How to Clean Patio Furniture: Cushions, Wicker, Metal & More

Have you ever tried to clean a glass patio tabletop?

It’s an exercise in futility. You wipe it, it dries, and streaks appear. Dirty streaks. You wipe it again, it dries, and the dirty streaks multiply.

The same challenges come with every other piece of outdoor furniture. You’re battling Mother Nature here, after all. And the problem with “outdoor living rooms” is that they get dirty much faster than the indoor ones.

Fortunately (or maybe wisely), outdoor furniture is built to take abuse, and soil. Here are the dirty little secrets to cleaning patio furniture, material by material, starting with those streaky glass tables. (Yes, there’s a fix.)

How do you clean patio furniture? Brush or hose off loose dirt, then wash with a bucket of warm water and a squirt of mild dish soap and a soft brush. Rinse with the hose and let it dry in the sun. Then match the extras to the material: wax for aluminum, a rust touch-up for wrought iron, sealer for wood, and a diluted bleach mix for mildew on cushions and resin.

Patio Furniture Cleaning Guide by Material

Near a pool or hot tub? Hose everything down once a week. Chlorine damages most outdoor finishes.

How to Clean Patio Furniture Cushions

Most cushions today have synthetic covers and polyester fill and are designed to stand up to the weather. Still, they could use some help if you’d like them to last for the long term (or at least a few seasons).

First, check the tag. Solution-dyed acrylic fabrics, like Sunbrella, can handle bleach. Printed polyester can fade with it. Cotton covers and foam-filled cushions need gentler care: check the care tag, and remove the covers to wash them if they zip off.

Everyday Care

• Hose cushions off now and then.
• Flip and rotate them often for even wear and sun exposure, just like your couch cushions.
  
• Keep sunscreen off them. Hose off spills and sunscreen smears right away.
  

Deep Cleaning

1.     Brush or vacuum off loose dirt.

2.     Spray stubborn spots with an enzyme cleaner.

3.     Scrub with 1/4 cup of mild dish soap in a gallon of lukewarm water and a soft brush.

4.     Rinse thoroughly with the hose.

5.     Stand the cushions on their edges in the sun until they’re completely dry, inside and out.

Getting Rid of Mildew

For bleach-safe fabrics like Sunbrella:

1.     Lay the cushions on the driveway.

2.     Mix 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup of mild soap in a gallon of water.

3.     Spray or sponge it over the cushions and let it sit for 15 minutes.

4.     Scrub, then rinse very thoroughly. Leftover bleach weakens the fabric and thread.

5.     Let them dry in the sun, on their edges. This can take a day or two.

For printed polyester or anything you’re not sure about, test a hidden spot first. Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar.

Storing Cushions for Winter

Clean off any remnants of the outdoor season before you store cushions for winter. Set stains are nearly impossible to remove.

Store clean cushions in plastic bags (I use trash bags) for the winter. Just make sure they’re bone-dry first. Any moisture trapped inside turns into mildew by spring. A breathable storage bag or a bin in a dry garage or closet is even safer.

How to Clean Aluminum Patio Furniture

Wash with a few squirts of mild dish soap in warm water, rinse, and dry. Skip abrasive pads and harsh alkaline cleaners, which dull and pit aluminum.

If the finish looks chalky or oxidized, wipe it with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, then rinse. Coat with car wax every six months to protect it.

Sunscreen warning: Some sunscreen ingredients, especially avobenzone, can leave orange-brown stains on aluminum, fabric and other outdoor furniture. If you’re wearing sunscreen, put a towel down on the chair before you sit. 

How to Clean Resin and Plastic Patio Furniture

Resin doesn’t require much care. Wash it with mild soapy water, hose it off, and towel it dry.

Avoid cleaners with ammonia. For stains and mildew on white resin, wipe it down with a diluted bleach solution (1/3 cup bleach per gallon of water), let it sit a few minutes, then rinse well. For scuffs, use a paste of baking soda and water on a soft cloth.

Polish resin furniture with car wax if you want it to shine and shed dirt.

How to Clean Vinyl Patio Furniture

Clean vinyl with warm, soapy water and rinse well. Never use bleach. It damages the finish and leaves the porous material to stain, fade and weaken faster.

How to Clean Wicker Patio Furniture

Natural Wicker

Wicker should be cleaned only once a year, unless there are spills (ha!).

1.     Tip the chair on its side and vacuum it well with the brush attachment.

2.     Wash it with a mild detergent and water, using a toothbrush to get into the weave.

3.     Rinse lightly with the garden hose. Don’t soak it.

4.     Towel it dry and let it sit for 24 hours before using it.

Polish natural wicker now and then with furniture polish.

Natural wicker doesn’t love the weather. Sun dries it out until it cracks, and rain and humidity make it rot. Keep it on a covered porch or under your umbrella. And never cover wicker with plastic. It traps moisture and encourages mildew.

Resin or Vinyl Wicker

Synthetic wicker is much tougher. Wash it with soapy water, rinse each piece with the hose, and let it dry. Polish it with a spray-on polish if you like.

How to Clean Teak Patio Furniture

Teak is a popular choice for outdoor furniture because it weathers so well. Clean it with mild soapy water and a soft brush, scrubbing with the grain. Rinse well.

Left outside, teak turns a soft silvery gray. That’s normal, and it doesn’t hurt the wood. If you want to keep the golden color, use a teak sealer made for outdoor furniture. Don’t use teak oil outdoors. It acts as a dust magnet and can encourage mildew.

Speaking of mildew, it grows when teak stays damp in the shade. Let teak dry in the sun after rain or cleaning.

How to Clean Wood Patio Furniture

Clean outdoor wood furniture (cedar, acacia, eucalyptus and the like) at least once a year:

1.     Wash it with mild detergent and a scrub brush, working with the grain.

2.     For gray or mildewed spots, scrub with an oxygen bleach solution (the powdered kind), then rinse.

3.     Let it dry completely, a day or two.

4.     Brush on an exterior wood sealer to protect it from water and sun.

Store wood furniture indoors over winter if you can.

How to Clean Wrought Iron Patio Furniture

Wash wrought iron with soapy water, rinse, and towel it dry. Water left sitting is where rust starts.

Wax or polish it twice a year. Touch up rust spots right away: scrub the rust off with a wire brush, sand it smooth, wipe off the dust, then dab on a rust-inhibiting primer and exterior metal paint.

For winter, either bring wrought iron indoors or cover it.

How to Clean a Glass Patio Table

These are hard to clean flat. The trick is to turn the table on its side (very carefully if you’re dealing with glass) and hose it down first.

Then wipe it off with a sponge dipped in soapy water. Hose it again.

Now the streak fix: instead of letting it air-dry, spray the glass with a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water, and wipe it dry right away with a microfiber cloth or crumpled newspaper. No more multiplying streaks.

If you can’t turn the table sideways, move the chairs back and hose it from the traditional angle. But it might take a couple of tries!

How to Clean Patio Umbrellas

How to Clean a Cotton Hammock

Cotton hammocks soak up water like a sponge.

When you first bring yours out in spring, spray it with a fabric water repellent to keep it from holding water.

To clean it:

1.     Lay it flat on a clean driveway or deck.

2.     Scrub it with warm water and hand dishwashing soap, using a nylon scrubber.

3.     Rinse, flip it over and scrub the other side.

4.     Rinse again and hang it to dry completely.

Never use bleach on these natural relaxers. It will rot the fibers.

How to Clean the Patio Floor

Most patio flooring is designed for easy care. Sweep it and hose it down often.

• Concrete and pavers: Scrub stains with a concrete cleaner and a stiff brush. A pressure washer every couple of years brings it back to life.

• Finished or stamped concrete: Reseal it when water stops beading on the surface.

• Wood decks: Use a deck cleaner and a stiff brush. If you pressure-wash, use the lowest setting and a wide fan tip, and keep the wand moving. High pressure gouges and splinters wood.
  

When to Clean Patio Furniture

Patio Furniture Cleaning FAQ

What is the best way to clean patio furniture?

Brush off loose dirt, wash with warm water and mild dish soap and a soft brush, rinse with the hose, and let it dry in the sun. Then add the extra care for your material, like wax for aluminum or sealer for wood.

How do I get mildew off outdoor cushions?

For Sunbrella and other solution-dyed acrylic fabrics, mix 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup of mild soap per gallon of water. Let it sit 15 minutes, scrub, rinse thoroughly, and dry in the sun. Test printed polyester on a hidden spot first.

Can I pressure-wash patio furniture?

It’s fine for plastic, resin and metal on a low setting. Avoid it on natural wicker, cushions and soft woods, which it can tear or gouge.

How do I clean a glass patio table without streaks?

Wash it with soapy water and rinse, then spray it with equal parts white vinegar and water and wipe it dry right away with a microfiber cloth or newspaper. Don’t let it air-dry.

How do I get sunscreen stains off patio furniture?

Rinse it off right away. For set-in orange stains on fabric, scrub with dish soap and warm water. On hard furniture, wipe with a baking soda paste. Next time, put a towel down before you sit.

How should I store patio furniture for winter?

Clean everything and make sure it’s completely dry. Store cushions in a dry place, and bring wood, natural wicker and wrought iron indoors or cover them with breathable covers.

Keep Going

Get the whole backyard in shape with these related guides:

•      May Cleaning Checklist: Get the patio, the grill and the screens ready for summer.

•      June Cleaning Checklist: Keep the patio usable once summer traffic starts.

•      July Cleaning Checklist: Mid-summer jobs, from the cooler to the grill.

•      How to Clean a Grill: The other outdoor mess.

•      Grease Stain Removal Tips: For barbecue drips and sunscreen on your clothes.

•      Get Windows Clean for Less Cash: More streak-free glass tricks.

•      Easy Fall Cleaning Checklist: When it’s time to put the patio to bed.

•      How to Winterize Your Home: Protect the house, and the patio, before cold weather.

For more outdoor ideas, visit our Backyard & Garden Guide.

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