Product Care
We appreciate that when purchasing from Lujo, you’re investing in a quality piece of furniture that you expect to enjoy for many years to come. To help prolong the life of your Lujo products we recommend some regular cleaning and some basic maintenance.
We’ve put together the following resources and tips to help you get the best out of your Lujo products:
SUNBRELLA® FABRICS
(All Lujo Outdoor and Indoor X Out products, excluding rugs)
One of the best ways to keep Sunbrella fabrics looking good is to spot clean any spills as they happen, and either brush or hose fabrics off on a monthly basis or as required. This helps prevent dirt from becoming deeply embedded in the fabric and minimizes the need for more vigorous cleaning in the future.
In some environments, a thorough cleaning will be needed every two to three years. Remember that Sunbrella is machine-washable, so our Outdoor and Indoor X Out bean bag covers can be machine washed and retreated with 303 Fabric Guard (as recommended by Sunbrella)
Other tips to prolong the life of your Lujo Outdoor furniture include:
- Store your outdoor furniture when not in use over winter. Although all Lujo outdoor products have been designed for full time outdoor use, storing them will further prolong their lifespan
- Avoid prolonged salt-water exposure. Sunbrella fabrics are designed for marine environments, but when possible rinse off salt-water to extend the life of your product
General or Light Cleaning
To clean Sunbrella fabrics follow these simple steps:
- Brush off loose dirt
- Hose down
- Prepare a cleaning solution of water and mild soap
- Use a soft bristle brush to clean the fabric
- Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric
- Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed
- Air dry
If stubborn stains persist, See Sunbrella’s Stain Chart for specific recommendations.
Heavy Cleaning for Stubborn Stains and Mildew
Sunbrella fabrics do not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric. To clean stubborn stains and mildew:
- Prepare a solution of 1 cup of bleach and ¼ cup of mild soap per gallon of clean water
- Allow mixture to soak into fabric for up to 15 minutes
- Blot stain with a sponge or clean towel
- Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed
- Air dry
Remember to protect the area around your Sunbrella if using a bleach solution. Carpet or other fabrics that are not Sunbrella may have an adverse reaction to the bleach.
If stubborn stains persist, See Sunbrella’s Stain Chart for specific recommendations.
Retreating Sunbrella Fabrics
Sunbrella fabrics are treated with a proprietary water and stain repellent finish that is designed to last for several years but may require replenishing after a thorough cleaning. We recommend 303® Fabric Guard™, and Tex’Aktiv,
Applying a retreatment
- Clean Sunbrella fabric, using one of the cleaning methods above
- Allow Sunbrella to completely air dry
- Apply retreatment in a well-ventilated area following instructions on the container
WARWICK® FABRICS (Indoor Bean Bags — Tulum Collection)
All Warwick Halo fabrics are woven to precise specifications and tested to exacting standards for colourfastness, abrasion, inherent stain resistance and safety Additionally, they are resistant to pilling, mould and mildew and are impervious to attacks by moths, silverfish and insect pests
Our indoor bean bags are designed to be regularly vacuumed and spot cleaned when required. We also recommend avoiding areas with a lot of direct sunlight, as this will cause long term fading.
Vacuuming
Remember that dust is potentially settling daily on your bean bags. Highly visible on coffee tables and polished surfaces, dust is quite often unnoticed on upholstered furniture. Yet accumulated dust and grit work their way into the fibres and act like miniature ‘grinders’ which ultimately lead to the breakdown of even the strongest fabrics. So please take care to vacuum regularly (weekly) using low suction, to significantly extend the life of your bean bags.
Spot Cleaning
Treat spills and stains as soon as possible.
- Gently scrape any soil or mop any liquid from the surface of the fabric.
- Use of soap or detergent with water should be approached with caution since overzealous rinsing to remove soap residue may result in over-wetting, water marking and possible wetting of substructure (this may create other stains or damage products).
Non-oil-based stains
- Use warm water and mild soap.
- Mix a small amount of soap and warm water solution and apply to the stain, rubbing gently.
- Blot dry with a clean towel.
- Apply cool water (preferably filtered or distilled water) and blot dry again.
- Then with a hair dryer, working out from the centre of the stain, dry quickly to prevent rings forming.
- It is generally preferable to clean whole panels of fabric in this way rather than trying to spot clean specific areas.
Oil-based stains
- Following the same basic guidelines as above, apply a proprietary brand solvent based cleaner and try to clean generally in panels rather than spot cleaning specific areas.
- A helpful industry ‘secret’ for spot removal of oil based biro marks is by the application of conventional hair spray.
- For treatment of specific stains, see Stain Removal.
TEXTILIA® MOMENTUM (Indoor Bean Bags — Kyoto Collection)
Momentum is a heavy-duty commercial upholstery with a felted look and knitted backing that make it ideal for use on soft seating like bean bags.
Here are our tips for maintenance:
Cleaning
- Protect from direct sunlight.
- Vacuum regularly using low suction.
- If required, professional cleaning is recommended.
- Do not use dishwashing or laundry detergent.
- Dry in shade away from direct heat and sunlight. Allow to dry thoroughly before re-use
Spot Cleaning
- Treat spills and stains as soon as possible.
- Gently scrap any soil or mop any liquid from the surface of the fabric. Do not scrub.
- Apply proprietary cleaning agents strictly according to instructions to remove the residue of the spill.
- Do not saturate the fabric or interior with water or other cleaning liquids.
- May be spot cleaned with dry-cleaning solvent.
OUTDOOR RUGS
One of the best ways to keep your outdoor rugs looking good is to shake, vacuum or brush off any loose dirt before it becomes embedded in the fibers. Clean soon after a spill or stain occurs. The quicker you clean spills and stains, the easier they can be to removed.
Routine Cleaning
- Keeping your rug clean will minimise mould and mildew.
- Shake or vacuum regularly with low suction in one direction.
- If your vacuum has a beater bar, it should be turned off or set on the highest setting to avoid agitating the fibers of the rug.
Spills
- Apply a light mist of mild soap and water using a spray bottle.
- Work the solution into the stain by lightly agitating the surface with a clean, soft towel or sponge. Avoid scrubbing, and do not use a hard-bristled brush or anything that will abrade the fibers of the rug.
- Rinse the entire fabric thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
- Blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel or sponge.
- Air dry. Repeat rinsing and blotting until all soap residue is removed.
Tough Stains
- For persistent stains a professional rug cleaning service is recommended.
Maintenance
- Trim, never pull, loose ends.
- Rotate rugs regularly to ensure even wear and extended lifespan.
- Provide airflow under rug for drying if possible.
- Do not let sit in pooling water. Too much moisture can cause mould/mildew.
- If storing over winter to prolong lifespan, wrap in plastic to protect from dust.
- Rug pads can be used underneath to extend lifespan and protect surfaces.
Characteristics
- Slight variations to texture and colour are inherent to handcrafted products.
- Due to tight packing for shipping your rug may not lie completely flat initially. Reverse rolling of the rug and leaving overnight should alleviate any wrinkles
- Size can vary up to 5% due to handwoven nature of product
KWILA HARDWOOD
Kwila is one of nature’s most durable timbers, prized for its ability to withstand harsh outdoor and marine environments. With an exceptionally beautiful grain, high oil content and density surpassing that of teak, this hardwood is hard to beat for use in outdoor furniture.
It’s easy to clean and maintain, forgiving of extreme temperatures and climates and looks beautiful for decades.
To get the best out of your Lujo kwila furniture, please follow the instructions below:
- Bleeding: The abundant natural oil in kwila is a feature of the wood and makes it very durable in harsh outdoor climates. This oil and resin may ’bleed’ out of the timber in the first six months of its life. It’s recommended that an initial hosing down on grass is undertaken before placing the furniture on your deck or patio. Any subsequent resin marks will disappear over time or can be cleaned off with a general purpose cleaner available from your local hardware store.
- Maintenance: Some people like to let their kwila furniture ’silver off’ over time whilst others prefer to maintain the original rich brown or red color.
If you’re in the latter group, we recommend giving you kwila a light sand (using fine sand paper or a scour pad) every 6-12 months to remove any dirt and open the pores of the timber again.
Following this, apply a generous coat of kwila furniture oil (Cabots, Sikkens, Wattyl or similar) with a rag or brush, then wipe down to remove any excess oil.
Allow at least 24 hours to dry, then repeat.