How to remove cast aluminium oxidation

Cast Aluminium Garden Furniture doesn't rust, but it can develop a layer of powdery white oxidation. It occurs naturally when your furniture is exposed to the elements. However removing cast aluminium oxidation is not as difficult as you might think if you know how to do it correctly.

Some Cast Aluminium Garden Furniture doesn't rust, but it can develop a layer of powdery white oxidation if the metal is not powder coated or (as is the case with the Lazy Susan range) painted with a tough protective finish.

It occurs naturally when your furniture is exposed to the elements. However, removing cast aluminium oxidation is not as difficult as you might think if you know how to do it correctly...

This great video on YouTube shows you how to easily remove oxidation from your patio furniture:

However, before you start any form of oxidation removal on your garden furniture, it is important that you evaluate how bad the problem is:

  • Light 
    Light aluminium oxidation means you have only a few spots of oxidation. The finish will be slightly dull with no hard or crusty places or pits on/in the surface.
  • Medium 
    Medium aluminium oxidation means the finish is dull and there is a white layer of oxidation over most or all of the metal with some pitting.
  • Heavy 
    Heavy aluminium oxidation means the finish is very bad in some places with rough pitting.

If you have a light aluminium oxidation removal problem, you can use an acid-free consumer aluminium oxidation removal product. These come in sprays and pastes. They work like any buffing compound. You rub or spray them onto the aluminium and buff it with a cloth, following the manufacturer's guidelines.

This method can require a fair amount of elbow grease and while an electric buffer is not necessary, it can make the job a little easier.

All aluminium oxidation removal problems are not the same. Different levels of severity will require different solutions. 

When using any aluminium oxidation removal products or tools, be certain to follow the manufacturer's guidelines and always test it on an innocuous part of the furniture first.

Regular Cleaning of Cast Aluminium Garden Furniture

As they say, prevention is better than cure...

Regular cleaning is essential in reducing the chances of causing oxidization and your aluminium furniture can be cleaned by simply using a gentle household cleaner and a soft cloth or sponge. Just make sure they don't contain bleach.

Never use any cleaners that include baking soda or ammonia for cleaning aluminium as they create a harmful chemical reaction that can ruin the furniture.

However, even if you are strict about regularly cleaning your furniture, chances are that some specific problems may need to be tended to restore the shine.

Scuff marks tend to ruin the polished appearance of unpainted/coated aluminium patio chairs. To reduce the amount of 'scuffing', special gels and non-abrasive cleaners can be used. These thick liquid cleaners should be spread on the scuffed areas and then rubbed with a sponge.

In our humble opinion, car wax is quite simply the best solution for bringing back the shine/lustre to your cast aluminium garden furniture.

The waxing needs to be done after the chair has been cleaned and dried. Car wax also prevents grime from settling on the furniture and keeps it protected from the elements.

If you want to know how best to clean the Lazy Susan Cast Aluminium Garden Furniture range, then our article How to get your outdoor furniture ready for summer tells you all you need to know.

And finally, if you pop over to our YouTube Channel, we have got a great video showing you how to repair paint chips on our painted cast aluminium furniture range.

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