Patio Cushions

Updated on May 27, 2009
J.W. asks from Ashland, MA
5 answers

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how to clean our patio cushions? They have been stained (I assume mildew - it's blackish) from being left out during rainstorms, etc..... I thought I'd check here before I venture to trying to clean them with whatever products I have in my home. There are no zippers on the cushions for me to be able to remove and wash in machine.......

2 moms found this helpful

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.L.

answers from Portland on

Not sure there is much to be done for an outdoor fabric stained with mildew.
You could call the manufacturor and ask.
I would try a stiff scrub brush and a bleach/water solution..scrub it in , do not dry, place cushions in the sun and see how much comes off.
Rinse them well, then use either a specialized cleaner or a detergent that is effective.
In my day we used Borax a lot for mildew.
Scrub them again and put them in the sun to dry again.
Lastly, wet them, sprinkle with salt, put them in the sun again.
When they are dry this last time you could spray them with a fabric protective type thingy.
This is a LOT of work...how about new cushions? Or slipcovers?
Mildew is one of the very most difficult stains to get rid of there is. It is not actually a stain so much as it is a fungus.
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell

E.T.

answers from Boston on

Hi Jenn, My first thought would be Shaklee's Basic G which is used to wash mold and mildew off vinyl siding, boats, boat cushions, walls, woodwork, etc. It is heavily concentrated to last a long time; so you mix it with water and scrub away. It is a disinfectant and is safe for the environment as well -- that's why boaters like it. Yes, I am a Shaklee distributor but am simply replying to your request for help with your mold issues. My husband power washes our deck with Basic G every spring to get rid of the green mildew that builds up from the snow. Please contact me for more info or go directly to my website www.emilytaft.com to read about it and order. Just type in Basic G in the search box at the upper right on the home page. ###-###-#### ____@____.com I hope this is helpful. Best Wishes. E. Taft

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Portland on

I just did this! First, almost all of the info online uses borax. However, I could not find it and didn't want to go all over. I then found online a mixture of bleach (about 3/4 c or so - I didn't measure, just put some in) with dishwashing liquid (a couple tablespoons) and then filled the rest of the spray bottle with hot water from the tap. I sprayed them right on the patio and left them in the sun to dry. I sprayed some, that were really spotted, pretty heavy and most came off the first time. Some, I did have to spray again. But, it worked and didn't take off any color. Good Luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.S.

answers from New London on

Depending on what they are made out of, I usually just spray my outside stuff with bleach diluted with water and then scrub it and rinse off the black mildew. If the fabric is vinyl the bleach shouldn't remove the color, but I would spot test it first just in case.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Hartford on

This info I got at the following website

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lv_household_tips/article/0...

Good Luck!
~L.

Cleaning Patio Furniture Cushions and Canvas

Materials for Cleaning Cushions:

Garden hose
1 tsp. dishwashing detergent
1 quart warm water
1 tsp. borax
Fabric protector spray (Scotch Guard was used on-air)

Pour the cleaning mixture into a spray bottle.

Saturate the cushions on both sides with the cleaning solution (figure A). Do not be frugal -- you want to get a lot of the solution on. This is what will clean off the mold and mildew. Be sure to get all the crevices and creases. The more you put on now, the less you will have to do when you spray it off.

Let the cleaning solution set for 15 minutes.

With the garden hose on high, spray the cushions thoroughly to knock the dirt and cleaning solution off the cushions.

Stand the cushions up on edge to let them dry. Let them dry to just damp.

Spray the cushions with a fabric protector. It will protect them and make them easier to clean in the future.
Materials for Cleaning Canvas:

Bar of Fels-Naptha soap
Scrub brush

With canvas, most of the time you can just machine wash it and put it back on the furniture damp and that will stretch the material back into shape.

If you can't remove the canvas, take your scrub brush and rub it across a bar of soap and then rub the brush back and forth on the canvas (figure B). You may have to do this a few times -- don't be afraid to really lather it up.

Once you get it nice and clean, take the hose or a spray bottle and rinse it off.

This soap works well for canvas awnings. It does a good job removing bird droppings and many stains.

Here's a couple more tips. I thought they were neat :)
Queen of Clean's Dirty Little Secrets:

Put a layer of gravel or marbles on soil of outdoor plants to keep rain from splashing dirt.

Put the legs of your picnic table in tin cans filled with water to keep ants from climbing up.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches