One of the best reasons to purchase plastic patio furniture is because it is easy to maintain and keep looking brand new. A little elbow grease, mild soap and warm water pretty much do the trick.
Regular cleaning tips for plastic outdoor furniture
You should clean your plastic garden furniture several times throughout the season with mild detergent and warm water. Regular cleaning will help to prevent mildew on your plastic outdoor furniture by washing out dirt particles that may become trapped. Shake out the excess moisture after rinsing and allow the plastic lawn furniture a chance to dry thoroughly. This is an especially pertinent step at the end of the season when you are preparing to store your plastic patio furniture.
Removing stains from plastic patio furniture
Clean your plastic patio furniture with a solution made up of warm water, mild laundry detergent and bleach. (Do use more than 1/4 cup of bleach to three gallons of warm water). This solution will work wonders on any stains or mildew found on your plastic patio furniture. It is important to note that you should never use a solvent-type solution as this will cause permanent damage to your plastic patio furniture.
Warning: Insect repellents and suntan lotions left on plastic patio furniture can cause damage
Lotion and repellents left on the plastic patio furniture will reduce the life of the plastic, accelerate fading of the fabrics. They can also cause stains on the plastic patio furniture. It is important to watch for this and clean with a solution of warm water and a little mild laundry detergent.
Avoid scouring agents
It is tempting to use a scouring agent on a spot found on your plastic patio furniture, but the experts warn us against that. Do not use solvents, scouring agents, carbon tetrachloride, undiluted bleach, janitorial cleansers, or gasoline on your plastic patio furniture. When in doubt about a cleaning agent, test it on the underneath side of the seat. If it works well there then you can proceed to use it on the rest of your plastic patio furniture. By sticking to mild detergent and warm water, you will never harm your plastic patio furniture.
For vinyl straps on plastic patio furniture
Clean with mild laundry detergent and warm water and then protect with Armour-All product. This will prolong the life of the vinyl straps found on your plastic patio furniture.
Never use solvents, scouring agents, or any of the other agents that are to be avoided when cleaning plastic patio furniture.
