How To Clean Mildew From Your Outdoor Cushions
Theres nothing worse than preparing for entertaining in your perfect outdoor space only to check your furniture and notice mildew. Unfortunately, it seems that everyone in Australia has to deal with mildew at some point, especially on our outdoor seat cushions.
Mildew forms on warm, damp surfaces and appears as a thin dusting of grey, black or sometimes white growth that smells musty. It is a type of mould that thrives on natural fabrics like cotton, silk and wool, and unfortunately even high quality outdoor cushions made to last in the weather can fall victim to mildew.
Luckily though, its fairly easy to clean off and there are several options to clean mildew from your outdoor cushions and keep them looking fresh and beautiful for years.
White vinegar
Non-abrasive and able to be safely used without ventilation, white vinegar can be utilised on almost any surface. For light stains dilute the vinegar with water, but for heavier stains use full strength, misting the affected area from a spray bottle and wiping down with a damp cloth afterwards.
Lemon juice and salt
Lemon juice and salt are known to make an effective stain-removing paste, but did you know this natural solution can also be used on mildew? Squirt two tablespoons of lemon juice into a small bowl with one teaspoon of salt and rub it over the mildew with a cloth. Leave the paste for an hour or so and then wipe down.
Borax
- www.cushionfactory.com.au
Cleaning Rugged Cushioned Pieces With Permanent Covers:
Spray the outdoor furniture cleaning recipe onto the cushions liberally and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. This will allow the product to saturate the material and break down dirt. Keep in mind that this should be done on colorfast surfaces only, so try testing an inconspicuous corner first before spraying down the entire surface.
After the 15 minutesor so, hose down cushions and lay flat to dry in the sunshine. Flip thecushions over when the top is dry sothat the bottom side can dry as well. If the covers cannot be washed downfor whatever reason, use a wet/dry vacto vacuum up debris. When necessary,stains can be spot-cleaned with warm,soapy water and a clean cloth.
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How To Clean Outdoor Cushions Treat Mildew And Stains By Hand And Without Borax
Enjoy clean outdoor cushions all year long by washing yours at home. Treat mildew and stains with vinegar by hand or in the washing machine, without using any Borax
If youre anything like us, then as soon as the sun shines, youll head straight for the garden or whatever outside space you have. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, a good book and some clean outdoor cushions and your next few hours are sorted.
Whether you have a covered balcony turned plant paradise, or a fancy-pants patio space in your backyard thats filled with the very best garden furniture, youll know just how great it looks when its set up perfectly and filled with enough soft furnishings to make it feel like an outdoor living room space.
- Create your perfect outdoor living space with our feature for inspiration.
However, if youve had your throws, cushions and poufs for at least a year and through all the seasons, youll know all too well just how grimy and dirty soft furnishings can get with all the elements hammering them
Think mould, mildew and mud not to mention pet hair and other stuff if you have furry friends or kids around yours or not. Cushions go through hell: We sit on them, we nap on them, we hug them, we drop them, and we could go on, so knowing how to clean your outdoor cushions is a must for their survival.
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Create A Cleaning Toolkit
The easiest way to keep a clean patio all year long is to keep a few cleaning tools and products on hand. This way, everything you need will be easy to grab, and you can clean up a spill as soon as it happens. The good news is, you dont need to shop for anything expensive. At the Neighbor showroom, we keep a furniture cleanup kit on-hand for our sample furniture that includes our handheld vacuum, a bristle brush, mild dish soap, a bucket, a spray bottle, and a few soft sponges.
A soft all-purpose bristle scrub brush can help prevent fabric stains if you use it to brush dirt, debris, and dust off your outdoor cushion covers before it becomes embedded in the fabric. Similarly, a handheld vacuum with a crevice or upholstery nozzle is perfect for quick cleanups. Its always better to wipe up spills quickly and treat stains as they happen to keep your cushions in top shape. Keep your cleanup kit in a dry, temperate spot away from kids and pets.
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How To Clean Patio Furniture: Teak Wood
Teak is a beautiful, natural material and the best wood for outdoor use. It starts out a warm, golden-brown color and naturally weathers into a silver-gray tone.
We recommend using a gentle soap and warm water to clean teak. It may be tempting, but itâs best to avoid using a power washer to clean it. It can deepen any natural cracks in the wood, letting water and erosion in.
If mold has grown on the surface of your teak furniture, add a small amount of bleach to your cleaning solution . This will break down the mold, making it easier to remove.
To clean your teak furniture, youâll need a few extra tools to make sure you get the best results possible.
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Attach The Hose + Check The Water
Attach a garden hose to the pressure washer, and turn the water on high. Before turning the pressure washer on, pull the trigger on the spray gun to make sure that water is flowing through the entire machine. Once water is flowing freely from the spigot to the end of the spray gun, you are ready to turn on the pressure washer.
How Do You Clean Patio Furniture Cushions
You can clean patio furniture cushions with a simple solution, and you probably already have these supplies on hand. If not, you can find them at any drugstore or grocery store. Combine the following in a bucket or spray bottle:
- 1 teaspoon dishwashing detergent
- 1 quart warm water
- 1 tablespoon Borax
Spray or soak your cushions on both sides with the cleaning solution and then let it sit for about 15 minutes. Proceed to complete the following steps:
- Using a hose, spray off the solution and set the cushion on its side to air dry.
- When the cushion is about eighty-percent dry, spray the surface with a fabric protector.
- Remember to give your cushions a frequent vacuum or shake to remove built-up dust and debris.
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Outdoor Upholstery Care: How To Clean Patio Furniture Cushions And Canvases
Its the middle of July halfway through the summer and your once-pristine patio furniture is looking like it has seen better days. There have been a few heavy rainstorms throughout the first half of the summer and you can tell your furniture upholstery could use a thorough cleaning. Or perhaps its the end of summer and you are trying to clean your furniture before storing it for the winter. Either way, bottom line is that you need clean patio furniture immediately.
Aside from proper furniture upkeep, clean patio furniture can help a once struggling patio look fresh as new. So before throwing your next Sunday Funday soiree, check out these quick tips that will give your patio furniture some pep in its step.
Replacing Patio Furniture Cushions
If your cushions have simply seen better days, it might be time to replace them with a fresh, comfy new set. RST Brands has a variety of outdoor replacement cushions that are long-lasting and easy to clean. Our premium outdoor cushions will stand up to the elements and look great for years to come. Add our high-quality pillows to amp up the polished look of your space and bring further comfort and enjoyment of your furniture.
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Whiten That White Plastic
Plastic is often used for outdoor furniture because it’s easy to clean and durable to the elements. But plastic can also discolor in the sun over time. Luckily, we have an effective trick when it comes to whitening your white plastic furniture pieces.
Tips On How To Prevent The Growth Of Mold On Your Furniture
- Allow proper airflow damp places are the perfect spots for molds to grow. If there is no or minimal airflow, your cushion will be susceptible to mold growth. Start by ensuring that there is a positive airflow around. Get a dehumidifier to blow out hot air from the room. Your humidity level shouldnt exceed 55% during winter period.
- Regular Exposure to sunlight Molds thrive in dark places. While you may like the position of your cushion outside, if there is minimal amount of sunlight reaching the cushion, molds will start to grow. The best thing to do is to adjust the position of your cushion to allow more sunlight to reach it.
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How To Remove Mold & Mildew
While some fabrics like solution-dyed acrylic dont promote mold and mildew growth, it still might show up on dirt and other foreign substances that arent removed from the fabric. If you see grime on your cushions, follow these simple steps, and youll have your all-weather outdoor cushions looking as good as new.
How To Clean Mold Off Outdoor Furniture Cushions
Outdoor cushions and fabric accents bring a bit of indoor comfort to outdoor spaces, but these materials can be prone to mold and mildew. Its important to invest in cushions and fabric that are not just easy to clean but engineered to resist water, mold, and mildew from the start, says Sarah Dooley, director of upholstery at Sunbrella.
Check the fabric or cushion manufacturers website for recommendations specific to their product. Bleach will harm the color of some fabrics, but others, like Sunbrella fabrics, are engineered to not discolor. Test the underside of a cushion before cleaning to determine if bleach will not harm the fabric.
Mix bleach and water according to the bleach manufacturers instructions. Spray onto the fabric surface or use a cloth to wipe the mixture onto the fabric. Let the bleach stand on the fabric for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with clean water. To avoid water rings, clean the entire surface area of the fabric. Some outdoor cushions come with removable covers that can be laundered in your washing machine. Spot-treat as needed before washing according to the furniture manufacturers instructions.
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How To Clean Outside Furniture Cushions By Hand
Even if your cushions do not have care instructions, most cushions can be cleaned with a solution of 1 tsp. mild dish soap, 1 tsp Borax, and 1 quart of warm water. Combine all of the ingredients in a spray bottle and saturate both sides of the cushion. Let the solution sit for 15-20 minutes, making sure that you dont allow it to dry completely. Wash the solution off with clean water and stand the cushion on its edge to dry.
How To Treat Stains On Outdoor Cushions
Just like on indoor upholstery, stains can happen outdoors, too, whether from food, dirt or grease. The sooner you treat the stain, the better, Rampey says.
Most liquid stains such as milk or red wine, he says, can be treated with a simple solution of mild soap and water:
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Blot the stain with a clean, dry cloth.
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Mix mild soap and water together and spray onto the spot.
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Use a sponge or soft-bristle brush to clean the entire surface area, not just the visible stain. Rinse with a garden hose on a low-pressure setting with clean water to remove all soap residue.
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Let the fabric air dry.
For greasy stains, like those from a dropped burger from a cookout, Rampey says to pretreat the fabric with a strong degreaser for 30 minutes to an hour. Be sure to keep the fabric wet. Use a sponge or soft-bristle brush to clean the entire surface. Finish by rinsing with a garden hose on a low-pressure setting until the soap residue is gone. Let the fabric air dry.
You can also use corn starch to absorb oily spills, Rampey says. Sprinkle corn starch on the spot and let it absorb the oil from the fabric. Remove the excess corn starch with a straight edge and clean away the residue with soap and water. Rinse with clean water until all the soap is gone. Then let the cushions air dry.
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Outdoor Furniture Cleaning Recipe
- 1 gallon of warm water
- 1 cup of borax
- ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide
- ¼ cup of dish soap
Dry brush the furniture in a downward motion to remove excess dirt and debris using a scrub brush. Mix the ingredients together in a bucket. Fill a clean spray bottle and liberally spray the solution onto each piece, using the scrub brush to agitate the mixture once applied. Sponge or hose the mixture off the furniture until suds are gone to avoid lingering residue on the furniture. All the furniture to dry in the sunshine.
For teak and wicker furniture, try a gentler method.
Mix together in a bucket a solution of 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap to 1 gallon of warm water. Dip a clean nylon scrub brush in the bucket and gently scrub away the dirt and debris on the furniture, hosing down the surface when done to remove all bubble and residue. Only apply oil to teak if the manufacturer’s instructions call for it.
Can I Reverse Water Damage
Like fading, you cant fix water damage. If your cushions and pillows get drenched from a storm, you need to dry them properly. Plus, the sooner you dry them, the less risk for mold and mildew.
If your cushions have covers, unzip them and drain out the water. Put the cushions on their sides so they can dry quicker. If its still wet outside, bring your cushions and pillows inside and blow dry them.
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Eliminating Bird Poop Stains
Its hard to predict when you may get a visit from birds and what they leave behind can be really unpleasant to clean. Still, though, not impossible. Just prepare and do the following:
- Gently scrape off all of the excess dirt with a plastic tool.
- Spray the stain with a mixture of warm water and detergent. Any enzyme-based cleaners are also welcome to try. You can scrub a little bit with a toothbrush to get the solution deeper into the fabric.
- Then wash and rinse the outdoor furnitures cover. If stains are still visible, you can repeat the procedure.
How Outdoor Cushions Get Dirty
Melting ice cream, muddy paws, and red wine: Some of the best things about summertime are also the messiest. Also, its the outdoors. Anything can happen in nature. Youre probably expecting rain, sun, snow, grime, dirt, and dust to mess with your furniture, but things like debris from your neighbors tree, mold and mildew, and bird droppings can cause just as many problems when it comes to keeping your cushions clean. While you cant control Mother Nature, to keep cushions looking as new as the day you bought them, you can get to know your fabric, learn how to treat stains as they happen, and have a cleaning kit ready. No matter where you live, you can keep your in good shape year-round. The best outdoor cushions are water-resistant and machine-washable, but tough stains require more specific cleaning methods and products.
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Removing Mildew From Wicker Furniture
Removing mildew from wicker patio furniture can be tricky since it has a lot of nooks and crannies that cannot be reached with a wash cloth or a sponge.However, that doesnt mean it cannot be cleaned as thoroughly as wooden furniture.The first thing you need to do is to wipe the furniture from top to bottom using mild soap and water.Then, use a hose to spray it thoroughly and especially the spaces you cannot reach manually. Use a high pressure nozzle on the hose if the wicker is strong enough to take the pressure.
Make sure that you are not standing too close when you are using the hose on a high pressure setting. You will get soaked or even injure yourself otherwise.A good rule of thumb is to check the pressure of the water on a small spot in the back of the wicker to check whether it causes damage or can be used safely.
The Best Way To Clean Outdoor Cushions
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Easy-to-maintain outdoor cushions are available in an array of colors and textures. Colorfast, durable fabrics woven with solution-dyed acrylic fibers are attractive and pleasant to the touch. These fabrics resist sun damage and mildew. The cushion fillings usually consist of polyester fiber or a combination of fast-drying exterior grade foam and polyester wrap. Cleaning techniques for these outdoor cushions are simple and affordable. Environmental-friendly cleaning agents work in most situations, although chlorine bleach can be safely used on the toughest stains.
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