How I Clean My Own Outdoor Furniture Frames

The number one question asked by my customers is how to clean their furniture frames.  Typically the email reads like this:

” We love our outdoor furniture, but we’ve left it outside all season and the frames…(insert one of these 3 options):  1) are dirty  2) have brown marks on them 3) have black spots on them. 

How do I clean them?”

If this sounds like you, keep reading.

Let’s be honest—life gets busy, and sometimes our outdoor gear gets a bit neglected. If you’ve left our Outside Space outdoor furniture in an uncovered/  semi-covered outdoor area for a few months without any attention, you may find it needs a fresh up. 

First of all, don’t panic. Our high-quality powdercoated aluminium is incredibly resilient. Secondly…congratulations! Because you’ve made a wise purchase with respect to the easy care and maintenance of this furniture,  all will be well.

I thought I’d photo-document washing our own Unwind outdoor furniture  (yes, life got busy for us too!) to show you exactly how easy it is to bring it back to a showroom glow. 

The 2-Step Plan

Step 1: The Dish Soap and Water Reset

First, I tackled the surface dirt. All I use is a bucket of warm, soapy water (ordinary dishwashing liquid works wonders) and a soft cloth or sponge. I gave the frame a good wash down to remove the thick layer of dust and grime.

Much dirt was removed with just a simple sponge down. I then rinsed it with clean water. You can always use a garden hose setting to see your progress, but in my case, I then wiped the surfaces semi-dry with a big towel.

Step 2: Banishing Stubborn Mould and Lichen

I found Step 1 eliminated 90% of the marks/discolouring, but some stubborn browny patches and dark dots remained. These are most likely black mould spots (it can look like cracked pepper, or rust-coloured dots) or brownish-green lichen.  

To address this without scrubbing, I use 30 Seconds Mould Cleaner. Let it sit for the recommended time to do the heavy lifting for you, then give it a final rinse down.

The Final Result: My Frame Was Good as New

Once the frame dried off, the transformation was complete. The crisp, clean white of our Unwind frame was completely restored, with absolutely no staining or damage left behind.

The pic below shows my unwashed 3-seater frame next to my washed single chair frame to illustrate how a little TLC restores the frame. 

Investing in quality powdercoated aluminium means your furniture is built to last the Kiwi elements. Even when it gets a bit unloved, a quick bucket of soapy water and a bit of mould spray is all it takes to get it ready for your next outdoor lounging and living.

The Tips of Aluminium Care 

Before you grab your cleaning kit, let’s go over a few absolute deal-breakers. Powdercoated aluminium is tough, but it can be damaged if you treat it too harshly.

• DON’T water blast it: It’s tempting to blast the grime away, but high-pressure water blasters can chip, crack, or breach the powdercoated finish, leading to long-term damage.
• DON’T use Jif or abrasive cleaners: Cream cleansers like Jif will scratch the smooth surface. Once you scratch the coating, dirt will stick to it even faster next time.
• DON’T use a green scrubby. As per the above point, abrasive scouring pads will scratch the surface.
• DON’T think orange spots are rust. They are likely mould as our lounge furniture cannot rust. However, if you leave steel on the surface (like a box knife blade or a tin can) rust will leach from the steel onto the surface and embed in the powdercoating. 
• Invest in rain covers: We sell rain covers custom-fitted to all our ranges if you’d prefer. Please note, we only sell our rain covers to customers of our ranges.

Caveat: This guide is applicable to our Outside Space outdoor furniture only. Also, the longer the dirt and mould is left sitting on your furniture, the tougher it will be to fully restore it to its ‘like new’ condition. 

Kerry is the co-owner of Outside Space NZ, offering a range of contemporary outdoor furniture and sun umbrellas for coastal living kiwis seeking premium quality outdoor products and design at achievable prices.