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Expand your home through your garden and provide your friends and family with space to relax and entertain whilst enjoying the great outdoors. It’s important to remember that garden furniture can last for many years, so long as we maintain it well and taking care of your garden furniture couldn’t be easier with our care guide.
Due to their high oil contents, tropical hardwoods, such as teak and eucalyptus, are naturally weather-resistant. This makes them easy to look after and maintain, especially when you keep them outside. Over time, variations in colour and markings, such as cracks along the grain, will become more prominent on these hardwoods. To keep your hardwood furniture in good condition, fill a small bucket with mild soapy water and a soft brush to give it a good scrub as this will remove pollution and algae.
Just follow with a thorough rinse and an application of a wood preservative to restore the timber’s shiny surface. Maintaining hardwood is easy once you get to grips with it. If you set up a maintenance routine at the end of every summer this can preserve the furniture for year after year use. We stock garden furniture restorer but it’s always better to check the manufactures website for more details. Sone recommend a simple solution, such as hot soapy water.
Modern rattan furniture that has been constructed using High Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride or weatherproof PVC are incredibly durable and lightweight which makes it perfect when you want to rearrange the setting around your outdoor space. It is important to note that natural rattan that hasn’t been treated is highly likely to rot. At Leekes, we recommend you clean your furniture once a month. Create plenty of bubbles in a bowl using washing up liquid, and taking a soft cloth to wash. It is important to note that you don’t use the water as it runs the risk of damaging your rattan.
To remove stains and really get into the crevices, we recommend using a toothbrush to scrub. In order to dry your rattan furniture, simply leave it outside in the sun. Woven furniture is low maintenance so using a pressure hose on a low setting will ensure it is kept clean. Avoid using products and mixtures that foam as the residue can get trapped in the weave and attract dirt.
Our metal furniture are coated with a hardwearing finish which ensures maintaining them quite an easy task. Avoid using anything abrasive as this can scratch and damage the finish. Gently wash your metal furniture using a sponge and lukewarm, soapy water.
Wrought iron and steel: To ensure its longevity, steel and wrought iron furniture is finished with tough coatings, so if you find the surface of your furniture damaged or exposed, it is best to touch up the paintwork with car paint in a matching colour.
Cast aluminium: Even though cast aluminium furniture cannot rust, the polyester coating could peel if damaged. In order to prevent this, it is important to touch up the surface with a matching car paint.
As parasols are essentially designed as sunshades, they should not be left outside in the rain for any length of time as the fabric is not rain proof. Once they do get wet, leave them open to dry out slowly. Always remember that parasols should be disassembled at the earliest convenience and stored safely when no longer in use, such as throughout the winter season or severe bad weather to avoid permanent damage.
As the gradual change in ‘outdoor living’ becomes more prominent, the upcoming trend is to create a room environment in the garden. With this in mind, we have introduced a numerous range of Pergolas to Leekes this year. There’s a hexagonal pergola for those with circular tables, as well as large and small rectangular and square pergolas. These are also ideal for covering over an outdoor spa area.
To clean weather ready cushions, wipe down with soapy water mixed well in lukewarm water as this delicately removes any dirt collected from the faux leather top layer of the cushion (Our cushions are constructed and covered in a variety of textiles that need to be cared for differently).
Always store your cushions in a cool, dry place and do not leave out in the rain as the fillings may take a while to dry out. To avoid mould from developing, avoid storing cushions in polythene bags.
In order to protect your furniture during the winter season or bad weather, furniture covers are the perfect solution as they will shelter your furniture. Use a large piece of breathable material to cover your furniture when it is not in use for additional protection. Before fitting the covers, ensure the furniture and any accessories are dry to prevent mould from appearing.
We have created a buying guide to help you select which garden furniture best suits your lifestyle and needs.
Visit our designated garden & outdoor living page for more information on this season’s range along with inspirational ideas.