How to Clean Outdoor Fabrics
We’re all about maximizing the comfort level of any al fresco space, particularly when it comes to soft seating for your outdoor time. And we’re just as invested in making it simple to care for outdoor fabrics. It’s why we use only the most weather-safe fabrics that provide both durability and easy maintenance. These high-quality fabrics let you clean up the inevitable spills and stains, easy and quickly.
We’ll soon share how to clean outdoor fabrics, but first, an overview of our family- and pet-friendly outdoor fabrics and why we use them. We offer Revolution® and InsideOut® outdoor fabrics. They are woven in the U.S., bleach-cleanable and GREENGUARD Gold Certified®. Plus, they offer superior outdoor performance because of their naturally stain- and moisture-resistant fibers.
The Big Cover-Up
Our best cleaning tip: get outdoor furniture covers! Covering your outdoor furniture keeps moisture under control and keeps the dirt away. It also minimizes any fading. We offer right-sized covers that are tailored specifically to fit our outdoor furniture collections. The are super-easy to put on and take off, so you can be party-ready in minutes with dry, pristine seats for all.
Routine Refresh
Regardless of which fabric is on your Room & Board furniture, here’s how to care for our outdoor fabrics: Regularly brush off any loose dirt and spray the fabric with your garden hose for a quick clean. If you aren’t able to do this in your outdoor space (like on a balcony), vacuum the fabric with an upholstery attachment to remove dirt and dust. Easy.
Stains Happen. [Insert Shrug.]
Stains? Not a problem. We like using Golden Care or Folex® spot cleaner, or a mix of ¼ cup mild soap with a gallon of water. A soft-bristle brush or a sponge will help you lift the stain from the fabric. Once the spot is removed, give it a good rinse because any soap residue will attract dirt.
Getting Serious About Cleanup
If you have a tough stain, some mildew or the need to disinfect, ramp things up with a bleach solution. Here’s the recipe to deep clean outdoor fabrics: 1 gallon of water, ¼ cup of mild soap, and 1 cup bleach.
Grab a bucket of the bleach-soap mix and a soft-bristle brush or sponge. Wet the entire surface (to prevent water rings), let the fabric sit for 15 minutes and then scrub. Give the fabric a thorough rinse with the hose to remove any soap residue, but be careful about getting the rinsed-off cleaning solution with bleach on your plants or grass. A driveway or patio is the best place to clean and rinse.
For an even deeper dive into outdoor fabric care, check out our detailed guide. And if you’re still in the shopping phase, you can learn about all our different outdoor furniture options here, and find the perfect solve for your best (outdoor) life.
If you wash sunbrella in a washing machine do you need to ( replace) spray stain repellent on it afterwards?
Hi Robyn, we don’t recommend re-applying any finishes to our fabrics because we can’t test them all to make sure they’re effective or don’t cause damage.
I have sunbrella cushion covers without zippers. Can i buy replacement covers
from Sunbrella?
If your outdoor furniture is from Room & Board, we can order replacement cushions for you. Call us at 800.301.9720 or email shop@roomandboard.com and we’ll be happy to help!
my cushions do not have zippers. Can i still use the washing machine?
With caution – that may work with a thin chair cushion, but you run the risk of twisting or damaging the foam in the washing machine. I would recommend cleaning by hand and using a bleach solution as recommended if it’s badly stained or has mildew.
My cushions have zippers but I am finding it impossible to get the covers off — especially with the larger seat cushions. I would love to wadh the covers in the washing machine. Do you have any suggestions?
Hey Melanie, sorry the cushion covers are tough to get off, oftentimes they are designed to be really tight to get a clean look or counteract stretching over time. Once you do get them off, you can machine wash them. Here is what we recommend:
You may also machine wash or hand wash any removable fabric casings. To wash, first close all zippers. Machine wash in cold water on the delicate cycle with normal amounts of mild laundry detergent. For severe mold or mildew, add 1 cup of bleach. Allow fabric to air dry. Do not tumble dry.
I will machine wash my umbrella cover. You recommended a cup of bleach be used with a mild detergent. Will the bleach discolor the fabric?
Thank you for your help.
Won’t the bleach fad the color of the fabrics ?
Mine is the denim color.
Amazingly, no. The color is part of the fiber/yarns, so it can’t be bleached or removed like traditional dye. I just washed all my own covers a few weeks ago with bleach in the washing machine and they came out perfect. (Just don’t put them in the dryer!)
I have white cushions that have turned yellow. I have them covered when not in use. What has caused this and can I get them white again. I have only had them for a month
I’m so sorry to hear that! I encourage you to call our Customer Care team at 800.301.9720 so we can talk through what’s happening together and find a solution.