Day 28. Cleaning Outdoor Furniture

Day 28 of “A 30 Day Guide to Spring Cleaning“.

---

We have cleaned our decks and patios, we have cleaned our driveways and porches. Now it’s time to clean the furniture that sits on all of this! Over time with sun exposure, dust and dirt buildup, wetness and possible mildew, our outdoor furniture become dingy and dull. It’s time to wash your outdoor furniture to give it a nice refresh!!

There are so many different types of outdoor furniture, I will do my best to provide solutions for your needs.

---

What to clean:

• Outdoor chairs
• Outdoor benches
• Outdoor cushions and pillows
• Outdoor tables
• Outdoor umbrellas
• Outdoor rugs

---

Supplies needed:

• Scrub Brush ‘paid link’
• Bucket
• Outdoor cleaner
• Pressure Washer
• Hose
• Recommended:
  • Gas Pressure Washer ‘paid link’, 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner, Vinegar, Baking Soda, Borax, hand scrub brush, Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield
• Alternative:
  • Preferred outdoor cleaner, scrub brush, hose

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Plastic, Metal and Wood Furniture

Plastic, metal and wood furniture is by far the easiest furniture to wash. These types of furniture are easily washed with a pressure washer. Pressure washers are great for cleaning outdoor items because it easily refreshes wood, and cleans mold, mildew and buildup off of surfaces manually/mechanically instead of using harsh chemicals. Always be sure to be safe when using a pressure washer, dress appropriately and have eye protection.

I was going to review how to use a pressure washer again, but this would be the third post reviewing the same information. To save the time and hassle, please see Day 27. Clean Your Driveway for instructions on using a pressure washer.

Make sure to pressure wash your furniture from the top down so the debris and dirt can wash downward, and you can follow through with the pressure washer. If your plastic, metal or wood surfaces are painted, you cannot use a pressure washer. A pressure washer would peel the paint from the surface, ruining the nicely painted finish.

I highly suggest poly lumber outdoor furniture, as the durability of this furniture is (in my opinion) incomparable to other popular selections. This type of furniture can be easily cleaned, is resistant to sun fading, can be scrubbed clean, and is available in so many different options and colors. You can see examples in this link: Poly Wood Outdoor Furniture ‘paid link’.

If you do not have a pressure washer, you can follow the steps below.

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Plastic, Metal and Wood Furniture Without Pressure Washing

Supplies:

• Soap and water in a bucket
• Scrub brush (for high durability)
• 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner ‘paid link’ (for mold/mildew build up)
• Hose with sprayer

Steps:

1. Use your hose and sprayer on a full spray setting to spray any dirt and dust off your furniture.
2. Use your soap and water bucket with the scrub brush to scrub down your furniture.
   • Start at the top and work your way down.
3. If there is mold/mildew buildup that is not scrubbing off, you can add 1 cup of vinegar to your soap and water bucket, or you can use the 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner to spray your surface.
   • If using the 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner, be sure to follow the manufacturer safety precautions and use directions. If your wooden furniture is stained, I would advise against using this cleaner unless you plan to re-stain the furniture as it can leave stained surfaces blotchy.
4. Once cleaning is completed, and any buildup has been removed, rinse off your furniture with a full spray hose setting and allow it to dry in a sunny area.

Mildew buildup can usually be removed easily with a scrub brush if you are regularly maintaining your outdoor furniture.

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Painted Furniture

When you are cleaning painted furniture, you really need to take into consideration your confidence in the durability of the paint. If this was a manufacturer applied and sealed paint job the durability may be much higher than a self painted or spray painted surface.

Supplies:

• Soap and water in a bucket
• Scrub brush (for high durability)
• Non abrasive cloth like microfiber (for lower durability)
• 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner ‘paid link’ (for mold/mildew build up)
• Hose with sprayer

Steps:

1. Use your hose and sprayer on a light spray setting to spray any dirt and dust off your furniture.
2. Use your soap and water bucket with the appropriate cleaning tool to wipe down your furniture.
   • Start at the top and work your way down.
3. If there is mold/mildew buildup, you can add 1 cup of vinegar to your soap and water bucket, or you can use the 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner to spray your surface.
   • If using the 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner, be sure to follow the manufacturer safety precautions and use directions. Painted surfaces have a 3 minute wet time with this cleaner.
4. Once cleaning is completed, and any buildup has been removed, rinse off your furniture with a light spray hose setting and allow it to dry in a sunny area.

Tip: if you are painting outdoor furniture, use something that has durability and adheres to all surfaces. My favorite outdoor furniture paint is Rust oleum Painters Touch 2x Ultra Cover Paint + Primer.

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Wicker Furniture

Wicker furniture can be difficult to clean because there are so many different crevices within the furniture, and the furniture is susceptible to damage and breakage. You need to use gentle methods when cleaning wicker furniture, especially if it’s painted.

Supplies:

• Mild dish soap and water in a bucket
• Non abrasive cleaning cloth (like microfiber)
• Hose
• Very soft scrub brush
• Linseed oil (for non painted wicker furniture)

Steps:

1. Rinse down your furniture with a hose on light pressure from top to bottom to remove dirt, dust and pollen.
2. Use your cloth dipped in your bucket of soapy water to wash down the furniture from top to bottom.
3. If there is a lot of buildup in crevices, cautiously use a very soft bristled scrub brush dipped in soapy water to work the bristles into the tight cracks and crevices of the furniture to loose the debris.
4. Wipe down the furniture again with a cloth dipped in soapy water (if you have used a scrub brush).
5. Rinse the furniture thoroughly on a light spray setting to remove the soap.
6. Allow the furniture to dry completely in a high sun area.
7. If your wicker furniture is not painted, us a linseed oil and microfiber cloth to apply a protective coating to help your furniture withstand the weather, and keep it looking new and bright!

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Glass Surfaces

There are a lot of patio sets and outdoor tables that have glass tops due to the durability and sustainability with inclement weather. These glass tops can show dirt the second it collects, which can be quite frustrating! On the other hand, cleaning glass top surfaces can be very simple to do, as most buildup will wipe right away.

Supplies:

• Soap and water in a bucket
• Non abrasive cleaning cloth (like microfiber)
• Hose
• Envirocloth and Window Cloth

Steps:

1. Hose down the glass surface to remove dust, dirt and pollen build up.
2. Use a non abrasive cleaning cloth like a microfiber cloth with a bucket of soap and water to wipe down the top and bottom of the glass surface to remove any remaining buildup.
3. Rinse the soap off the surface with a hose.
4. Wipe down the surface with a wet envirocloth to really get into any cracks or crevices (especially with designed glass).
5. Use the window cloth to dry the glass surface. This will give your glass an amazing clean shine, as well as removing any cleaner and other residue from the surface. When the residues are removed, dirt, dust and pollen are more likely to blow off than to stick to your glass surface, making time in between cleanings farther apart!

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Pillows and Cushions (and Umbrellas)

Outdoor pillows and cushions can be one of the more challenging aspects of cleaning outdoor furniture. Pillows and cushions can be a hot spot for growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. The structure of pillows and cushions make these items harder to dry if they become saturated with water. While many of these items are made of materials that are more water resistant, they can still be saturated with heavy rain/water.

It’s also important to re-protect your pillows and cushions from water saturation, and keep these materials water resistant. This can be done with an outdoor fabric water resistance spray like Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield ‘paid link’.

Supplies:

• Dish soap or detergent (like woolite or borax)
• Bucket
• Hose
• Scrub brush
• Clean towel
• Vacuum
• Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield

Steps:

1. Vacuum off your pillows or cushions to remove any debris and dirt from the surface.
2. Mix together a cleaning solution, or buy a pre-mixed cleaning solution for your pillows. For example, Better Homes and Gardens recommends mixing 1 TBSP dish soap with 1/4 cup Borax and a bucket of water to use as a cleaner. Alternatively, you can also mix 1 TBSP of dish soap and 1/4 cup Woolite or any handwash fabric cleaner.
3. If there is thick mold or mildew buildup on your pillow/cushion, scrape this away as much as possible.
4. Next, dip your scrub brush into the cleaning solution mixture and start scrubbing the surface to remove deep down dirt, stains and mold/mildew (let it sit for 5-10 minutes).
5. Rinse off the cushions/pillows using a spray hose on a full spray setting to remove the cleaning solution.
6. Allow these to fully dry in a high sun area.
7. Apply Scotchgard Sun and Water Shield ‘paid link’ or some type of fabric shield spray to protect your surfaces.

---

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture: Outdoor Rugs

Outdoor rugs can be a great accessory to your patio or deck, and they can make you space bright, colorful and happy. On the other hand, if outdoor rugs get dirt, mildew or mold buildup, they will turn into a sore spot on your deck or patio. Make sure to maintain your outdoor rugs to keep them looking fresh and clean!

Supplies:

• Broom/vacuum
• Hose
• Dish soap
• Scrub brush
• Vinegar and baking soda

Steps:

1. Shake the dirt and debris off your rug (size permitting).
2. Sweep or vacuum your rug to remove any further dirt, dust, debris and pollen.
3. Rinse off your rug with a hose on full spray (according to care instructions on rug), most outdoor rugs should be made to withstand water.
4. Check the care instructions on your rug to determine if soaps are permitted. Use your preferred cleaning solution and a scrub brush to clean. I highly recommend using a cleaning solution of warm water in a bucket, 1/2 TBSP dish soap, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar.
5. Apply non-diluted vinegar to any mold/mildew spots that are tough to get out. If the spot persists, use a cloth soaked in vinegar placed over the spot and allow it to soak for 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Rinse your rug thoroughly with a full spray setting.
7. Allow the rug to dry, hung if possible, in a high sun area.

Note On Outdoor Rugs

Some outdoor rugs are made of recycled plastic materials. I will say, hands down, these are my favorite kinds of outdoor rugs! They sweep off super easy, you can hose them down, they dry quickly and allow dirt to fall through. Pressure wash these types of rugs, it will make them look brand new! Pressure washing these rugs will not typically cause any fading or discoloration, while it will on other rugs.

If you are curious about these plastic material rugs, check out this link: Plastic Outdoor Rugs ‘paid link’.

---

If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments and I would be happy to get back with you.

Check out Day 27. Clean Your Driveway here.

Check out Day 29. Clean Your Gutters here.

If you would like to see the remainder of this 30 day cleaning guide posts, please enter your email below and you will receive email notifications for future posts.