How to Clean Outdoor Cushions (Including the Mildew Spots)
How to clean outdoor cushions: brush, spot-clean, wash removable covers and treat mildew gently, then dry them fully so the grey spots stay away next season.
- Bin
- Household
- Box code
HSH 12- Added
- Read time
- 4 min read
To clean outdoor cushions, brush off loose dirt, unzip and machine-wash the covers if the care label allows it, and spot-clean fixed covers with a soft brush and warm water mixed with a little mild washing-up liquid. Rinse well, then stand the cushions on their edge in the sun until they are dry right through. Mildew spots need a separate treatment, covered below, and the drying step matters more than any cleaner you pick.
Before you start: read the tag
Outdoor fabrics are not all made the same way. Solution-dyed acrylic tolerates fairly firm scrubbing, polyester fades if it meets strong chemicals, and some printed cotton blends shrink in a warm wash. Most cushions carry a care tag inside the zip or along a seam. If yours has lost it, treat the cover as delicate and test any product on a hidden corner first.
What you need
- A soft-bristled brush and a hand vacuum or upholstery nozzle
- A bucket of warm water with a squeeze of mild washing-up liquid
- A garden hose with a gentle spray setting
- Clean cloths or old towels
- White vinegar or an oxygen-based cleaner for mildew
- Somewhere sunny and airy to dry everything
Step by step
- Clear the surface. Brush off leaves, dust and pollen, then vacuum the seams where crumbs and grit settle.
- Take the covers off if you can. Removable covers usually go in a cool or warm cycle with mild detergent. Close the zips first, turn them inside out and leave out the fabric softener, which coats the weave and attracts dirt.
- Spot-clean fixed covers. Dip the brush in the soapy water, work in small circles and keep the foam on the surface rather than soaking the filling.
- Rinse. A light spray from the hose carries the suds away. Leftover soap turns sticky and grabs fresh dirt.
- Press out the water. Lay a towel over the cushion and press with flat hands. Do not wring foam inserts, which can tear.
- Dry on edge. Stand cushions upright so water drains out of the bottom seam, and flip them every hour or so.
Getting mildew out
Mildew shows up as grey or black speckles and a damp, earthy smell, usually where a cushion sat wet for days. Pick the gentlest option that works for your fabric.
| Option | How to use it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| White vinegar | Roughly one part vinegar to two parts water in a spray bottle; leave for fifteen minutes, scrub, rinse | Mild and cheap; the smell fades as the fabric dries |
| Oxygen-based cleaner | Dissolve as the pack says, sponge on, wait, then brush and rinse | Kinder to colours than chlorine bleach |
| Diluted chlorine bleach | Only if the care tag allows bleach; follow the product label exactly | Can strip colour from many fabrics; wear gloves and work outdoors |
One firm rule: never combine cleaners. Bleach mixed with vinegar or with ammonia-based products releases harmful fumes, so rinse thoroughly between attempts if the first product did not shift the marks.
If the musty smell has reached the foam itself, take the insert out, rinse it with the hose, squeeze gently and let it dry in the sun for a full day or two. Stubborn odours in fabric respond to the same soak-then-air approach used for getting stubborn smells out of clothes.
Why drying decides everything
A cushion that feels dry on top can stay damp in the middle for a long time. Put it back on the chair too soon and the mildew returns within weeks. Sunshine and a breeze do most of the work; a sheltered corner with no air movement does very little. Bring cushions in overnight if dew is heavy, and give them another few hours outside the next morning before you store or use them.
When a cushion is too bulky to rinse properly, the moisture-light methods from our guide on cleaning a mattress without soaking it work on thick seat pads as well.
Keeping them clean for longer
- Store cushions in a dry box or shed when rain is forecast, or at least stand them on edge under cover.
- Brush them off weekly in summer, before pollen and bird droppings settle in.
- Deal with spills and sun cream marks straight away with a damp cloth.
- Give the furniture underneath a wipe too, since a grubby frame transfers dirt straight back.
- Keep shade fabrics in the same state: the patio canopy gathers the same pollen and grime, and the seasonal routine for looking after a retractable awning fits neatly alongside a cushion clean.
Short answers
Can outdoor cushions go in the washing machine whole?
Usually not. Foam inserts tend to break up in a drum and take ages to dry. Wash the covers on their own unless the tag says the whole cushion is machine-safe.
Is a pressure washer a shortcut?
It can fray seams, push water deep into the filling and lift the fabric's protective finish. A hose on a gentle setting is the safer choice.
How often should they be cleaned?
A light brush every week or two in the outdoor season, and a full clean at the start and end of it, keeps most cushions looking fresh.
