How To Clean Wrought Iron Furniture

Using wrought iron furniture is a good way to enhance the look of a house. It is chic and trendy, without having the disadvantage of burning a hole in your pocket. Coupled with bright upholstery, such furniture items can add vibrancy to any room. Wrought iron is excellent as outdoor furniture because of its durability and low maintenance. It also adds a classic touch to the surroundings and is never out of style. This type of furniture is a good addition to your patio and lawn, heightening their elegance. The only disadvantage is that wrought iron furniture is prone to rust. However, this can be eliminated through regular cleaning. Read the tips given below to learn how to clean wrought iron furniture.

Wrought Iron Furniture Cleaning

Simple Method

Brush off the dirt and debris. Check out the areas with rust as well the ones that are broken.
Scrape off small rust spots with a sandpaper.
If the rust is deep, the sandpaper won’t do. So, take a bucket full of warm water and mix in some mild detergent.
Take a piece of clean cloth and soak it in the water. Use this cloth to wipe and wash the wrought iron furniture.
To clean the curls and crevices use a soft toothbrush. Brush away all the dirt and dust, using the soap water.
Now, use a hose to spray warm water on the furniture and rinse off the soap water and residues.
Rub the furniture with a dry cloth. If you leave the furniture wet, it will get rusted, so it is better to wipe it dry. Also, remove the water from all the corners.
If needed, apply touch-up paint on the furniture. It is also good to coat the rusted areas. Applying paint also protects the iron surfaces.
Mild cleansing won’t damage the surface and it would keep the wrought iron furniture in top condition.

Extensive Cleaning

Things Required

Steel Wool Pad
Turpentine or Kerosene
Wrought Iron Paint or Wax
Warm water
Bucket
Sandpaper
Cleaning Rags
Rubber Gloves

For Weekly Cleaning

In a bucket, mix water and a mild detergent.
Use a clean cloth, dip it in the detergent and wipe the furniture with it.
Rinse off the detergent, using warm water.
Wipe with a clean dry cloth.

For Heavy Rusting & Dirt

Take few drops of kerosene or turpentine on a steel wool pad.
Rub it against the iron surface. Put pressure to rub the rusty and dirty surface.
After scrubbing off the rust, use a dry piece of cloth to wipe the furniture dry.
Use wax to coat the entire furniture or paint it.

For Thorough Cleaning

Follow the first two cleaning methods.
Now, use a hosepipe, rinse the wrought iron furniture with clean water.
Allow it to air dry.
After drying, use a sandpaper to scrap the rusty and stained areas.
Now paint the sanded areas.

For Rust Removal

Lightly scrub the rust with a wire brush. Remove rust flakes, but take care not to scratch the paint.
Use a steel wool pad with kerosene to brush the stain.
To clean the rust in corners and crevices, dismantle the furniture and clean it.
To prevent further rusting, coat the furniture with wax.
Naval jelly can be used to dissolve rust.

Tips

Always go for organic rust removers.
When not in use, cover the wrought iron furniture in plastic sheets, especially during rainy and winter months. This prevents the moisture from getting into the wrought iron.
Instead of manually sanding down the furniture, you can use sand blasters.
If wrought iron furniture can be taken apart, it is better to take it apart and then clean it.
Cleaning the wrought iron furniture regularly makes it look as good as new. Leaving the rust will make it more difficult to remove later.

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