Getting stains out of outdoor cushions: sunscreen, bird droppings, red wine and more
Most outdoor stains come off with mild soap. The ones that do not need the right trick, not more scrubbing. By type of stain, with what is safe on which fabric.
Before you start
Act fresh where you can, blot rather than rub, and test anything stronger than soap on the underside first. The bleach solution below (1 part household bleach, 9 parts water) is safe on Sunbrella® and other solution-dyed acrylics only. On printed fabric, use the alternative listed.
Stain by stain
| Stain | Sunbrella® | Printed polyester |
|---|---|---|
| Sunscreen, body oil | Degreasing washing-up liquid, warm water, soft brush. Repeat. Stubborn: bleach 1:9 | Washing-up liquid only, repeat |
| Bird droppings | Let it dry, scrape off, then soap. Remaining mark: bleach 1:9, 15 min | Scrape, soap, oxygen bleach |
| Red wine | Blot, rinse cold, soap. Set stain: bleach 1:9 | Blot, cold water, salt, then soap |
| Tree sap, resin | Harden with an ice cube, scrape, then a little surgical spirit, then soap | Same |
| Grease, BBQ fat | Cornflour to absorb, brush off, degreasing soap | Same |
| Grass | Soap and brush; remaining green: bleach 1:9 | Soap; remaining: oxygen bleach |
| Rust | Lemon juice and salt, leave in sun, rinse. No bleach (it sets rust) | Same |
| Mildew, green algae | Bleach 1:9, 15 min, rinse. See mould guide | Vinegar 1:1 or oxygen bleach |
| Ink, marker | Surgical spirit on a cloth, dab, then soap | Same, test first |
| Pollen | Brush off dry first, never wet it in. Then soap | Same |
Oily stains: degreaser. Organic stains: bleach on Sunbrella, oxygen bleach on anything else. Rust: acid, never bleach.
Why bleach does not fade Sunbrella
In solution-dyed acrylic the pigment is mixed into the liquid before the fibre is spun. The colour is the fibre, not a coating on it. Bleach removes the stain sitting on the surface and leaves the colour alone. On printed polyester the colour is that surface layer, and bleach takes it with the stain. Full explanation in why solution-dyed acrylic does not fade.
Machine washing after a stain
If the cover is removable: pre-treat as above, then 30° gentle, mild detergent, no softener, line dry. Put the cover back on while slightly damp. Our 45×45 cushions have a hidden zip for this. The general routine is in how to clean outdoor cushions.
158 Sunbrella® colours in 45×45, filling included, shipped next working day. Browse the collection or ask about made to measure.
