Can I Put My Patio Chair Cushions in the Washing Machine?

Patio furniture is a lovely addition to your outdoor space, but when you have patio furniture, you face the challenge of keeping it clean and inviting. Patio chair cushions are exposed to sunlight, wind, rain, dirt and dust. This also makes them ideal environments for mold and mildew. Cleaning patio chair cushions can be done in a few different effective ways.

By laundering your patio chair cushions in a washing machine you know that you are getting the water and detergent throughout the cushion and that it will be clean inside and out. As long as the cushion fits in your washer and allows room to agitate and spin out, there is no problem with washing a patio chair cushion in a washing machine. You may want to avoid bleach, but you can add a cup or two of white vinegar for extra cleaning and to kill mold and mildew.

Many people choose to go with the easy option of spraying their patio chair cushions with a homemade spray of vinegar and baking soda to clean and disinfect. To do this mix 1 part water to 2 parts vinegar in a spray bottle, add 1/4 cup of baking soda and swirl to mix the ingredients. Baking soda and vinegar have a chemical reaction that will cause some fizzing; wait until the fizzing stops before closing the spray bottle. Spray the patio chair cushions and hang them to dry in the sun. The fresh air circulation and sunlight combined with the spray will leave your cushions clean and fresh smelling.

To really get your patio chair cushions clean without taking them indoors, all you need is a bucket of hot water with laundry detergent and vinegar mixed in, a scrub brush and a water hose. Use the scrub brush dipped in the bucket of cleaner to scrub your patio chair cushions. This will remove the soil and stains. Once you have scrubbed the cushions, dump the water from the bucket directly over the cushions and allow them to sit in the sun for about an hour. This will allow the detergent and vinegar to get deep into the padding to kill mold and mildew. Hang the patio chair cushions up on a clothesline and spray them with the water hose until the water runs clear. Allow the cushions to dry for several hours in direct sunlight to make sure there is no deep-down moisture that could turn into mildew or mold.