How to Clean Outdoor Furniture

Cleaning tiled area with the STIHL Rotating Wash Brush with a STIHL Water Blaster in the background

When the weather warms up, we look forward to eating outside. But often, the outdoor furniture looks in no state to eat off! Cleaning the dirt and algae from our outdoor furniture is a common task that needs to be done in spring. Regular cleaning will also increase the life of the furniture. We have some tips for the best ways to clean furniture made of different types of materials, including wood, plastic, metal, and rattan

OUTDOOR FURNITURE OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS

WOODEN OUTDOOR FURNITURE

Before starting, check if your furniture is suitable for waterblasting. The natural properties of hardwoods, such as teak, eucalyptus, oak, and gum, make them great choices for low-maintenance outdoor furniture, as they are weather-resistant, do not turn grey as quickly as other woods, and can handle fairly robust waterblaster cleaning. However, if your furniture is made of softwoods, like beech, spruce, or pine, we recommend cleaning them with a broom and brush to avoid damaging the surface. Or, if you do use a waterblaster, make sure you use a soft brush attachment and keep the pressure low.

You should only clean wood furniture when night-time temperatures are above freezing - this is because it needs to dry out completely after you clean it, and any ice crystals that form at low temperatures will damage the wood. For oiled and varnished wood furniture, we recommend an annual reapplication of the finish

CLEANING WODOEN FURNITURE WITH A WATER BLASTER

Using a water blaster to clean your furniture is fast and effective, and it can also reduce water consumption compared to cleaning with a garden hose. It doesn't matter how robust your wooden garden furniture is; you should always avoid directing the high-pressure water jet directly at it. Instead, we recommend that you use the STIHL Rotating Wash Brush; this tool ensures powerful yet gentle cleaning as well as efficient water use.

If your rotating washing brush is not enough, you can also use the fan jet nozzle, but make sure that you keep the pressure low and the lance should be approximately 70 to 100 cm away from the surface as you use it. This is especially important if the wooden furniture is varnished; if the pressure is too high, the paint often cracks and later splinters. It's a good idea to test the pressure and flow on a small area before attacking the entire surface.

For homeowners, our lightweight entry-level models RE 90 and RE 95 will be perfect for a spotless and effortless clean.

Before you start, make sure your outdoor furniture is placed on a flat surface, and you have your wash bush attachment secured.

1. Remove coarse dirt – Use the high-pressure jet with a rotating wash brush attachment to remove large particles of coarse dirt, dust and cobwebs.
2. Add cleaning agent - Add an undiluted universal cleaner to deal with heavy dirt. Use a low-pressure setting to apply the cleaning agent to the furniture. Leave it on the surface to work briefly. Be careful not to leave it too long so that the foam dries up.
3. Rinse thoroughly - Once the cleaning agent has taken effect, rinse away the loosened dirt and foam using a low pressure setting and the rotating wash brush attachment. Wash your furniture top down. The circular movement of the wash brush will even penetrate deeply embedded dirt.

The STIHL Rotating Wash Brush is ideal for cleaning sensitive surfaces. It is a better option than using the nozzles directly as it gives a more gentle wash on fragile surfaces. This Rotating Wash Brush fits STIHL Water Blaster models RE 90 - 170 PLUS.

CLEANING WOODEN FURNITURE BY HAND

Dirt and stains can be easily removed from the wood with a homemade soapy solution. To do this, simply take a piece of natural, core, or soft soap and dissolve it in lukewarm water. Then, apply the cleaning agent to the wooden surface with a soft brush, cleaning in the direction of the grain. Afterward, rinse the furniture and finally, wipe off the moisture with a soft cotton cloth and let it dry completely. We advise against cleaning your wooden garden furniture with household remedies such as soda or vinegar, as these agents are significantly more aggressive than soapy water. Avoid all aggressive cleaning agents, hard wire brushes, or coarse sponges as these may cause micro-damage, which makes it easier for dirt particles to settle in the wood

HOW TO CLEAN CAST IRON AND WROUGHT IRON FURNITURE

Iron garden furniture is really easy to clean, and because small areas of corrosion are often part of the country charm, you only need to focus on cleaning more substantial dirt, plant matter, and cobwebs. This is easy to do with your Water Blaster fitted with a rotary nozzle, which offers powerful cleaning and quickly removes stubborn dirt.

Cleaning powder-coated and painted metal garden furniture is just as easy. However, in order to prevent any peeling of the paint or coating, you should keep the pressure of the Water Blaster to a minimum and use a flat jet nozzle instead of a rotary nozzle.

HOW TO CLEAN PLASTIC OUTDOOR FURNITURE WITH WATER BLASTER

Plastic outdoor furniture is prone to grey film and even green patches of algae. Water Blasting plastic outdoor furniture will get your job done in no time. Apply low pressure and stand around 50 cm from the surface you’re cleaning.

HOW TO CLEAN RATTAN OR WICKER OUTDOOR FURNITURE WITH WATER BLASTER

The woven structure of the material makes cleaning rattan furniture difficult by hand, as dirt often settles between the fibers. A high-pressure cleaner is the answer to getting it clean in every corner, but it must be used with caution. As a delicate natural material, you should not direct a harsh water jet straight onto your rattan and woven furniture. Instead, first use the foam nozzle of your STIHL high-pressure cleaner to get into any unevenness. Then use the washing brush to clean the surfaces and finally, the fan jet nozzle to rinse off. You should clean lacquered rattan furniture just as carefully as untreated furniture.

Rattan is a completely natural product, whereas polyrattan achieves a similar look with a plastic-based material. This also means that polyrattan furniture is significantly less fragile than natural rattan, so you can use a higher setting on your Water Blaster