We are now setting up our garden furniture - but before we can sit down comfortably and start the outdoor season, it needs to be cleaned. Naturally, different materials have different needs. The best tips for wood, plastic and metal:

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Cleaning garden furniture: Wooden garden furniture

The best way to remove coarse dirt is with a damp cloth; you can also remove cobwebs or leaves from all garden furniture beforehand with a hand brush. If the wooden furniture is a little old, then sand it down with fine sandpaper (180 grit) to bring out the original color. To protect them from dirt, sun and rain, they are then sealed with a glaze. A glaze with color pigments provides a richer tone.

Cleaning garden furniture: Metal garden furniture

Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt from the garden furniture. Use sandpaper or a wire brush to tackle any rust spots - please check how sensitive the furniture is. You can touch up minor paint damage with varnish: If the paint has already peeled off badly, then sand the furniture, remove the dust and repaint it with metal paint. Or just leave it as it is - then you have garden furniture with a vintage look.

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Cleaning garden furniture: Plastic garden furniture

The best way to clean plastic furniture is with water, washing-up liquid and a cloth. Light scratches and stubborn stains can be softened or removed with a dirt eraser or toothpaste. Sunscreen can discolor plastic furniture - so always place a cloth on the furniture after applying sunscreen and remove any streaks of sunscreen with a wet cloth.