Considering the tough circumstances that the entire world is currently facing, and the Spring weather finally looking to make an appearance – this is proving to be the perfect time to get out into your garden and give it a freshen up after a long long Winter season. Whilst it is extremely tempting to power wash or bleaches any outdoor garden furniture, we would strongly recommend not to do so! Here are some simple and valuable tips that you can follow. We have created a guide on how to clean and care for cast aluminium garden furniture to get it looking as good as new again.
Cast Aluminium is a phenomenal outdoor furniture material- It looks great, is a remarkably versatile material all the while being relatively inexpensive and if you care for it well it can last for years to come too! Here are a few of our top tips on how to clean and maintain your aluminium garden furniture.
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The downside to aluminium garden furniture is that if not stored or cared for correctly during Autumn or Winter oxidation can become an issue. Some pitting can look like a harmless small speck, but if left it can be difficult to remove the deeper pitting, even with metal polish. It pays to look after your cast aluminium garden furniture from day one and to avoid this from occurring.
The Different Between Aluminum Furniture and Cast Aluminum Furniture:
The most obvious difference between aluminium furniture and cast aluminium furniture is that aluminium furniture is usually hollow, whereas cast aluminium is solid and heavy – but this does not necessarily mean that cast aluminium is more durable. Cast Aluminium Garden Furniture doesn’t rust, but it can develop a layer of powdery white oxidation. It occurs naturally when your furniture is exposed to the elements. However, removing cast aluminium oxidation is not as difficult as you might think if you know how to do it correctly.
Safe Cast Aluminium Cleaning Products To Use:
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Alkaline-based cleaners can further oxidize aluminium, so please avoid products that contain chemicals such as ammonia and any degreasing type cleaning product that contains Trisodium Phosphate. You are likely to find ammonia in the following cleaning products:
- Window/glass cleaners
- Floor polishing waxes
- Bathroom cleaners (including toilet cleaner)
- Multi-surface cleaners
- Stainless Steel cleaners
If any of your aluminium garden furniture has only light oxidation (slightly tarnished), then you can try a simple acidic solution of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water before you invest in any of the expensive off the shelf products. However, if you’ve left it for a few years, and let’s face it we’ve all done it in the past, then to shine up your cast aluminium garden furniture, just follow these simple steps:
- Use a stiff wire brush to remove any loose debris from the surface. This will work perfectly for your: Aluminium Garden Table, Aluminium Garden Sofa and Aluminium Garden Bench. However for more intricate designs that could appear on Aluminum garden chairs consider using a smaller, toothbrush size stiff wire brush.
- Wearing rubber gloves, scrub around the frame with a nonabrasive scouring pad dipped in a marine aluminium cleaner, such as those available from 3M or Starbrite.
- Rinse the frame with warm water, and dry well with a towel.
- To help prevent corrosion and add a little extra shine, again you can apply a very light coat of car wax with a cloth. However, it is important not to do this too frequently as it can begin to damage the materials.
To prevent oxidisation, it is essential to minimise washing. To properly care for cast aluminium garden furniture, we would recommend purchasing some decent garden furniture covers to help put your garden furniture in good stead for the upcoming years.
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor