How to Clean Outdoor Cushions
How do I clean outdoor couch cushions? This is a question that many homeowners ask themselves.
We all know how difficult it can be to keep your outdoor patio clean and presentable.
One of the most frustrating things is when you put a lot of time and effort into maintaining your outdoor furniture, only for it to get dirty again in no time. Coffee, wine, juice, tree sap, bird droppings...the list goes on.
Luckily, it’s incredibly easy to remove tough stains and make your outdoor cushions look new again.
Here are seven simple steps for how to clean outdoor couch cushions in just 10 minutes.
1) Remove the cushions from the furniture.
Find a space away from your outdoor furniture where you can work.
Start by removing the cushion from your furniture and place it on a level surface like a driveway or patio.
This will make cleaning much easier!
If you are unable to remove the cushions, use an upholstery cleaner that can be sprayed directly onto the fabric of your couch cushion. This is not as effective but it will remove tough stains in a pinch.
2) Vacuum it with an upholstery attachment.
Next, you want to get rid of any surface dust and dirt. A vacuum cleaner with a small upholstery attachment will do the trick.
If your cushions have removable covers, remove them.
This way you can easily clean both sides of each cushion cover.
If they are not attached in any way or if they're too cumbersome to take off, skip this step. Go straight on to washing them instead!
3) Mix dish soap and warm water in a bucket or sink.
Believe it or not, you don't need special cleaners to clean your outdoor cushions. In fact, dish soap is a great way to remove stains and scuffs.
Mix about one cup of dish soap in with two gallons of water, then pour this mixture over the cushions.
The ratio of cleaner will depend on how dirty your outdoor couch cushions are. If they're not too bad, you might only need half as much water.
If you're just looking to target a couple of difficult stains, you don't need to pour the entire bucket over the cushions. Just pour enough to cover that area.
Can I use a garden hose to clean my outdoor cushions?
Yes, if you can remove the cushions or cushion covers, go for it. It can be a really convenient and easy way to clean your cushions.
If you can't remove the cushions, carefully consider whether or not you want to usebe careful about using a garden hose to clean them. It could affect the base of the couch or chairs you are cleaning. Not to mention you might get other outdoor furniture wet.
4) Use a scrub brush on any tough spots.
Once the patio cushions are done soaking, take out your scrub brush. Give the cushion a thorough scrub, anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the toughness of the stain.
If you don't have a scrub brush, apply your dish soap to a cloth and scrub your patio cushions.
Use an up-and-down or side-to-side motion. Scrubbing in this way helps loosen dirt from deep within the fabric, which is something that water alone can't do.
Most importantly, repeat this process until the stains have vanished!
5) For tough stains, let the area soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you notice that the stain isn’t breaking down, just wait a little longer.
To remove the most difficult stains from your patio cushions, let them soak for a couple of hours before you scrub.
It takes a little more time, but it may be worth it in the long run.
If the stain doesn't seem to break down, repeat the process of rinsing the cushions and applying dish soap one more time. Keep doing this until the stain disappears.
6) Rinse them off with a garden hose.
Once your stains are completely gone, rinse off the patio cushions with a hose.
If you don't have a hose, you can also pour a bucket of lukewarm water over the cushions.
7) Allow them time to air dry outside before putting the cushions back on your furniture.
Once all the stains are removed, let your cushions air dry, if possible in direct sunlight to speed up the process.
Depending on the size and material of your outdoor cushions, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two.
Once they're dry, put them back on your furniture and enjoy the clean cushions!
This is just one way to clean patio cushions; there are other methods you can try, too. But if you follow these steps, your furniture will be as good as new.
Keep reading to check out a few more methods on how to clean your patio cushions.
How do you deep clean outdoor cushions?
To deep clean outdoor cushions, use a pressure washer. A pressure washer helps remove dirt from the outside of your furniture easily like never before! It removes tough dirt and stains under the cushion's surface.
Before you begin, move over an area outside with a drain or away from your house so you don't end up with a big puddle of water after cleaning your outdoor cushions.
Here are five steps to pressure wash your outdoor cushions.
1. Fill up your power washer's tank with cold or lukewarm water.
2. Add one cup of detergent or dish soap to the pressure washer tank.
Just be careful: avoid bleach, so you don't damage or discolor the cushions.
3. Turn on the pressure washer and start washing.
Turn your power washer on and begin to wash away all of the dirt, grime, residue, and stains.
Be mindful not to spray too close or get it in your eyes.
4. Once you've sprayed the outdoor cushions with your cleaning solution, rinse them off.
Once all of the dirt, grime, and stains have been washed away from your cushions with the detergent and pressure washer combo, turn it off.
To rinse the patio cushions, you can use a hose or swap out the cleaning solution in your power washer for clean water.
5. Let your outdoor couch cushions dry completely.
Let your outdoor couch cushions air-dry for 24 hours before sitting on them again. The following day, you can place a dry towel over the surface that helps absorb the water from your patio cushion.
How to Clean Outdoor Cushions with Vinegar
Vinegar is a reliable household cleaner. You might have used it in the past to polish some surfaces, but did you know you can use it to clean your outdoor cushions?
Here's how to clean patio cushions with vinegar:
- Mix a solution of one part white distilled vinegar to three parts water.
- Pour the mixture onto your stain and let it soak for at least an hour or so. Scrub gently with a brush if necessary.
- If the color doesn't start coming out, rinse off the cushion.
- Repeat this process until your stain disappears.
- Once your stain is gone, rinse the cushion with water.
- Let it air dry.
This can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or so, depending on the size of the cushions.
You can also clean outdoor cushions with Borax. Here's a quick video to help you out.
How do you clean outdoor cushions without a hose?
Most homeowners have a hose. But if you don't, how will you clean your patio cushions? The good news is you can clean your outdoor cushions in five quick and easy steps.
- Remove the outdoor cushions.
- Fill a bucket with warm water and dish soap.
- Use a scrub brush to scrub the cushion.
- Fill a second bucket with lukewarm water and pour it over the cushion.
- Dry off the surface of the cushion with a couple of towels.
- Let it air dry.
- Repeat this process until your cushions are spotless!
That wraps up our complete guide on how to clean your patio cushions. How are they looking? We hope they are clean and fresh! Every spring or summer, be sure to give your outdoor patio cushions a thorough clean. Your friends and family will appreciate it!
Check out the articles below to continue your cleaning spree!
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