Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Furniture
With Sunbrella outdoor fabrics, the living is easy. Photos: Sunbrella
Keep your outdoor cushions as brilliant as the summer sun -- without being damaged by it.
Dining al fresco or having drinks by the pool is surely sweeter when cradled in the comfort of cushioned seating. There's no denying it, great outdoor furniture makes summer living that much more pleasurable.
Unfortunately, over time the elements can wreak havoc on fabrics, even those made to withstand rain and sun exposure. We asked a few experts for tips on keeping outdoor cushions and pillows as pristine as the day you bought them.
Did you know that many fabrics for the outdoors are UV- and stain-resistant down to the actual fibers used to weave them? Pretty impressive.
Even still, they're often treated with a finish that helps resist stains and repel water. Two big players in the outdoor fabrics market, Sunbrella and Waverly Sun N Shade, are both made to endure the wrath of Mother Nature, and yet each fabric has vastly different properties and requires different types of care.
Read labels.
Make sure you know what you are buying. Look for acrylic or polyester fibers, filament or PVC threads and treated duck canvas. These fibers resist foreign substances like dirt and water. The fabrics should have some sort of mold and mildew resistance or be antimicrobial. Marine fabrics and performance grade fabrics are two types to look for.
Ask the salesperson to explain the details and differences in your choices and look at the labels to make sure you are getting what you asked for. Also note the treatment and care instructions on the label. Go with recognizable or recommended brands; knowing the company is a reliable source and stands by their products is a sort of built-in guarantee.
Keep fabrics clean.
Keeping outdoor fabrics looking good is easy if you properly maintain them. Gina Wicker, Design and Creative Director at Sunbrella Fabrics suggests, "simply brushing off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabrics and wiping up spills as soon as they occur or spot cleaning soon after."
Use a mild soap and water cleaning solution.
When more cleaning is needed, Wicker suggests using a solution of 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water to get rid of most dirt and stains. Use a sponge, soft-bristle brush or cloth to apply it, allow it to soak into the fabric, rinse off all soap residue thoroughly and then allow the fabric to air dry.
Anthony Noberini, Design Director for Home at Iconix Brand Group, Inc., the parent company of Waverly, seconds the mild soap and water solution, and also suggests upholstery shampoo as an alternative.
An assortment of outdoor pillows made from Waverly Sun N Shade fabrics. Photo: Waverly
Try a natural solution first on resistant stains.
If a stain is resistant, several methods can be used to clean it. Noberini recommends trying a natural solution first. For oil-based stains, like suntan lotion, he suggests rubbing in, "corn starch or baby powder to absorb the oil from the yarns." Allow the powder to soak up the stain, let it dry and then flake it off. (By the way, this trick works great on most fabrics, including clothing. Dribble salad dressing down your shirt? Try immediately rubbing in some baby powder.)
"A paste made from fresh lemon juice and salt" might also do the trick, he says. Again, rub it in, allow it to soak in and then wash it off with clean water.
Opt for a bleach solution on resistant stains.
"Using a solution of 8 ounces bleach and 2 ounces mild soap per gallon of clean water should work on persistent stains," Wicker says. Spray on the entire area, allow it to soak in, scrub vigorously with a soft-bristle brush, sponge or towel, rinse thoroughly and allow the fabric to air dry. The stain should come out easily. The company offers a complete guide for troubleshooting stains on their website.
Don't bring cushions in every night.
As for the question of leaving cushions out overnight, Wicker notes, "constantly bringing cushions back and forth deters from the enjoyment of your outdoor living space and is completely unnecessary for cushions made from true performance fabrics." I like her thinking!
While both Wicker and Noberini agree that the practice is completely unnecessary, leaving them out does leave them susceptible to leaves, pollen and other debris. While most outdoor fabrics are mildew resistant, mildew and mold will grow on dirt and foreign substances. That's why keeping them clean is so important.
But, bring them in if extreme weather is coming.
You may want to bring your cushions inside when you know inclement weather is on its way. It will help maintain fabrics and delay the need for vigorous cleanings by preventing dirt build up, and subsequent mildew.
Besides that, wet cushions can certainly spoil an outdoor breakfast or dinner when the sun finally returns!
Treat mildew with a cleaning solution.
If mildew does occur, Noberini suggests, "mixing 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach to 1 quart of clean water, OR, 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 6 parts water," and using that as a cleaning solution. He recommends applying a test spot to the fabric before applying it all over (just in case your fabric reacts negatively).
For Sunbrella fabrics, Wicker recommends the same bleach solution as for persistent stains outlined above. The company offers a complete guide for troubleshooting stains on their website.
Let them bask in the sun!
Outdoor fabrics are meant for you to enjoy outdoors. That enjoyment should not be limited to semi-protected areas like porches and covered patios. "Sunbrella fabrics are designed to be fully exposed, year round," Wicker emphasizes. "There is no need to worry about fading."
She uses a carrot and radish analogy to illustrate her point. "Traditionally dyed or printed fabrics are like a radish. If you look at them through a microscope, the color is on the outside of the yarn -- much like the red color of a radish is only on its exterior skin." Sunbrella, she continues, "is like a carrot. No matter how you slice it, the color runs throughout. You can't peel it away."
Here's why it is important for you to know your fabrics. Waverly Sun N Shade fabrics are also lightfast, but to a degree. They are UV-protected for between 500 to 1500 hours of direct sunlight depending upon the collection. Therefore the polyester fibers are not the same. Noberini suggests "rotating and turning pillows and cushions around periodically, so they fade evenly." He too agrees not to limit use to protected areas, but does suggest, "moving items that may be in direct sunlight to more shaded areas from time to time."
Clean before storing.
When summer comes to an end, storing cushions indoors will prevent dirt build-up and increase longevity. The key words to remember are clean and dry. "Making certain cushions and pillows are thoroughly clean and dry before storing them will make taking them out at the beginning of the season a breeze," says Wicker. Store them some place where they will not get wet or dirty.
Clean them at the start of the season.
Upon pulling out the cushions for the warmer months, use the mild soap and water solution to remove any dirt or build up that may have occurred in storage. If they smell musty from being enclosed, "you may wish to add a little lemon juice to the water to freshen them up," says Noberini.
Enjoy the season!
Minor due diligence is all it takes to keep outdoor cushions and pillows vibrant this summer and for many seasons to come. So take a seat and enjoy!