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Care & Maintenance

Ensure proper care for your furniture or Christmas tree by following our care and maintenance instructions below.

Care and Maintenance for extruded aluminum and cast aluminum by Woodard, Mallin and Ratana.
Aluminum Furniture
Care and Maintenance for wrought iron and iron furniture by Woodard
Iron Furniture
Care and Maintenance for Poly furniture.
Poly Furniture
Care and Maintenance for Grade A Teak, Rustic Teak and more!
Kingsley Bate Algarve Grade A Teak Furniture
Care and Maintenance for all-weather wicker
Ratana Boston Wicker Furniture
Flocked Christmas Trees and Christmas Trees Care and Maintenance.

Aluminum Furniture Care & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

Remove any cushions or furniture accessories before cleaning. Use a garden hose with a spray or “rain” setting to remove the largest pieces of dirt and debris from the metal. Avoid using a pressure washer or a strong setting on a garden hose nozzle since a too strong and focused stream of water could damage the finish. After spraying the furniture off, wash the furniture with a soft cloth or sponge and a solution of mild soap in warm water. Rinse thoroughly with a low pressure hose to remove any soap. Allow the furniture to air dry. Do not clean the furniture with abrasive pads, brushes or cleansers. Use care to avoid scratching the finish.

Do not put heavy objects such as planters on aluminum table to avoid scratches and water marks. Do not put hot objects such as hot pans on aluminum table to avoid leaving heat marks on it. 

To prevent debris from settling in and leave stains or discolorations, use a mild detergent mixed with water and scrub the table top with a soft, clean cloth or sponge (one that won’t bleed color). Dry thoroughly after cleaning to prevent moisture penetration or water mark. Spills should always be cleaned up reasonably quickly.

Aluminum is strong, non-rusting, low maintenance and very resistant to the weather. Apply a coat of non-hazing automotive paste wax at the start of each season as well as before putting your furniture away at the end of the season. 

Insect Repellents and Suntan Lotion

The finishes are formulated and baked on to make it highly resistant to repellents and lotions. However, to avoid discoloration, clean the frame as soon as possible after the exposure.

Winter Storage

Aluminum furniture frames may be left out year around without a furniture cover (this does not include sling furniture). Alternatively, you can protect your furniture under a furniture cover. Please note, condensation form under the furniture cover, which can cause mould and mildew. Therefore, make sure to lift the cover from the ground to ensure proper air circulation and minimize condensation.

Please thoroughly clean all furniture and cushions before storage or put under the furniture cover.

Iron Furniture Care & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

Clean with warm, soapy water. Damage to the paint finish may cause corrosion, touch up with paint immediately. To maintain the gloss on non-textured finishes, protect with a fine automotive wax.

Removing Stains and Mildew

Woodard’s multi-step finishing process results in a stain-resistant finish. Severe stains may require light sanding and touch-up painting.

Insect Repellents and Suntan Lotion

The finish on Woodard furniture is formulated and baked on to make it highly resistant to repellents and lotions. However, to avoid discoloration, clean metal parts of these products frequently.

Winter Storage

We recommend storing your furniture indoors during the off season or not in use for prolonged period. Alternatively, you can protect your furniture under a furniture cover. Please note, condensation form under the furniture cover, which can cause mould and mildew. Therefore, make sure to lift the cover from the ground to ensure proper air circulation and minimize condensation.

Please thoroughly clean all furniture and cushions before storage or put under the furniture cover.

Poly Furniture Care & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

Poly furniture is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a recyclable plastic that never needs to be painted or stained. It will not rot or splinter, and it contains an added UV protective agent to resist fading. Poly furniture is not affected by most corrosive substances, and will not promote bacterial growth.

To maintain the beauty of your furniture, use poly cleaners or clean regularly with nonabrasive soap and water. While most colors need to be cleaned a few times per year, certain colors such as white (but not limited to this color) need to be cleaned more frequently in order to maintain the original beauty. In extreme situations, and with colors such as white, spray the furniture thoroughly with a nonabrasive cleaner then scrub the furniture using a soft bristle brush and rinse off with warm, clean water. If needed, spray the furniture with nonabrasive cleaner and wash it using a high-pressure washer. Do not place the tip of your pressure washer closer than 16” – 20” from the furniture or it will tear into the material.

Do not place flower pots or any items on furniture that will leave stains. Do not place hot items directly onto furniture to avoid melting.

All fasteners on furniture are stainless steel with most fasteners being chrome-plated stainless steel. Chrome-plated stainless steel is one of the most corrosive-resistant fasteners on the market. However, in extreme conditions such as coastal areas, while chrome-plated stainless steel will be less likely to rust, it is still recommended to regularly rinse it with fresh water to ensure the longevity of your furniture and fasteners.

Winter Storage

Poly furniture can be left out all year round un-covered.

Teak Furniture Care & Maintenance

Before Use

Clean your teak furniture before using it for the first time. Teak has oil that occurs naturally in the wood and this oil can stain cushion fabric. Before placing cushions on your teak furniture, remove any dust from manufacturing by wiping the furniture with a damp cloth. Cushions should not be placed on teak furniture prior to this step to avoid staining. Expect some of the oil to bleed out following the first few rainfalls. In order to protect your cushions, bring them inside before the furniture gets wet.

To protect your sling furniture and dining chairs with cushions, move sling/cushion chairs out from under teak tables for the first few rainfalls. Once the furniture has begun to form a silver-grey patina, it is no longer necessary to bring the cushions indoors or move sling chairs.

The Weathering Process

Teak wood furniture, when exposed to the outdoors, will form a silver-grey patina. This process will take approximately nine months, depending on the amount of sunlight and rain exposure. During the weathering process, you may notice “checking” or small cracks that appear in the wood. This is perfectly natural, as wood expands and contracts slightly when left outdoors. Checking is cosmetic only and in no way affects the structural integrity of the furniture. Checking is not covered under warranty.

A lifting of the grain may occur on the top edges of the arms and legs. The grain will return to its original smooth finish after the initial weathering process. To aid this process, simply clean your furniture with a soft bristle brush or sponge. Water spots or other discoloration may also occur during the weathering process. These will even out with time and with periodic cleaning, the furniture with achieve a uniform silver-grey.

If you prefer to keep your teak wood a golden brown color, we recommend using Kinglsey Bate Teak Protector. This is a purely cosmetic application. The product will maintain the golden brown color for approximately one season and can be reapplied as needed. You should wait two weeks before applying the protector to newly assembled furniture. We strongly recommend you try it on a small area of your furniture first – such as a back of a leg or the underside of a chair – to ensure you like the results before applying to the entire piece.

Care & Maintenance

The only maintenance neccessary for your furniture is periodic cleaning. First, hose down the furniture with fresh water. Avoid spraying the teak with a high pressure hose, as high pressure can erode the surface of the wood. Next, scrub the wet furniture using a soft bristle brush and a solution of 2/3 cup laundry detergent and 1/4 cup bleach in 1 gallon of warm water. When finished, rinse the entire piece with more fresh water to remove any remaining cleaning solution. This procedure is sufficient for general cleaning. For more difficult stains we recommend using Kingsley Bate Teak Cleaner. This will remove the silver-grey patina and restore the furniture to a golden brown color.

It is also recommended to apply Teak Shield to the surfaces of teak, as it makes it difficult for stains from red wine, salad oil, coffee etc. to penetrate the wood, so that fresh spills can be wiped away with a damp cloth. Apply it two or more times per year depending on the use and exposure. For Galvanized steel table tops, any spills should be wiped immediately while fresh to prevent stains.

Although teak wood itself will not mildew, mildew sometimes grows on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the wood. This occurs more commonly in warm, humid climates. If this happens, follow the standard cleaning instructions immediately. Do not let mildew remain on the wood for too long. Doing so could cause stains on the wood that are difficult to remove. Teak Shield has also been shown to impede mildew growth.

Winter Storage

Grade A Teak furniture may be left outside all year round without an outdoor furniture cover. Snow and freezing temperatures will not harm the furniture. If you prefer to store your furniture, we recommend doing so in a dry, unheated garage or garden shed.

Rustic Teak furniture or teak furniture with slings should be stored in a dry, unheated garage or shed, or beneath ventilated/breathable furniture covers. Clean and dry all furniture thoroughly before storing.

Wicker Furniture Care & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

All-weather wicker fiber is environmentally friendly and highly resistant to fading, cracking or tearing even after years of use. Fibers have variegated tones, textures and/or matte finishes for incredibly natural, authentic appearance.

To clean your woven furniture, rinse the frame with fresh water. You may also wash the woven material with mild detergent and warm water using a soft bristle brush. After washing, rinse with fresh water until these are no soap bubbles remaining. Allow the furniture to air-dry. If using a specialty outdoor furniture cleaner, avoid using a foaming product, as foam cleaners can leave residue in the gaps of the weaving and later attract dirt.

Winter Storage

Woven furniture should be stored for the winter climates exposed to snow and freezing temperatures. Furniture must be stored in an upright position to allow for proper water drainage. Storing furniture upside-down may cause water to accumulate and freeze inside the frame, causing structural damage. Always thoroughly clean your furniture before placing in storage. The best place to store your furniture is a dry garage, garden shed or basement. You may also store your wicker furniture outdoors using furniture covers.

Christmas Tree Care & Maintenance

Christmas Tree Set Up
  • Use a blanket underneath the first time setting up a flocked or iced tree.
  • For 9-12’ trees, you may want to fluff and decorate each section before you put it on the tree
  • Use surge protector to increase the life of your lights
  • Use caution to ensure you do not clip wiring as you are cutting the ribbon off each layer
  • Carefully release one layer of branches at a time and ensure no wires are stretched or pulled out
  • Fluff one section at a time, plug in and check that all bulbs are lit (see trouble shooting section if issues)
  • Keep plastic end caps and bubble wrap from each section for storage
  • Place instructions, receipt, plastic end caps, bubble wrap & extra bulbs in bag for storage

Maintenance (Incadescent Lights Only)
  • Replace bulbs as soon as you see them burnt out; burnt bulbs will put strain on the entire strand
  • Check for burnt out bulbs each year as you set up/take down your tree and replace them immediately
Storage
  • Never store tree in original box or cram into a small box as it will degrade the quality by breaking down the branches and can affect the color of your tree.
  • Loosely pack tree into storage bag to preserve the bulbs, branches and wires.
  • Replace plastic end caps in each section to secure wiring and to protect the tree frame.
  • Use bubble wrap between sections to keep branches from tangling.
  • Store in a climate-controlled environment. Attics, garages or any space that has extreme temperatures will discolor and/or degrade quality of tree, branches and fluff.
Trouble Shooting

Tree, or section(s), will not light

  • Check the cord to ensure it is properly plugged into the outlet
  • Be Sure there is power to the outlet and power strip
  • Check that all plugs within the tree are securely connected and positioned correctly
  • Check for frayed or cut wires
  • (Incandescent only) Check for loose, twisted, broken, cracked or burnt out bulbs
  • Plug section directly into the transformer (LED), or outlet (Candescent), to see if the section lights up (excluding easy pole design)
  • Unplug each section completely and plug everything back in (exclude easy pole design)

Remote Doesn’t Work

  • Verify tree works without using remote
  • Replace batteries in remote

Have questions about your furniture or Christmas Tree? Contact Us at info@dansporchandpatio.com or 260-482-3267

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