Refresh Your Garden With Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Cleaning Guide

6th Mar 2025

Posted by Alice Ewens on 6th Mar 2025

Spring is officially sprung. We’ve even had a few days of sunshine! So there's no better time to give your garden a much-needed refresh.

Whether you’ve got a new build fence and lawn combo, an overgrown terrace garden or a small balcony, these tips will help you tidy up and have your outdoor furniture looking tip-top.

This blog is a part of our ‘Get Ahead With Your Garden’ series as we lean big-time into the garden overhaul season here at Furniturebox HQ. Check out the accompanying blogs on styling your garden by size and by trend at the end.

Tidying and Cleaning Tips For The Wider Garden Space

If you’re anything like me, you probably haven’t looked at your outdoor space since some time in October. So now’s the perfect time to get everything spic and span. A tidy backdrop means you can really go to town with the garden furniture and décor.

Garden Refresh Quick Wins

Weeding Start by pulling out those pesky weeds. It's a quick job that makes a big difference.

Lawn Mowing Give that lawn a fresh trim. It instantly makes your garden look neat and tidy.

Pressure Washing Blast away dirt and grime from patios, decks and pathways with a pressure washer. It's incredibly satisfying and leaves surfaces looking like new.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Bigger Garden Refresh Projects

Wood Treatments Protect and revitalise your sheds, decks, and fences with a good wood treatment. It not only enhances the appearance but also extends the life of the wood. Wood treatments come in all sorts of colours, so you can go for natural wood stains or add colour.

Rust Treatments For metal furniture or railings, use a wire brush to remove loose bits, and then add a rust treatment to remove any corrosion and add a weather-protecting layer. Go for a clear treatment if you like the aged rustic look, or apply a fresh coat of metal paint to keep them looking their best.

New Bedding Plants If you've got the budget and the motivation, you can really go to town with the planting, but some simple and easy-to-maintain bedding flowers like pansies or begonias in big pots can inject some immediate colour.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Garden Furniture Cleaning Tip 1 – Scrub Up But Go Gentle

The first tip applies to any garden furniture, regardless of its material. Give it a good dusting to brush off and remove general dirt, dust and cobwebs. Use a soft bristle brush – an old but clean washing-up brush is ideal, as it won’t scratch the material. Wipe everything down with a soft, damp cloth and avoid using abrasive cleaning products, including bleach on any outdoor furniture, even on white plastic as these chemicals can corrode surfaces.

Image credit: Pinterest

Garden Furniture Cleaning Tip 2 - Keep Wooden Garden Furniture Moss & Splinter Free

Wooden outdoor furniture is always a timeless look, meaning it will last through cycles of trends, making it more planet-and-pocket-friendly option, but its organic nature means it is more susceptible to damp-rot and moss. You can wash off solid wooden outdoor furniture with a garden hose and some soapy water followed by a good scrubbing. Use a pressure washer to get rid of more stubborn moss. Be careful not to get too close, a powerful hose or pressure washer can cause flaking and splintering of older wood if not careful. Once clean and dry, you can prolong the life of wooden items by applying a protective oil or stain which will help prevent flaking. Lightly sand the surface first, wipe down to remove dust, and then apply your chosen protective oil or stain in the direction of the wood grain.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Garden Furniture Cleaning Tip 3 –Get Plastic Garden Furniture Gleaming

For a budget-friendly hack that uses household items that can be purchased for around £1 from most supermarkets, mix 1-part baking soda with 16 parts warm water. This works really well on plastic chairs and tables. For more stubborn spots, sprinkle baking soda then rub in a gentle circular motion. Wash and wipe down. Mildew spots can be treated with a spray of undiluted white vinegar. These ingredients are also far less harmful to the environment than many other cleaning products with harsher chemicals, so you can wash these down the drain without worry.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Garden Furniture Cleaning Tip 4 - Combat Rust On Metal Garden Furniture

Metal garden furniture is usually designed to be a little more hard wearing, which is always great for the environment but it can benefit from some extra love to prolong its life. Hose off any dirt then use steel wool to remove rust and wipe away any debris. Then apply anti-rust paint for exterior use to the furniture (or metal railings), taking extra care on any areas where scratches might have gone through the existing top layers of paint. You can even use a clear anti-rust spray as a sealant if you want to preserve the existing lived-in rustic look. Once dry, add a layer of car paste wax with a soft cloth to provide extra weather-proofing protection and a bit of shine.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Garden Furniture Cleaning Tip 5 - Don’t Camp Out With The Cushions

Avoid leaving garden furniture cushions out on the furniture and always store them in a cool, dry place when not in use, as many outdoor cushions are only splash-proof. If cushion covers can be removed, they should be washed in a cool 30°C wash to avoid shrinkage. This will not only help preserve your cushion covers but is a lot friendlier to the environment while still ensuring the job gets done. Don’t use bleach or iron them as this can weaken the fabric and warp the shape, making it harder to get the pads back inside the covers. Don’t wash any foam cushion fillings as this can lead to mould and mildew. Prevention is better than reaction here! You can prolong and protect cushion seat covers with some outdoor fabric protector - go for a non-toxic and environmentally friendly option that doesn’t contain PFAs, petroleum or harmful aerosols. Silicon dioxide is a naturally occurring and more eco-friendly ingredient to look for. It’s also worth investing in a weatherproof cover to go over the entire outdoor set to add another level of protection to your furniture.