Cleaning Your Patio Chair Cushions Can Be Easy
Patio chair cushions are different from indoor cushions mainly because they need more cleaning and maintenance. Seasonal cleaning, in fact – as some believe – is essential if you own cushions for patio chairs. It’s a small sacrifice in order to maintain your cushions in the best shape possible and subsequently lengthen their lifespan for years. While this all may seem like hard work and dissuade a select few from even wanting to buy a patio chair cushion, it’s actually very simple, with a few easy steps usually needed to keep those cushions in the best of shape.
Usually patio chair cushions are to be kept inside for winter storage during the harsher months of December and January. Once spring comes along, remove the cushions from the covers and clean them with a mild detergent and water. We suggest washing the covers separately in a washing machine for best results. Gently scrub the cushions, particularly along the parts that seem the dirtiest, then rinse them with just the right amount of clean water. Dry the cushions afterwards for a few hours or until totally dried out. This same process applies in almost any case your patio cushions get dirty in any way.
For mildewed outdoor patio chair cushions, the process is a bit more testy as it requires some special cleaning agents to be used, but it’s still relatively simple. Mix one quart of warm water with one teaspoon of detergent and one teaspoon of borax. Then soak both sides of your patio cushion with the special mixture, and wait until it has penetrated the mildew spores. This may take about 15 minutes. After which, scrub the entire cushion gently, and rinse the cushion with clean water. Just as you would do in any other situation, dry the cushions thoroughly, usually for a few hours.
Then again, prevention can sometimes be better than cure. Several fabric protectors are available that can help your patio chair seat cushions last longer against dirt. And there are also special fabrics, such as Sunbrella, that are specifically mildew resistant, and retain color much better than ordinary fabrics. And it also helps to proactively store your cushions inside before harsh weather – may it be heat, snow or heavy rains – would strike. But more likely than not, patio cushions will get dirty, and will need to be cleaned. At the end of the day, it’s still better than spending for replacement patio chair cushions.