How to Clean Outdoor Wood Furniture

Rate: (2 Ratings)

You know that spring has arrived when you see the patio furniture start to come out. Before you replace your dirty looking furniture, try cleaning it first. Use these steps to clean your outdoor wood furniture and have it looking close to new in no time.

Flag Article

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Hose
Pressure Washer
Soap
Clean Cloth
Scrub Brush
Bucket
Bleach (for mold removal)
Sandpaper

Cleaning Outdoor Wood Furniture

Step1

Use the dry brush (a vegetable brush from your kitchen works best) and scrub the furniture down. A dry brush will remove any dust, debris that needs to come off of the furniture. Scrub the bottom of the furniture as well as this is where you will find cobwebs. If there any scratches or chips in the wood, use sandpaper and lightly sand the areas.

Step2

Use the garden hose and rinse off the furniture. Pay special attention to anything that was not removed by the dry cloth cleaning. This will loosen anything up that will be cleaned in the next step and will help you to apply the soap without drying.

Step3

Fill the bucket with warm water and dish soap. Saturate the clean cloth in the warm, soapy water and wipe the furniture thoroughly. Clean a small area at a time, frequently getting more soapy water. Turn each piece over and clean the bottom as well. If there is mold present, mix a half cup of bleach with one gallon of water in a separate bucket. Scrub off mold with the scrub brush and then go over it with the soapy water.

Step4

Rinse the furniture thoroughly removing all traces of soap. You may want to use a pressure washer. Use the pressure washer on the lowest setting to prevent any damage and to clean any residue that could not be removed with soap and water.

Step5

Dry the furniture thoroughly. Use a clean cloth to completely dry the furniture. If you notice any dirt or mold that did not come off completely, repeat the steps above. Let the furniture sit out in the air to dry in the spots that you could not get to and to get rid of any bleach smells.

Step6

Finally, protect your furniture during the season by using an oil specially formulated for wood furniture. Look for teak oil or use a coat of stain or polyurethane. You can also use vegetable oil or even baby oil for protection.

Tips & Warnings

Always take your furniture inside during winter months or cover the furniture up if possible.
It is also a good idea to tighten any loose screws during your furniture cleaning and to just do a general maintenance check.
Cleaning your furniture twice a year can brighten it up and add new life. A little elbow grease goes a long way to preserving your furniture and saving you money.
There are also other commercially made products that clean and protect wood furniture such as Sunwax.
Be careful about leaving your wood furniture on grass that becomes wet. Table and chair legs can become saturated with water which will ruin the furniture.
Do not clean any cushions or fabric with the bleach solution. Many of the fabric items can be washed in the washer and then placed back on the cushions when wet. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer.