Plastic furniture

Cleaning: Most plastics can be washed with solution of mild detergent (dishwashing liquid) and water, rinsed, and can be wiped dry to prevent water spots if that is a problem. Never use strong alkalis on plastic. Never use scouring powders or other abrasives as plastics scratch easily.

Moulded plastic furniture is practically weather and stain-resistant but should be washed with mild liquid detergent regularly and immediately if soiled. The grooves and chair joints can be cleaned with a brush.

Some new plastic furniture is finished with lacquered resins that protect the surface against ultraviolet rays, and rain, with a special resin for plastic tabletops that gives them a ceramic-like finish. For others, waxes or special protective finishes to plastics will give extra protection. But even if your plastic garden chairs are equipped to withstand the vagaries of nature, avoid exposing them to scorching heat or incessant rain.

Care:Garden chairs which are made of nylon nivaar too should not be exposed to weather extremes like severe heat or heavy rains as they are more susceptible to damage than the plastic ones.They not only get discoloured if exposed to too much sunshine but the nylon strips begin to crack after a while. It is best to store them in a covered verandah when not being used in the garden. if the nylon strips have begun to crack, it is best to get them replaced immediately.

Clean regularly as build-up of soil, oil, lotion can lead to fungal growth. Wash with mild detergent solution and brush, and rinse, when soiled, and before storage.

Chairs with baked-on enamel surfaces are the most durable. Metal having had a metal primer applied first to a spotless, grease-free surface, and dried, with a second coat of paint or enamel is next in durability. Paint or enamel applied directly to a metal surface is least durable, and more subject to bubbling, peeling and chipping than either of the above methods.

Care: Handle painted metal chairs with care to avoid hitting one against another which will chip paint, just as stones and gravel will chip paint on an automobile. Painted metal table and chairs are often banged against each other in storage and soon the paint is chipped badly.

Painted metal furniture needs inside storage during severe winter and the monsoons.

Moving metal furniture on a cement surface will scrape paint from legs. If it is left out in the rain, rust spots can develop on the furniture .

Cleaning:Wash surface with warm water and a liquid detergent. A brush may be needed to clean grooves during cleaning process. An old toothbrush gets into tiny grooves.

Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove any detergent residue. Wipe dry, or allow to air dry in sun .

Apply liquid or paste wax and polish. Auto wax is more durable than wax made for wood surfaces. Two thin coats of wax are more satisfactory than one very heavy coat.

Aluminum does not rust, but it will discolour and develop a pitted or rough surface. Aluminum is affected by air pollutants. The surface will appear to have fine grit stuck to the surface, but it will not wipe away easily.

Care : If surface is only mildly discoloured, wash with soap and water, to which some mild household acid like lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar has been added. Most water is slightly alkaline, so do not add ammonia or soda.

Special cleaning: If surface is pitted, polish with a soap-filled steel wool pot cleaner, rinse and dry. All steel wool must be removed or it will rust and stain the aluminum. Wash and dry.

A coat of auto wax, or a silicon spray will protect aluminum from corrosion and pitting.

Coloured anodised aluminum: Use only mild detergent and water to wash anodised aluminum. Rinse well. The anodised finish resists corrosion.

— Chetna Banerjee