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How to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture: 9 Effective Steps

Usually, we invest a good amount in our wrought iron patio furniture pieces, so we need to take care of them at least once a month. Regular cleaning and maintenance can make the furniture look good for a long period. 

However, having the best patio furniture set is not everything, you need to know how to clean them in the right way. Sometimes it can be a tiring and difficult job if you don’t know how to clean wrought iron patio furniture more precisely.

To move your stress away, we are here with the entire cleaning process. We have made a top-notch guideline below to make your patio furniture cleaning job effortless. 

Things to notice in this blog,

What Will You Need to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture? 

  1. Large hosepipe
  2. Sponge or soft net scrubber
  3. Brush 
  4. Steel wool scrubber 
  5. Dish Washer 
  6. Vinegar 
  7. Hot water 
  8. Bucket 
  9. A soft, clean, and dry cloth 
  10. Gloves 
  11. Automobile Wax 

Prepare the Magical Cleanser 

  • Dishwasher detergent, ¼ cup 
  • White vinegar, ¼ cup
  • Lukewarm water, 1 Litre 

Now take a large bucket of 1 liter of hot or lukewarm water. Then pour dishwasher detergent and white vinegar into the water.

Mix them very well with a spoon. You can fill a spray bottle with this mixture for more convenience. This cleanser will work like magic to remove all sorts of stains, dirt, and dust from your wrought iron patio furniture. You can use the equipment to clean your cast aluminum patio furniture as well.

How To Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture?

In this section, you will get a step-by-step guideline to clean your wrought iron furniture properly. We have tested this way and no furniture was damaged. 

#Step 1: Prepare your furniture for a bath

Photo Credit: gardenista.com

In the very first stage to revive wrought iron, you need to get everything prepared for quick and easy working. To avoid clumsiness remove the extra seat cushions and keep the surface of the furniture empty. You will have to clean the cushions separately. 

#Step 2: Gather all the necessary equipment

You need a pot filled with hot water, where you will mix dishwashing detergent. More specifically, you have to mix ¼ cup of detergent with almost 1 liter of hot water.

Now the measurements of this cleanser mixture depend on the size of your furniture. So, according to your preference, make this mixture and keep it aside. 

hot water & mix dishwashing detergent- How to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

#Step 3: rinsing water 

In this step, you need a hosepipe for rinsing water on your outdoor furniture. If you don’t have a hosepipe then you can simply do it with a bucket and mug. However, in that case, there will be no water pressure like a hosepipe. 

If you use water pressure, then you need to maintain a distance of at least two to three feet. It will help to remove all the dirt and dust from the surface of the furniture. This step is essential before starting the core cleaning process. 

#Step 4: Scrub the furniture 

How to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

You can do this step by using either a sponge or a soft net scrubber. All you have to do is, dip the sponge into the hot water mixture and begin to clean all the pieces of your furniture. Try to do it slowly and mildly. Otherwise, it may leave scratches on your furniture. 

Now reach out to all the narrow and tight spots to clean deeply. If you find any stubborn stains then you can use a soft brush to clean them. Sometimes they are too stubborn to be removed by brushes.

At that moment, you need to use a wool steel scrubber. But rub it as smoothly as you can for preventing unwanted scratches. Try to be more gentle if you are cleaning aluminum patio outdoor furniture.

#Step 5: Again rinse the water 

Again Rinse Water 
Photo Credit: cleaning.lovetoknow.com

In this step, you need to rinse your furniture pieces again. This time, don’t need water pressure. You can simply wash all the rubbed dust and dirt.

Keep in mind that you need to do this step immediately after step 3. Unless the rubbed dust and dirt will be dry again and you need to restart the entire process from the beginning. While rinsing water, try to use a large handled brush to remove all the dirt perfectly.  

#Step 6: Soak extra water 

After cleaning with water you need to soak all the existing water. Otherwise, there might be rust in the air which will again take place on the wet surface of your patio furniture. So use a dry and soft cloth to absorb all the moisture from the furniture. 

Now leave all the wrought iron furniture to air dry. This won’t take that much time, In the meantime, you can go for cleaning your cushions. 

#Step 7: Polish wax

You can easily use wax for wrought iron furniture to get a perfect shine. Apply automobile wax with the help of a soft cloth. Automobile wax is mainly used to polish wrought iron doors so you can apply them on your wrought iron furniture as well. After applying wax, try to buff a dry cloth to remove extra oily wax, which will restore shine to wrought iron furniture.

#Step 8: Clean your cushions

Cleaning cushions and cover also a part of treating wrought iron furniture. Firstly remove all the covers from the cushion.

Then wash them in your washing machine like regular clothes. If there are any spots or stubborn stains, then try to use a soft brush on that tough stain and rub it in a circular motion. Then put them into your washing machine with enough detergent. 

If there is no cover on your cushions and seating foams. Then you have to follow that pressure water process through your hose pipe. In this case, try to use a soft brush to remove all kinds of tough dirt and stains. Then keep them under the sunlight to dry. It will take a much longer time than the furniture pieces.

Then place all the cushions in their right spaces. If any of your outdoor furniture fabric is damaged you can check out our blog about repairing outdoor furniture fabric.

Things You should Avoid or Use Whole Fixing Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

The Dos 

  • To clean iron garden furniture, Wear gloves before starting the cleaning project. Otherwise, it will make your skin rough.
  • As you are doing outside, try to do it under a shelter. If there is warm weather and sun heat then it will make the dirt drier after the first water rinsing. 
  • For extra shine, you can polish automobile wax after cleaning. 
  • If you find any rusted area in your furniture pieces then you need to clean rust off wrought iron. Try to rub it with a paint scraper to remove the rust. then paint it the same color. For a better result, give two coats of paint. 
  • While using a hosepipe, you need to make sure that it is providing enough pressure to the dust areas. 
  •  If you have painted your furniture pieces, then polish them with automobile wax to make the painting long-lasting and extra shining. 
  • After polishing with wax, try to buff the furniture with a soft cloth. Otherwise, moist wax polishing will collect extra dust and dirt. 

The Don’ts 

  • Don’t use any hard scrubber or steel wire cleaner. It may leave unwanted scratches.
  •  In case of a tough stain, don’t use a scrubber. Try to use a soft brush.
  • If you are giving a pressure washer then don’t do it from a close distance. Try to maintain at least two feet distance. 
  • Don’t clean the furniture pieces without removing the seat cushions. 

FAQs on How to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

How do you care for wrought iron patio furniture?

Once a month is the best time for cleaning wrought iron furniture. You can use mild soap and a lukewarm water mixture.

In case of deep cleaning, you can make a mixture of 1 part white vinegar, 1 part of the dishwasher, or any mild soap with 8 parts of water. This mixture will remove all kinds of stubborn dirt and tough stains. 

How do you restore shine to wrought iron?

Polishing Automobile wax is a fantastic option to bring back the old shine on your patio furniture. After cleaning, you can simply apply the wax with a soft cloth in a circulation motion.

Then use another dry soft cloth to remove the excess moisture of the wax. Then leave it to air dry for a while. This wax coat will also help to prevent corrosion from your furniture. 

How do you remove rust from wrought iron patio furniture?

For removing rust from wrought iron, we need to follow the steps below. 

– Need to scrub the rusted area with a brush or a steel wire scrubber.
– Make sure that you have cleaned all the rust.
– Then apply two coats of paint to the furniture. 
– For the shine-like new furniture, apply automobile wax with a soft cloth.

How do I clean my metal patio furniture?

Water and mild soap is the best cleanser for cleaning metal patio furniture. You can do it with a soft cloth or a sponge. If you make your furniture pieces anti-bacterial then you can also use an alcohol wipe after cleaning. 

Can wrought iron furniture be left outside?

If your wrought furniture has a rust-resistant coat then you can leave them outside without any dilemma.

But if they don’t have then it is better to not leave them exposed outside. Especially during the winter and rainy seasons, it is very risky to put them outside.

Does wrought iron patio furniture rust?

Wrought iron patio furniture is made of iron it tends to rust but not as much as Aluminum. All you need to have a rust-resistant coat on your outdoor furniture to prevent corrosion. 

What can I clean wrought iron with?

You can use simply mild dish wash soap with hot water. You can also apply white vinegar to remove tough stains. Use a nylon brush to remove dirt and dust. You can use a toothbrush as well to scrub crevices. Then rinse with clean water.

The cleaning is over you

Having dirty and rusted patio furniture is very frustrating and uncomfortable. Moreover, it hampers the look of your garden or outdoor space.

So to get rid of these annoying issues, you can easily apply our instructions to clean your outdoor furniture pieces. So, how to clean wrought iron patio furniture is a no-brainer. All you need to do is to make that magical mixture of the cleaner. 

We would like to recommend you gather all the necessary tools before starting the job. It will make your job easy, fast, and hassle-free. 

We have faith on you!

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