When you first take the wrapping off your brand new garden table, there is no beating the look of it. It is clean, new and beautifully made.
But as we all know, as time goes by and your garden table is sitting out in the elements, that brand new look tends to fade. The consequences of various weather conditions end up leaving your garden table looking very woeful indeed.
So is there anything you can do to prevent this from happening? And can you breathe new life into a garden table that hasn’t been cleaned or looked after at all?
Promisingly, the answer is a positive one. There is a lot you can do but it will depend on what the garden table and chairs are made from. A method that will work well for one won’t necessarily work well for another one, so always be sure what your furniture is made from before you get started.
Of course, most of the time it will be obvious what the materials are. Wood can be a bit of a problem since different types of wood might need different treatments. Teak is a classic example. It has its own oils ‘built in’, so to speak, so if you start adding other oils on top of that you can actually do more damage. Teak oil is the thing to use if you need to treat it, but be sure to read the instructions and go from there.
Most garden tables are pre-treated before they even leave the factory, so they are already well set up for handling the various weather conditions, the heat, the cold and the sunlight that they will need to put up with. You should also get full instructions when you buy a garden table that will tell you how to care for it and keep it looking good.
Plastic tables are probably the easiest to clean up; hot soapy water will get rid of any grime, dust and dirt. The one thing you won’t be able to get rid of is any sun damage. Plastic does have a tendency to fade after a while. The best bet is to try and store them away from the sun from the time you actually buy them, but even then you won’t be able to prevent it from happening altogether.
With wrought iron and garden tables made from metal, the main hazard is rust. But since they are treated to prevent this, it shouldn’t happen unless you actually accidentally scratch it.
The moral of the story is obviously to look after your garden table and chairs right from the start. You will also find that all dirt and grime can be removed with a simple soapy solution applied with a damp sponge. That’s really all there is to it – and if you do it regularly you will find that your garden furniture will stay looking good and give you many years of great service to boot.