How to clean outdoor cushions: step by step, for any fabric
Most garden cushions are thrown away dirty, not worn out. Ten minutes with a soft brush and the right detergent is usually all it takes. Here is the routine we use in the workshop.
First: which fabric do you have?
The cleaning method depends on how the colour got into the fabric. Sunbrella® and other solution-dyed acrylics have the pigment inside the fibre, so you can use bleach without losing colour. Printed polyester and most budget cushions have the colour on the surface. Bleach strips it. If you are not sure, treat it as printed polyester and skip the bleach.
The basic routine (every few weeks in summer)
- Shake or brush off loose dirt, pollen and leaves. A soft hand brush is enough.
- Hose the cushion down with cold water. Do not use a pressure washer on the seams.
- Mix a mild detergent (washing-up liquid works) in lukewarm water and work it in with a sponge.
- Rinse until no suds remain. Soap residue attracts dirt.
- Stand the cushion on its side in the sun or wind. Do not lay it flat; water needs to run out of the bottom seam.
Washing the cover in the machine
If the cover has a zip, take it off and wash it at 30° on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. No fabric softener: it coats the fibres and reduces water repellency. Line dry and put the cover back on while it is slightly damp; it slides on more easily and dries taut. Our 45×45 covers have a hidden zip in the bottom seam for exactly this reason.
Mild detergent, cold or 30°, no softener, dry on its side. That routine covers 90% of dirt on any outdoor cushion.
Stubborn stains and mould
On Sunbrella® you can go further: one part household bleach to nine parts water, leave for 15 minutes, rinse thoroughly. This removes mildew, green algae and most food stains without touching the colour. We have a separate guide to mould on garden cushions and one for stains by type: sunscreen, bird droppings, red wine.
What not to do
- No tumble dryer. Heat damages the water-repellent finish and can shrink the inner cushion.
- No pressure washer. It forces water into the filling and opens the seams.
- No fabric softener or detergent with optical brighteners on coloured fabric.
- Do not store a cushion that is still damp. That is where almost every musty smell starts.
Cleaning the filling
Hollow-fibre filling can be rinsed under the tap and squeezed out; it dries in an afternoon. Foam takes days and should only be rinsed if it really smells. If the filling has gone flat or yellow after years, a new inner cushion is cheaper than a new cushion; see outdoor cushion filling.
158 Sunbrella® colours in 45×45, filling included, shipped next working day. Browse the collection or ask about made to measure.
