Yes, resin furniture should be cleaned, fully dried and either covered or moved to dry storage before the cold season sets in. Skip harsh solvents in favour of a mild, non-ionic detergent and a soft brush. Store cushions separately somewhere dry and ventilated, and if you have the space, a dedicated outdoor storage shed makes the whole job easier.

TL;DR:

• Resin furniture in good condition with minimal surface grime can remain outdoors under cover, but cracks, corrosion, or loose joints should be stored inside to prevent weather damage.
• Use warm water with a non-ionic detergent and a soft brush for cleaning, avoiding harsh solvents that can cause hazing or discoloration on polymer surfaces.
• Small repairs such as tightening screws or sealing cracks should be completed before storage, while extensive repairs require professional assessment to avoid further damage.
• Store cushions in breathable containers, keep them aired out periodically, and allow for ventilation in storage to prevent mold and condensation buildup.
• A purpose-built outdoor shed or storage box provides better protection and organization than covers, especially during wet or long winter periods.

Table of Contents

• Inspect and prepare: what to check before you start
• Cleaning resin furniture safely before winter storage
• Small repairs and when to call a professional
• Protecting pieces that remain outdoors: covers, placement and ventilation
• Storing resin furniture and cushions: best practices to prevent mould and deformation
• Preparing for spring: checks and simple maintenance after winter
• Keter’s approach to storage and longevity
• How Keter storage solutions help with winterising resin furniture
• Sources
• FAQ

Inspect and prepare: what to check before you start

Before you touch a bottle of cleaner, take a slow walk around each piece. Resin and synthetic wicker have a slightly plasticky sheen and flex a little under pressure, unlike natural wicker, which is fibrous and rougher to the touch, or painted timber, which shows grain beneath the finish. Knowing which material you are dealing with matters because resin generally copes with temperature and humidity swings better than natural wicker, which is why government guidance on outdoor living treats the two differently when it comes to seasonal care.

Once you know what you are working with, check each piece for the following before deciding whether it stays outside under cover or heads into storage:

• Surface chalking or a dusty, faded look, which signals UV breakdown of the resin.
• Cracks, hairline splits or stress marks around joints and legs.
• Loose or unravelling weave on synthetic wicker sections.
• Corroded screws, rusted brackets or wobbly fixings.
• Seam separation on cushions or any moulded seat components.

Furniture in good condition with only light surface grime can usually stay outdoors under a veranda or a well-fitted cover. Pieces showing cracks, corrosion or loose joints are better off in dry storage, where you can address repairs without more weather working against you. If you are unsure whether something is resin, synthetic wicker or timber underneath a paint finish, our guide to outdoor furniture materials walks through the differences in more detail.

Cleaning resin furniture safely before winter storage

Resin is forgiving compared with natural materials, but it is not indestructible, and the wrong cleaner can do more harm than a season of weather. Conservation guidance for plastics from the Western Australian Museum recommends warm water with a small percentage of non-ionic detergent, avoiding aggressive solvents that can cause hazing, discolouration or a sticky residue on polymer surfaces.

Follow this sequence for each piece:

1. Mix warm water with a small percentage solution of non-ionic detergent.
2. Test the solution on a small, hidden area first and wait a few minutes to check for any colour change or dulling.
3. Wipe the surface with a soft cloth or brush, working in sections rather than soaking the whole piece.
4. Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove any detergent residue.
5. Dry immediately and completely with a clean towel, then leave the piece in open air for a few hours before covering or storing it.

Pro Tip: Dry resin furniture on a mild, breezy day rather than in direct sun. Fast drying in full sun can accelerate surface chalking on ageing pieces.

Mildew and algae need a slightly firmer hand, but not a harsher chemical. A soft brush and the same detergent solution will lift most surface growth. For heavily contaminated pieces, a well-diluted household bleach solution can help, but only on resin that has already been tested for colour change, and only with a thorough rinse afterwards and gloves on your hands. Avoid pouring bleach solution near garden beds or lawn edges, and never mix it with other cleaning products.

Small repairs and when to call a professional

A loose screw or a wobbly leg is usually a five-minute fix, and doing it before winter storage means the piece goes away in one piece and comes out the same way. Handle the easy jobs yourself and leave anything structural or unclear to someone who knows plastics.

• Tighten loose fastenings and swap out any corroded screws or brackets for new ones.
• Stabilise small splits or hairline cracks with a manufacturer-approved adhesive, after spot-testing it on a hidden area.
• Avoid solvent welding or strong adhesive repairs on a polymer you cannot identify. The Western Australian Museum’s treatment guidance warns that mismatched solvents can cause crazing or discolouration that cannot be undone.
• Watch for extensive crazing, an unknown plastic type, or a piece with real sentimental or monetary value. Those are the moments to consult a conservator rather than reach for the tube of glue.

Most homeowner repairs on resin furniture are small and low-risk when you stick to tightening, replacing hardware and using adhesives designed for the job. The moment a repair involves melting, bonding two unfamiliar plastics, or fixing something you would be upset to ruin, it is worth getting advice first.

Protecting pieces that remain outdoors: covers, placement and ventilation

Not every piece needs to disappear into storage for winter. If you have a veranda, a covered patio, or simply prefer to leave a dining set in place, a well-chosen cover and some thought about placement will do a lot of the work. Government guidance on outdoor living points to covering or storing furniture as the simplest way to slow down the ageing that rain and sun exposure cause over time.

The trick is choosing a cover that protects without trapping moisture underneath it, since a sealed cover on damp furniture is worse than no cover at all.

• Choose breathable fabric rather than solid plastic sheeting, which can sweat condensation onto the surface underneath.
• Look for secure straps or tie-downs so wind cannot lift the cover and let rain in sideways.
• A contoured, fitted shape sheds water better than a loose tarp that pools in the middle.
• Elevate furniture slightly, using pads or small blocks, so water cannot collect underneath the legs.

Pro Tip: Leave a small gap for airflow at the base of the cover rather than sealing it tight to the ground. A little ventilation prevents the musty smell that builds up under a fully sealed cover.

For long, wet winters, indoor or shed storage is the safer bet over relying on a cover alone. Keeping furniture under a veranda, elevated off bare soil or concrete, and clear of gutters or downpipes reduces both UV exposure and the risk of pooling water. Our piece on UV resistant outdoor furniture covers placement strategies for sun exposure in more depth, and if you are working with a garden setting, the Asian Sculptures outdoor garden integration guide has some useful thinking on positioning outdoor pieces around covered structures and garden features.

Storing resin furniture and cushions: best practices to prevent mould and deformation

Once furniture is clean and completely dry, how you store it matters almost as much as the cleaning itself. Moving a piece straight from a warm afternoon into a cold shed can cause thermal stress on thicker resin, so conservation guidance on plastics recommends acclimatising gradually, from ambient temperature to a cooler room and then into storage, according to the Western Australian Museum. The same applies in reverse come spring.

Cushions need their own routine entirely:

• Store cushions in breathable containers or dedicated cushion storage boxes rather than sealed plastic bags, since government guidance notes that airtight storage traps moisture and encourages mould.
• Air cushions out every few weeks over winter if you have the space to do so.
• Add a low-cost desiccant pack inside the storage container to soak up ambient moisture.
• Keep cushions off the floor of a shed or garage, where damp tends to settle first.

For the furniture itself, a dry, ventilated shed or storage box beats a tarp in a corner of the yard every time. Monitor for any musty smell or condensation on the inside walls of your storage space, since a sealed environment with no airflow can create the exact conditions you are trying to avoid. Our guide to outdoor cushion storage has more detail on containers and desiccant use, and if your storage space doubles as a spot for garden tools, the Best safe for garden tools and equipment storage guide is a handy read on organising a shared space without crowding your furniture.

Preparing for spring: checks and simple maintenance after winter

When the weather turns and it is time to bring furniture back out, give each piece the same attention you gave it going into storage. A short inspection now catches small problems before they become bigger ones through a full season of use.

• Check for finish loss, chalking or fading that appeared over winter.
• Retighten any fixings that may have loosened during storage or transport.
• Look for mildew spots, especially on cushions or in shaded corners of moulded furniture.
• Note any structural movement, warping or new cracks that were not there in autumn.

A quick wash with the same mild detergent solution refreshes most pieces, and any scuffs can be buffed out with a soft cloth. If a piece has picked up more damage than a clean and a tighten can fix, particularly anything affecting stability, replacement is the safer call over a repair that only looks fine. Our tips on preventing outdoor furniture fading are worth a look if colour loss is the main issue you are dealing with.

Keter’s approach to storage and longevity

Winterising resin furniture properly is mostly about limiting exposure, and that is where the right storage set-up earns its keep. Keter Group builds outdoor storage sheds and boxes from durable, recycled resin designed to resist rot and warping, which means the storage itself holds up to the same weather your furniture is trying to avoid, as detailed on Keter Group’s site.

Having a dedicated shed or storage box nearby makes the whole winterising job less of a chore. Instead of shuffling cushions into a garage corner or draping tarps over a dining set, a purpose-built space keeps everything dry, off the ground and easy to find again come spring. If you are weighing up assembly or sizing questions for your own set-up, product pages from various manufacturers are a good place to start.

— Liza

How Keter storage solutions help with winterising resin furniture

A dry, ventilated shed does more for your furniture than any cover ever will, and it saves you the hassle of dragging tarps out every time the forecast turns. Keeping pieces raised off the ground, out of direct rain and organised in one spot also makes spring set-up a much faster job.

For smaller households or balcony sets, the Store It Out Prime Shed with Pistons 880L offers a compact option with an easy-lift lid. If you are shopping in person, the Store It Out Prime Shed 880L is available at Bunnings in the same dark grey finish. For a full outdoor dining set or a larger cushion collection, the Store It Out Max Shed in brown or beige gives you 1200 litres of dry storage space.

• Furniture and cushions stay dry, raised and protected from ground moisture.
• Ventilated design reduces the musty smell that comes with sealed storage.
• Everything is organised in one place, ready to bring out again in spring.

Browse the full range of sheds, outdoor storage and cabinets or check out the garden and planter collection if you are also looking to tidy up the rest of your outdoor space this winter.

Sources

• Energy
• Preventive Conservation summary | Western Australian Museum

FAQ

How long does resin outdoor furniture last?

Resin furniture generally holds up well over years of outdoor use because it resists rot, rust and warping better than natural materials. Lifespan depends heavily on how much sun and rain exposure it gets and how well it is cleaned and stored between seasons.

Can I leave my outdoor furniture outside in the winter?

You can, provided it is covered with a breathable, well-fitted cover or placed under a veranda, according to government guidance on outdoor living. For long or particularly wet winters, moving furniture into dry, ventilated storage offers better protection than a cover alone.

How do I store rattan furniture in winter?

Synthetic or resin rattan should be cleaned, dried completely, and stored in a dry, ventilated space or under a breathable cover, following the same principles as other resin furniture. Natural rattan is more sensitive to humidity and generally needs more careful indoor storage than its resin counterpart.

How do I prepare outdoor furniture for winter?

Clean each piece with a mild, non-ionic detergent solution, rinse well and dry completely before covering or storing it. Store cushions separately in breathable containers, and inspect fixings and joints for any repairs worth making before the cold weather sets in.

Recommended

• Resin vs Wood Planters: Why Resin Wins in Australia
• UV resistant outdoor furniture for Australian sun
• How to prevent outdoor furniture fading in Australia
• 3 Weekend Fixes to Weatherproof Outdoor Cabinets in Australia