Wooden garden furniture: find out how to clean it using sodium percarbonate
Items of wooden garden furniture are elements of great elegance, which have a truly timeless charm: whether they have classic or more modern lines, they can integrate stylishly into any background, and it is easy to enhance them using cushions of various kinds, making them more comfortable and attractive.
We all know that wood requires dedicated care - much more than garden furniture made from certain resins or wrought iron: varnishing agents, finishing products that seal and waterproof the wood so that it can best withstand the elements are needed, of course ... But also periodic cleaning to remove traces of dirt is required too. However, wood is a more delicate material than resin, plastic and iron, so how do we avoid damaging the wood when cleaning it? Read on to find out more:
It is often thought that a pressure washer can be used to "blast off" dirt that accumulates on the surface of wood. Certainly this method - which works for many other types of outdoor furniture - is capable of eliminating dirt, but it is also very aggressive. The mechanical action of the high-pressure water jet on the wood ends up exposing the fibers, which are filled with pores: this is how certain types of mold, or even algae, can start to grow on wooden garden furniture.
A non-toxic, eco-friendly and biodegradable alternative is to use sodium percarbonate (also known as sodium carbonate hydrogen peroxide). In fact, this substance does not leave a residue that will damage the environment, it is not flammable or exothermic and is easily diluted in water. It also has the advantage of not being harmful for animals, plants and humans.
How to use sodium percarbonate to clean wood
You will need:
- A spray bottle
- 1 liter of water
- 50 grams of sodium percarbonate (which can also be found online, or perhaps in well-stocked stores or herbalists)
- A brush
How to proceed:
- With a brush, remove the bulk of the dirt (dust and similar) from the wood, cleaning the grain thoroughly;
- Fill a spray bottle with 1 liter of warm water;
- Put the sodium percarbonate into the water and mix well;
- Spray the mix onto the surface to be cleaned;
- Let it act for 20 minutes;
- With a soft bristled brush, scrub off any stubborn dirt spots;
- Rinse with water;
- Let the wood dry.
You will notice that the wood will lighten up in the following days. In fact, when the percarbonate comes into contact with water, it produces a lot of oxygen, which acts on the dirt by "dislodging" it from the wood.
Once the furniture is perfectly dry, you can proceed applying the products that nourish and seal the wood, so as to recondition it perfectly.
Have you ever tried this cleaning method?
