Posso usar lixívia nos móveis de jardim?

Em plástico branco muito manchado, uma solução bem diluída pode funcionar, desde que siga as instruções do rótulo, use luvas e enxague bem. Em madeira, rattan, metal e tecidos, a lixívia pode descolorar e fragilizar o material. Nunca a misture com vinagre ou outros produtos, porque liberta gases tóxicos.

Qual é o melhor produto para limpar móveis de jardim?

Para a grande maioria dos materiais, água morna com detergente neutro ou sabão suave. É barato, eficaz e não danifica acabamentos. Produtos específicos só fazem sentido para tratamentos pontuais, como óleo para teca ou retoques em metal.

A teca cinzenta precisa de ser tratada?

Não. O cinzento é uma pátina natural e não significa que a madeira esteja a apodrecer. Se preferir a cor dourada, limpe, deixe secar pelo menos 48 horas e aplique óleo próprio para teca.

Como limpo as almofadas dos móveis de jardim?

Escove a seco para retirar pó e areia, lave as capas conforme a etiqueta e trate manchas no próprio dia por absorção, sem esfregar. O passo mais importante é deixá-las secar por completo antes de as voltar a usar ou guardar.

Posso deixar os móveis lá fora no inverno em Lisboa?

Muitos materiais de exterior aguentam o inverno, mas duram mais se forem limpos, secos e cobertos com capas respiráveis, afastados do chão. As almofadas e os têxteis devem sempre ir para dentro, para um local seco e arejado.

Back to the journal

22 October 2026

How to Clean Garden Furniture: Material Guide

To clean garden furniture, you usually just need a soft brush, warm water, and a neutral detergent, applied gently and followed by thorough drying. What changes from material to material is the detail: teak doesn’t like strong jets, synthetic rattan hides dust in its weaves, aluminum near rivers or the sea needs rinsing with fresh water, and cushions must dry completely before returning to storage. In this guide, we explain the right method for each case, how to treat mold and verdigris without harsh chemicals, and how to prepare everything for winter, whether on a terrace in Lisbon, a balcony facing the Tagus, or a holiday home that remains closed for months.

In summary

Warm water, neutral detergent, and a soft brush solve most dirt on wood, plastic, resin, synthetic rattan, and metal.
Do a deep clean at least once or twice a year, ideally in spring and before storing the furniture for winter.
Avoid high-pressure machines: they open wood fibers, break weaves, and damage coatings. For solid teak, only use low pressure and from a distance.
For mold and verdigris, prefer mechanical methods and gentle solutions over biocidal removers, and never mix bleach with vinegar.
Allow wood to dry for at least 48 hours before applying oil or varnish, and store everything dry and ventilated.

Index

What you need before starting
How often to clean
How to clean each material
Mold and verdigris without harsh chemicals
High-pressure machine: when to use and when not to
After cleaning: dry, protect, and store
Mistakes that ruin garden furniture
Our perspective
When to prefer a professional team
Frequently asked questions
Sources

What you need before starting

You don’t need to buy a cabinet full of products. For a complete cleaning of a table and chair set, gather:

Bucket with warm water and a few drops of dish detergent or neutral soap.
Soft brush with synthetic bristles and a smaller hand brush for corners and weaves.
Non-abrasive sponges and microfiber or cotton cloths.
Vacuum cleaner with a brush nozzle, useful for removing dust and cobwebs before using water.
Hose with a sprayer set to shower mode, not jet mode.
Gloves and, if treating mold, old clothes.

Choose a dry, cloudy day. With strong sun, the water evaporates before rinsing and leaves marks of limescale and soap, especially on glass and dark surfaces. Always start from the top and work your way down to avoid dirtying what is already clean, and test any new product in a hidden area, like the underside of a seat.

How often to clean

A simple and realistic rule: a deep clean once or twice a year, with quick passes in between to remove dust and leaves. In Portugal, the best calendar usually looks like this:

Moment	What to do	Why
March to April	Complete cleaning before starting to use	Removes dirt accumulated in winter and reveals damages to repair
Usage period (May to September)	Damp cloth weekly, stain cleaning on the same day	Grease, sunscreen, wine, and bird droppings set quickly with heat
October to November	Complete cleaning, drying, and protection	Nothing should be stored dirty or damp for the rainy months
Winter	Monthly check of covers and storage	Detects condensation and mold before it spreads

If the furniture is on an exposed balcony, near the river or sea, or under trees, increase the frequency. Street dust, pollen, and salt accumulate more than you think, and the longer they stay, the more work they create.

How to clean each material

Each material reacts differently to water, sun, and products. This table summarizes the essentials before the details.

Material	Normal cleaning	What to avoid
Teak and exotic woods	Soft brush along the grain, water, and neutral soap	Close high-pressure jets, steel wool, bleach
Pine and soft varnished woods	Damp cloth and mild soap	Excess water, abrasive products
Smooth plastic and resin	Damp cloth; sponge with detergent if there are stains	Abrasive powders and scrubbing pads
Synthetic rattan (poly rattan)	Vacuum cleaner, then soft brush with water and soap	High pressure, which breaks the weave
Aluminum and lacquered iron	Sponge with water and soap, rinse and dry	Acidic products, scratches on paint
Glass and stone	Water with detergent, dry with microfiber	Acids on marble and limestone
Cushions and covers	Brush, wash according to the label, air dry	Store damp

Teak and other woods

Wood requires more attention than any other material, but it doesn’t require force. The method described by manufacturers is a soft brush passed along the grain, with a neutral pH product. Wet the piece, scrub one section at a time, rinse with clean water, and remove excess moisture with a cotton cloth. Then, let it dry in the shade, with air circulating.

There is a common misconception: gray teak is not damaged. This silver patina is a natural reaction of the wood to light and rain, and teak experts explain that oils mainly serve to restore the golden color, not to prolong the life of the piece. If you want to maintain the original tone, oil is an option; if you like the gray, just clean it. A good test: drop a few drops of water on the dry wood. If the water beads and is not absorbed immediately, the natural protection is still working. To better understand when outdoor wood loses protection and what treatments make sense, this guide on wood protection indoors and outdoors helps distinguish patina from actual wear.

Softwoods, like pine or spruce, often varnished or painted, are more sensitive. Use little water, a well-wrung cloth, and do not scrub areas where the varnish has already lifted: there, the solution is to sand and re-protect, not to wash harder.

Plastic and resin

These are the easiest. On smooth pieces, a regularly damp cloth is enough for normal cleaning; for stains, add detergent to the water and use a non-abrasive sponge. White plastic tends to yellow and develop a gray film that doesn’t come off with just water. A paste of baking soda with a little water, applied with a soft cloth and well rinsed, usually solves the problem without scratching. Avoid cleaning powders and green scrubbing pads: they leave micro-scratches where dirt clings even faster.

Synthetic rattan and woven fibers

Poly rattan withstands rain well, but the weaves are traps for dust, pollen, and dry leaves. Start with a vacuum cleaner with a brush nozzle, passing in various directions. Then, use soapy water and a soft brush, focusing on the joints. Rinse with the sprayer in shower mode and let dry with the pieces turned or tilted, so water doesn’t get trapped in the structure’s cavities.

Aluminum, iron, and steel

Lacquered aluminum cleans with a sponge, water, and soap, and needs to be dried well at the end to avoid limescale stains. In homes near the Tagus or the coast, rinsing with fresh water occasionally helps remove the salt that deposits with humidity in the air. In wrought iron, inspect the paint: any chip is an entry point for rust. Clean, let dry, and treat rust spots with a soft wire brush and touch-up paint suitable for metal before winter worsens the problem.

Glass, stone, and ceramics

Glass tops are cleaned like a window: water with a little detergent and drying with microfiber, preferably in the shade. On marble and limestone, avoid vinegar and lemon, which attack the stone and leave permanent dull stains. Mosaics and ceramics tolerate a brush better, but the joints deserve attention, as that’s where verdigris starts.

Cushions, covers, and umbrellas

Remove dust and sand with a dry brush or vacuum cleaner. Check the label: many covers come off and can be machine washed on a delicate cycle, while fillings should not be soaked. Treat stains on the same day by absorbing the liquid or food without dragging, to avoid spreading the stain. The golden rule is total drying: a cushion stored with still damp foam is, weeks later, a cushion with mold.

Mold and verdigris without harsh chemicals

Black mold spots and the green film of algae appear in dark and damp areas, especially on wood and stone joints. The temptation is to buy the first "verdigris remover" from the supermarket. It’s advisable to read the label: many are biocides, and Germany's federal environmental agency discourages their use at home when mechanical cleaning or soap is sufficient, as they contain very toxic substances for aquatic organisms. The same entity reminds us, in its guide on biocides, that disinfectants and antibacterial products are unnecessary in regular household cleaning.

In practice, start with the gentlest method:

Brush dry to remove what is loose.
Wash with warm water and neutral soap, scrubbing with a soft brush.
If stains persist on teak, a teak furniture manufacturer suggests a mixture of 240 ml of white vinegar, 200 g of sodium percarbonate, and a few drops of neutral detergent in warm water, a safer alternative for wood than bleach.
Rinse very well and let air dry, with indirect sunlight.

Use gloves, work outdoors, and never mix this mixture, or any vinegar, with bleach: the combination releases chlorine gas, toxic even in small amounts. If someone in the house has asthma or respiratory problems, stick to soap and the brush, and if the mold keeps returning to the same spot, the problem is humidity in the area, not cleaning.

High-pressure machine: when to use and when not to

It seems like a quick solution, and that’s why it’s the most common mistake in spring cleaning. Several outdoor furniture experts discourage high pressure because it makes surfaces rough, damages coatings, and shortens the life of the furniture. On wood, the jet raises the fibers: the surface becomes rough and retains even more dirt. On synthetic rattan, it breaks the weave. On lacquered metal, it strips paint at weak points.

If you must use it on a robust piece of solid teak, a manufacturer recommends pressure between 60 and 80 bar, at least 30 to 35 cm away, and a fan nozzle, never rotating nozzles or concentrated jets. On plastic, resin, poly rattan, soft wood, and cushions, the answer is simple: do not use.

After cleaning: dry, protect, and store

Cleaning is only complete when the piece is dry. For wood, those who want to apply oil or varnish must wait: the surface must be clean, free of grease, and dry, and the recommendation is to allow at least 48 hours of drying in a ventilated area. Applying oil on damp wood traps moisture inside and paves the way for mold and a peeling finish.

For winter:

Store cushions indoors, in a dry chest or cabinet, never in closed plastic bags.
Use breathable covers on the furniture left outside. Waterproof covers without ventilation create condensation underneath.
Lift the furniture off the ground with feet or blocks, so they don’t sit in puddles.
Ventilate the storage area: storages, garages, and cabinets against exterior walls are prone to condensation. If you’ve seen stains in those spaces, this article on mold in exterior wall cabinets, causes and solutions explains why it happens and how to prevent it.

Before storing, do one last round: tighten screws, check joints, and note what needs repair in spring.

Mistakes that ruin garden furniture

Scrubbing wood against the grain or with steel wool.
Using pure bleach on teak, rattan, or colored fabrics.
Cleaning in the midday sun and letting soap dry on the surface.
Applying oil right after washing.
Storing cushions and covers without them being completely dry.
Relying on strong "removers" when water and soap would suffice.

Our perspective

At Cleaning Point, we clean homes in Lisbon every week and see the same pattern on balconies and terraces: furniture rarely gets damaged from a lack of product, but rather from excessive force and lack of regularity. The wrong brush, the jet too close, or aggressive detergent do more damage in one day than an entire winter.

That’s why we work with the same principle we apply indoors: physical and gentle methods first, stronger products only when truly necessary, and a clear checklist so nothing is forgotten, from the weaves of rattan to the joints of the mosaic. In holiday homes, the critical moment is the end of the season. A terrace left with leaves and cushions outside in October is a terrace with mold in March. A thorough cleaning before closing the house, with everything dry and stored, saves a lot of work when reopening.

Our advice is simple: little and often always beats a lot and occasionally.

— Taras

When to prefer a professional team

If you don’t have time, if the house is a holiday home and you only go there a few times a year, or if the terrace is large and has been neglected for a long time, you can leave that work to us. Balcony and terrace cleaning is one of our cleaning extras, which you can add to a regular visit or a deep clean, always with a selected team, detailed checklist, and support in multiple languages. For second home owners, the Residence Care service keeps the property cared for between stays. When you’re ready, you can book a cleaning in Lisbon directly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use bleach on garden furniture?

On very stained white plastic, a well-diluted solution may work, as long as you follow the label instructions, wear gloves, and rinse well. On wood, rattan, metal, and fabrics, bleach can discolor and weaken the material. Never mix it with vinegar or other products, as it releases toxic gases.

What is the best product to clean garden furniture?

For the vast majority of materials, warm water with neutral detergent or mild soap. It’s cheap, effective, and doesn’t damage finishes. Specific products only make sense for spot treatments, like oil for teak or touch-ups on metal.

Does gray teak need to be treated?

No. Gray is a natural patina and does not mean the wood is rotting. If you prefer the golden color, clean, let dry for at least 48 hours, and apply oil suitable for teak.

How do I clean the cushions of garden furniture?

Brush dry to remove dust and sand, wash the covers according to the label, and treat stains on the same day by absorption, without scrubbing. The most important step is to let them dry completely before using or storing them again.

Can I leave the furniture outside in winter in Lisbon?

Many outdoor materials withstand winter, but they last longer if cleaned, dried, and covered with breathable covers, lifted off the ground. Cushions and textiles should always be brought indoors, to a dry and ventilated place.