Fungal staining on smart sunloungers

[Jimbo]

Firing up the pool yesterday when I noticed that our eight smart sunloungers (plastic mesh covers) were coated in greyish mildew. Quelle horreur, these things cost a fortune! Presssure washing removed 95% of the discolouring but we're left with some unsightly brown patches on the mesh - looks much worse on the white than on the yellow ones. Tried everything in the cleaning cupboard but to no avail. Any suggestions anyone? Any chance that the sun might bleach these marks?

Did a bit of research and discovered that you should scrub these chairs with strong detergent at the end of the season to remove build-up of sun-cream and 'body fluids' (what???) which the fungal fiends adore. Me, I'm sticking with the Quaker Oats. Perhaps, as it's been a mild winter this year, this might have encouraged the problem - didn't happen last year.

Grateful for any suggestions.

Jim (with the leopard-skin loungers)

[la vache!]

I use a product called Starwax Anti moisisssures (spécial joints) - this removes all black from the grouting in bathroom and also the black mould that sometimes appears on the lining of the pool (thanks to the abri). It might be worth a go as it is very effective on these stains. You can find it in most bricolage chains.
I was out painting our wooden sunloungers yesterday andwas shocked to see that a couple of them had fungus growing on them - something I have never noticed before, so I think it must be due to the mild winter!

[Mouse]

we had these mesh type sunloungers at first (til they were all systematically broken!) and we cleaned them on every changeover with a mild bleach solution and a drop of fairy...however they were scrubbed rather than wiped clean.

Always did the trick

Mouse
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[Topcat]

I read recently that a strong solution of Milton would do the trick.

[Jimbo]

Thanks Susan, Mouse and Pauliner for your cleaning suggestions. Will have a go and report back if I'm successful.
Mouse: re the mesh loungers. We inherited a batch of the rigid plastic loungers from the previous owner but after a couple broke when guests sat on them (nobody hurt, fortunately), we ditched the lot. I assume they get brittle after hours in the sun. We would really have liked wooden replacements but they were so expensive that we settled for the mesh ones (which do look quite smart).

Jim

[la vache!]

I want to phase out my wooden ones now (high maintenance, heavy to shift, requirement of cushions which are expensive as otherwise not very comfortable and which often get left out in the rain by guests) and get the aluminium ones with the mesh, but they seem really expensive too - has anyone tried any of these and are they sturdy enough for rentals? I had the same experience as Jim with the plastic slatted ones breaking all the time, so went for wood, but the aluminium one look a lot lighter to move around and far more comfortable. They probably don't hurt your shin as much if you accidentally walk into them either, which I frequently do when cleaning the pool and surround.

[Big Sis..]

I assume they get brittle after hours in the sun

Ow Jimbo ...At last someone who suffered the same fate as me ...

Did you see the Melting Patio Chairs thread.....

....well they didnt actually melt but kept breaking and i worked out it was cos of the Heat[south facing patio] and have now replaced them all.
I also had some guests who were sitting on them when they broke but like you..... luckily no injuries......
Ive bought Mesh chairs with coated metal surrounds..
I will know if its worked when the temps rise June, July time..

Noone else had had this happen to them so its nice to know Im not alone

[Bellywobble]

Jimbo, are they the kind with the white plastic frame and mesh tied on with elastic which goes through eyelets? If so you can buy replacement mesh. I've just bought a replacement for €35 which was far cheaper than replacing the whole thing and it's looking great.

[Partridge]

Susan, I think we may have the sort you mean. If you look at our iowners site I have some photos on there. Anyway, if they are we got German made and they were very expensive but although we used to wheel them in when we left the apt I couldn't be bothered after one trip and they have been out since last April with not a hint of rust or anything else. They are however quite heavy but have the wheels at the back, so moving them is ok but not for lifting. Other plus is you can just lay a towel on them, cushions not needed, also the metal never gets hot. The only down side I noticed is a musty smell on the mesh of the loungers, not the chairs, maybe people not using towels possibly

There are much cheaper versions around but whether they are as good quality, probably not.

[Jimbo]

BW, unfortunately no. They are mesh but stretched tightly on a plastic frame and fixed (glued? welded?) underneath, so replacement looks to be difficult.

Jim

[Big Sis..]

BW...

Maybe you could let us know which ones you have[maybe even a photo...] cos they sound a good idea when thinking of replacing.....

[Bellywobble]

Ros, they're on a few of the photos in the photo gallery on my website. You can't see the whole of them but you can see enough to get the idea.
They are quite popular around here, probably because they are such good value. Probably not the most stylish but I think they look fine.
You can buy them with or without adjustable backs but I can't imagine why anyone would buy them without as they are almost the same price.
I like them because they can be used without cushions and they can be hosed down if someone has been using them without a towel.

[Mouse]

these were the ones we had;

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... ungers.htm

(wow thats a big link! I'm sure there's a website somewhere that can reduce the size of links?)

Anyway - they were a cheap, stylish alternative when we first set up.....however as I said, they all got broken one by one. And always the arm in the same spot. Argos wouldn't replace unless I personally brought them to a store (oh yeah! ) Out of 8 I only have one left and we've used that fine...so was it the guests not knowing how to use them, or a product fault...??

We now have teak...yes they're expensive, but hopefully unbreakable.

My friend bought the alumininium mesh ones and they cost her a fortune....2nd set of guests to use them burned a hole in the mesh (accidently of course)
Made me glad I'd gone for solid wood (particularly when I caught one of the guests trying to dive off it into the pool .....what ARE they like!)

Mouse
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[Ju]

We now have teak...yes they're expensive, but hopefully unbreakable.

Teak are definately NOT unbreakable. We go through three or four a year. It depends on the style I think. the "steamer" type seem to be more prone to beakages than the "flat bed" type, so we are slowly changing over to the later.

[Mouse]

Teak are definately NOT unbreakable. We go through three or four a year.

oh dear Ju! Thats put paid to my fantasy. Why do they break? (I have sun loungers and steamer chairs, but the latter are on the roof terrace so hopefully will survive)

Mouse (who thought that was one problem she no longer had to worry about )
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