How to Clean Plastic Patio Furniture

Patio furniture made of plastic is lightweight and affordable. Unfortunately, plastic chairs and tables left outside in the elements get dirty from debris, dirt, and bird droppings. We’ll show you how to clean plastic patio furniture in a few simple steps for those outdoor barbecues.

Using plastic furniture for yard decor is a great way to save money while adding a personal touch to your outdoor space. Unlike metal furniture and wicker furniture, plastic is relatively easy to clean but requires different cleaning solutions.

Abrasives such as steel wool and harsh cleaners damage plastic outdoor furniture, so care must be taken while cleaning. Plastic furniture or resin furniture has its pros and cons when it comes to outdoor use.

Cleaning Plastic Outdoor Furniture

White plastic patio chairs and tables are particularly tricky to clean, especially stained with old bird poop, pine pollen, and other natural substances. Consider cleaning plastic lawn chairs as part of your yearly spring clean-up and during home improvement projects.

We’ll show you how to clean plastic patio furniture using mild cleansers such as white vinegar, dishwashing soap, and baking soda to remove mildew, grime, and tough stains.

While the furniture is off the deck, it’s a great time to use a homemade deck cleaning solution to get rid of the grime that has accumulated on the deck, too.

How to Clean Plastic Patio Furniture with Bleach

Clean away dirt, debris, and dried stains with the power of bleach and a little elbow grease. Bleach works well for cleaning plastic outdoor furniture, especially if it’s white.

Fill a bucket with hot water and then add the bleach. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and dunk the brush into the cleaning solution. Scrub the furniture starting from the top and work your way down using circular motions.

Allow the bleach solution to sit on the plastic for a few minutes before rinsing it with clean water from a garden hose. Set the furniture in the sun to air dry.

Plastic Furniture Cleaner Made with White Vinegar

Plain vinegar works wonders as a plastic furniture cleaner. The acidity breaks up the build-up of dried food, bird droppings, and other sticky residue, making clean-up quick and easy.

Use vinegar on plastic furniture. Tough stains may require additional treatment with this solution or one with harsher ingredients.

To make the best cleaner for outdoor furniture, fill a bucket with water, add the white vinegar, and stir the solution to mix well. Dip a soft brush into the cleaner and clean the patio furniture by scrubbing at the most hardened stains first.

Proceed to clean the rest of the piece of furniture. Rinse the chairs and table with clean water and place them into the sun to dry or wipe down with a dry cloth. Stubborn stains may require repeat treatment or use another cleaning solution.

Cleaning Plastic Patio Furniture with Dishwashing Soap

For patio furniture that you’ve never cleaned or is extra dirty from the elements, use a cleaner that has a little more kick. Here’s how to clean plastic outdoor furniture using a little dish soap and bleach.

Pour a gallon of water into a bucket and add the vinegar and dish soap for cleaning your plastic furniture. Swish the solution around to mix well.

Put on rubber gloves and dunk a sponge into the soapy water. Scrub the plastic or wicker with the wet sponge, using circular motions to loosen up the grime.

Start at the top and make your way down as you clean and get in all the crevices of the furniture. An old toothbrush can be helpful for the hard-to-reach areas. Rinse the furniture with clean water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Dish soap can also be helpful as the best way to clean wood furniture before staining or painting. It removes all kinds of grime.

Using Laundry Detergent to Clean Plastic Patio Furniture

Laundry detergent works well at loosening up old dirt and gunk from plastic lawn furniture and teak furniture. This recipe is also useful as a DIY siding cleaner, and any liquid detergent works.

To clean vinyl strap patio furniture, combine the water and liquid dish soap in a bucket. Clean the furniture directly from the bucket or pour it into a spray bottle for easy application.

Dunk the scrub brush into the cleaning solution or spray the mixture onto the furniture and scrub away stains and dirt using circular motions.

For tough stains, allow the solution to sit for a few minutes before using a garden hose to rinse away all of the dirt and grime residue. Set the furniture into the sun and allow it to air dry.

Clean Stained Plastic Patio Furniture with Baking Soda

Plastic tends to get scratches easily, so avoid using abrasive cleaners to remove tough stains. Baking soda is a mild abrasive that forms an alkaline solution when combined with water. It removes dirt and grime naturally without scratching the plastic.

To clean patio furniture, spray the surface of the plastic with a garden hose and sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the top, adding extra to heavily stained areas. Use a soft sponge to work the baking soda and water into the plastic, using circular motions to loosen up the grime.

Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes before rinsing away all of the residue with a hose. Use a soft cloth to dry the furniture or set them into the sun to dry.

Removing Tough Stains from Plastic Lawn Furniture

For plastic lawn furniture that still has stains leftover after cleaning with a standard cleaner, use a Magic Eraser to lift away stubborn areas of grime. You can also use a Magic Eraser to remove spray paint from plastic without damaging the paint or rusting the metal underneath.

Begin by spraying the plastic furniture using a garden hose, then moisten a Magic Eraser with warm water. Use the eraser to scrub the stained areas using a circular motion, and continue until the stains are gone. Finish by rinsing the furniture clean of residue and drying it with a towel.

A Magic Eraser removes adhesive residue from plastic, like price or care stickers. Sometimes, a soap and water mixture is effective, too.

Keeping your plastic lawn furniture looking new is easy once you know the right cleaners and techniques. Instead of getting out the spray paint to cover stains on your outdoor furniture, make a cleaner with a little dish soap and warm water.

Remove mildew stains with the power of white vinegar and baking soda and clean away tough stains by scrubbing gently with bleach. Choose the right cleaning solution and apply some elbow grease to make your lawn furniture look new.

We’re pleased that we could show you how to clean plastic patio furniture, and we’d love it if you’d share our plastic outdoor furniture cleaning tips with your friends and family on Pinterest and Facebook.