How to Clean Outdoor Cushions

Outdoor cushions get hammered. Rain, dust, sun cream, spilled drinks, food, pollen, mildew if they stay damp too long. The good news is most outdoor cushions are designed to deal with all of this, and getting them clean is usually straightforward if you know which approach to use for which problem.

Here is a practical guide that covers everyday cleaning, deeper washing, mildew and mould removal, and what to do with cushions that do not have removable covers.

Quick everyday cleaning

For dust, pollen and general grime that builds up over a season of garden use, a soft brush is the first tool to reach for. Dust both sides of each cushion, paying attention to the seams where dirt collects.

For light marks and surface dirt, mix a few drops of washing-up liquid with warm water. Sponge it onto the affected area, work it in gently with the sponge, then wipe with clean water and pat dry with a towel. Most fresh marks come out this way without needing to remove the cover.

This is the routine to do once a fortnight in summer if the cushions are getting daily use. Five minutes per cushion, no more.

Machine washing waterproof cushion covers

If the cover comes off and the care label says machine washable (the Gardenia covers from Homefords are), this is the easiest way to deep-clean.

Remove the cover and shake any loose dirt outside before bringing it indoors. Wash on a cool or warm cycle (30 to 40 degrees) with a normal detergent. Do not use bleach. Do not use fabric softener, because it can interfere with the waterproof coating over time.

Air-dry the cover. Tumble drying is risky for waterproof fabrics because high heat can damage the coating. Hang the cover over a line, a clothes airer or the back of an outdoor chair on a dry day, and it will be ready to use in a few hours.

What to do with non-removable covers

Plenty of outdoor cushions have covers that are sewn shut. Cleaning these takes a bit more effort but is still manageable.

Lay the cushion flat on a hard surface like a patio. Mix warm water with a small amount of washing-up liquid in a bucket. Use a soft brush to work the soapy water into the fabric, scrubbing in circles. Rinse thoroughly with a hose on a gentle setting, or pour clean water over the cushion and brush it through until no more suds appear.

The cushion will be soaked. Stand it on its edge in a sunny spot to drain and dry. Turn it every few hours so all sides dry evenly. Depending on the weather and how thick the cushion is, full drying takes one to three days.

If the inside of the cushion gets wet through, the foam can take a long time to dry and may smell musty. To avoid this, do this kind of clean on a hot dry day with a forecast of more dry weather.

Removing mildew and mould

Mildew shows up as dark spots or patches and tends to appear after cushions have been left damp for a few days. The smell is the giveaway even if the spots are not obvious yet.

The standard fix is a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water. Spray onto the affected area, leave for fifteen minutes, then scrub gently with a soft brush. Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly in the sun if possible. Sunlight is genuinely effective at killing remaining mildew spores.

For stubborn mildew, a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water works well as a follow-up. Apply, leave for an hour, scrub, rinse, dry.

Avoid bleach on coloured fabrics. It will work on white covers if used at low concentration, but on most coloured outdoor cushions it will pull the colour out and leave you with a different problem.

The most important thing with mildew is preventing it coming back. Mildew needs damp fabric to grow. Once the cushion is dry, store it dry, and bring it inside or under cover during prolonged wet weather.

When to skip the wash and just wipe

For waterproof cushions like the Gardenia range, most spills and marks can be wiped off straight away with a damp cloth. The waterproof coating means liquid sits on the surface long enough to clean before it soaks in. Spilled wine, dropped food, sun cream and drinks all come off cleanly if you catch them quickly.

This is one of the practical advantages of buying genuinely waterproof outdoor cushions rather than fabric ones with a water-resistant treatment. The cleaning is simpler because the fabric does not absorb the spill in the first place.

What about cushion pads inside the cover?

If you are washing a removable cover, you do not need to wash the inner pad most of the time. The pad sits inside a sealed cover and rarely picks up much dirt of its own. If the pad does get wet or smelly, foam pads can usually be hosed down and air-dried, but check the manufacturer’s instructions first because some pads (especially feather or fibre-filled) will be ruined by heavy soaking.

For Homefords customers, the cushion pad range is sized at 45x45cm to fit the standard 17×17″ outdoor cushion covers, and replacing a damaged pad is far cheaper than replacing the whole cushion.

The Homefords range

Homefords supplies waterproof indoor/outdoor cushion covers and seat pads from the Gardenia collection in six colours, all machine washable and treated for outdoor use. For trade buyers fitting out beer gardens, restaurant terraces, hotel courtyards and holiday lets, the easy cleaning is one of the main reasons these cushions get specified rather than standard fabric ones.

Browse the full range of wholesale outdoor cushions at Homefords. Cushion covers from £1.60 + VAT, seat pads from £2.90 + VAT, no minimum order.