HDPE recycled plastic outdoor furniture is the easiest type of material to clean. You don’t need special oil or sealant like you do with wood furniture. You don’t have to add extra ingredients like vinegar to struggle to remove all traces of mold or mildew. You also use fewer cleaning supplies over time to maintain it.
A little soap and water or some specially formulated cleaner made specifically for this type of furniture goes a long way to keep your all weather patio furniture looking good-as-new.
Follow these steps to clean your recycled plastic outdoor furniture:
1. Hose It Off
You can use a water hose or high-pressure washer (with no more than 1,500 psi) to easily remove dust, dirt and grime. If you need extra help in addition to the water pressure, you can apply a soft-bristled brush and mild cleanser to the furniture, such as Breezesta Clean.
If your furniture came into contact with grease, the Breezesta Clean biodegradable formula should do the trick. Just spray and wipe with a non-abrasive cloth.
HDPE is thankfully nonporous, but sometimes, the residual effects of pollen or mildew can give the furniture surface, especially the white color, a yellowish or greenish hue. The Breezesta Remove Mildew Stains spray effectively eliminates this. Be sure to rinse or hose off the solution.
2. Keep Cushions Clean
Some homeowners and business owners choose to add cushions to their Breezesta furniture. Unless, it’s a deep seating style, Breezesta HDPE plastic furniture doesn’t require cushions to be comfortable, although you may want them to enhance the aesthetic and type of style you’re after.
If you have cushions, they may succumb to mold or mildew due to outdoor moisture. Thankfully, there is a solution! The versatile Breezesta Remove Mildew Stains spray can also be applied to cushions to eliminate mildew stains; no heavy scrubbing required, but be sure to rinse.
Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for cushion care. Detailed instructions depend on the type of fabric material. Typically, you’ll want to hand wash or machine wash outdoor fabrics and dry them outdoors regularly to keep them like new.
Breezesta uses mildew-resistant Sunbrella® fabrics for its cushions. The best approach to cleaning cushions with Sunbrella fabric is to brush off the dirt and immediately address any spill by blotting with a dry cloth. Then spray a mild soap solution such as Breezesta Clean or Woolite® and rinse thoroughly. Please visit their website for complete Sunbrella fabric care and maintenance instructions.
3. Add Extra Protection
One of the best things about Breezesta’s HDPE recycled plastic furniture is that it’s not prone to cracking or fading, unlike furniture materials like wood, wicker or cheap plastic.
If you wish to keep your outdoor HDPE furniture looking bright, fresh, and new, treat it with extra protection with the Breezesta Protect spray. It’s infused with a UV inhibitor to add a super-shield of protection from the sun. Breezesta is the only manufacturer to offer a 3-year fade warranty, but since all HDPE will fade some over time, especially in sunnier climates, this is the best prevention and maintenance tactic to protect your investment.
The extra benefit of this spray is that it also removes light grime. You can use it to clean your furniture while also adding protection to keep it looking as good as the day you bought it!
4. Maintain Metal Hardware
Breezesta HDPE plastic furniture does have metal hardware such as screws and bolts that fasten the furniture pieces together. These are made of high-quality stainless steel, but even the highest quality stainless steel may rust over time depending on the elements it’s exposed to. If your outdoor furniture is in a coastal environment where salt air and extreme humidity are present, you’ll want to take care to maintain these pieces and avoid rust and subsequent furniture staining.
If you live in a coastal area, regularly rinse metal parts with fresh water. Periodically, about once a quarter, apply a paste wax to the hardware. We recommend using carnauba wax used in automotive wax products to protect the hardware.
Another option to prevent and repair hardware rust is to apply protective enamel paint that matches your furniture. We recommend Rust-Oleum® Stops Rust® Protective Enamel Paint, which is available in nearly 50 colors. Apply the paint on a cotton swab and dab the fasteners. If you live in a coastal area, this is a strong recommendation.
To clean rust, scrub the affected areas with mild soap and water, then rinse. You can also apply a mild acid solution of vinegar or lemon juice mixed with water. Brush with a toothbrush for best results.
Yet another rust cleaning option is to use a non-abrasive, soft scrub bathroom cleaner that doesn’t contain phosphoric acid or chlorine. To prevent damage to the HDPE plastic furniture, avoid those ingredients in any cleaner.
Once you realize that you have some rusting hardware, Rust-Oleum® Rust Reformer is a good solution. You can spray it to stop rust, then restore the original look by painting the hardware to match the furniture.
Shop Low-Maintenance Furniture from Breezesta
Really, all you typically need to do to maintain your Breezesta furniture if you live in a non-coastal area is to use good ol' soap and water. But because furniture is such an important purchase for many people and an important part of their enjoyment, low-cost, high-value cleaners like the ones Breezesta offers add extra protection to your investment.
Find a local Breezesta retailer to shop premium recycled HDPE furniture that will last through every season of your life.