Hoʻoilo, our winter rainy season is upon us, here in the islands. The month ʻIkuā, roughly October/November began with the boisterous voice it is known for, treating our island to lightening and thunder on its first night. Since then, we have had enough winter storms to dust both Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa with snow.
Photo from East Asian Observatory FaceBook page.
If you own genuine Malama Torches™, now is a good time to make sure they are ready for whatever winter will throw at them.
With our winter rains, you’ll want to be sure the drainage ports are clean and open, to prevent water from filling the cups and drowning your burners. While we usually leave them outside year-round in Hawaiʻi, in some areas, people break down their out-door living items and put them in storage for the winter.
Personally, if you are the outdoorsy type, as long as the gas lines do not freeze, I see no reason to quit using your Malama Torches™ just because it’s winter. Imagine a Snow-B-Q party, lit by the warming flames! If you have any photos of using your Malama Torches™ in the snow, we’d love for you to share them with us!
If you have the portable version, you’ll want to bring them inside when not in use. You can take this opportunity to clean them. The most successful method we have found: Just spray them with Simple Green, let sit five minutes, then hose off. We do not use any abrasives to clean our torches, as that damages the finish, and increases rust.
A very light spray of WD-40 can help prevent or slow rusting during storage, though nothing will actually stop it. Place a paper or cloth bag over the burner head, and tie or twist tie it to the pole to keep creatures from taking up residence in the orifices. You can do this with the decorative sleeve on, or take it off and store separately.
Whatever the weather, Malama Torches™ are a beautiful, durable addition to your landscape, ready to light your night with aloha. Handcrafted in Hilo, Hawaiʻi since 1967. Available from Beachside Lighting and Design. For custom pieces and table toppers, contact us directly: info@LeiManu.com
Learn more about the Hawaiian winter at Leilehua’s Patreon blog, Hawaiian Stars.
