Aluminum Patio Furniture ~ Care & Maintenance Tips

Aluminum patio furniture requires cleaning and waxing to prevent suntan oils, human perspiration and environmental pollutants from baking into or corroding the finish of the furniture.

Damage to the finish will result if these materials are not cleaned off of the metal frames of your aluminium patio furniture.

Materials that can damage the finish of your aluminium patio furniture include:

• Suntan oils and sunscreen creams

• Unfiltered well or ground water

• Pods, bark and pollen of many tropical trees and shrubs

• Exhaust from planes and cars

• Salt spray from ocean air

• Chlorine and pool chemicals

Regular cleaning with a mild detergent is recommended. Never use alkaline products such as ammonia (a component of window cleaner). A non-abrasive brush should be used to clean aluminium patio furniture so you don't scratch or mark the painted surface. If the finish does get scratch, re-paint immediately with exterior metal paint to prevent rust and corrosion.

Furniture that has a "powder coat", applied by spraying electrostatically charged dry paint onto the grounded metal furniture frame and then baking, needs a special touch-up paint available from the furniture manufacturer.

Following a thorough cleaning, wax the frame parts of the furniture with a light, non-compound car wax such as Turtle Wax.