Let’s face it, no one wants to sit on a grimy patio chair or eat outdoors on a dirty table. Especially not your guests! With summer in full swing and outdoor furniture being utilized more than ever before, routine cleanings will help keep your outdoor furniture in pristine condition. I personally love doing a big deep clean of our outdoor space at the beginning of the season and then doing three to four smaller cleanings throughout the summer season.
Before being in our current home, our outdoor space wasn’t as large so we didn’t have as much furniture so when we decided to give our patio a refresh last year I had no idea how I was going to tackle our space. Enter Dawn Powerwash. This was a product that I’ve always used in our home, but never thought to use it on our outdoor furniture until a friend suggested it to me!
Can You Use Dawn To Clean Outdoor Furniture?
I have been using Dawn products in our kitchen for years and when they launched Dawn Powerwash, I knew I had to try it. Since then, it has become one of my favorite products not only to use in the kitchen but in other areas of our home, too! It truly cuts through grease way better than any other dish soap that I’ve tried. All you have to do is spray the foam onto a dish and either rinse right away or wipe and rinse.
When it came to getting our outdoor furniture clean, especially the upholstered cushions, I was trying to find a product that would be used to use and make our furniture look great. I asked a few friends for recommendations and one of them recommended Dawn Powerwash. This was a light bulb moment for me. As one of my favorite products to clean inside our home, why not use it to clean our outdoor space as well? It’s truly the secret ingredient for keeping your outdoor furniture looking great and it works for almost everything!
How to Clean Patio Furniture
When it comes to cleaning your patio furniture, less is more! There are so many different products out there that are made for cleaning all types of patio furniture from plastic and wicker to metal and aluminum. While I’m a big advocate for Dawn Powerwash, any mild soap, water, and some elbow grease is more than enough! You don’t need any fancy products to get your patio furniture looking good in no time.
To make cleaning easier, I highly recommend doing a deep clean at the end of the season and either storing your furniture indoors (if possible) or utilizing furniture covers during the winter months to protect your furniture from the elements.
How To Clean Patio Furniture Cushions
The great thing about Dawn Powerwash is how gentle it is while still being effective. At the beginning of the spring/summer season, I’ll do a deep clean of our patio furniture cushions to get it looking its best before the season ahead. To clean your patio furniture cushions, you’re going to want to remove them from your furniture and lay them out to make the cleaning process as easy as possible.
Once you’ve laid out all of the cushions, you’ll want to spray them (front and sides) with your Dawn Powerwash. Depending on how stained your cushions are, let the product sit for 10-15 minutes to help penetrate stains, dirt, and any mildew.
Once you’ve let your cushions sit, you’ll want to rinse away the product with a hose. Be sure to take a good look at your cushions once you’ve rinsed them to make sure they’re clean! If they need a little more TLC, apply another round of Dawn Powerwash to pull up any extra dirt.
After you’ve rinsed your cushions, you’ll flip them over and repeat this on the other side. Once both sides are clean, give the entire cushion a spray and lean them against your house/patio area to let them dry.
How To Clean Plastic Outdoor Furniture
When it comes to cleaning plastic outdoor furniture, I always recommend starting by spraying the furniture down with a hose. This will remove any easily removable dirt and debris. Once you’ve sprayed each piece down with a hose, go through and spray Dawn Powerwash on them. This will help remove grime, restore shine, and get rid of any mold/mildew that has built up over the winter season. Once you’ve finished spraying them, rinse them clean with a hose. You can either let them air dry or wipe them dry once you’re done!
To help keep your plastic outdoor furniture clean throughout the season, regularly wipe down the surfaces with your mild dish soap.
How to Clean Outdoor Teak Furniture
Teak is one of my favorite materials for outdoor patio furniture and while Dawn Powerwash is great on everything, I also like to utilize teak-approved products such as vinegar or bleach to restore the wood. For our teak furniture, I usually follow these steps:
- Spray teak furniture down with the hose
- Create a mixture of Dawn Powerwash and vinegar in a bucket
- Use a scoring sponge and rub down your furniture in the direction of the grain
- Rinse
Teak dries incredibly fast so once you’ve rinsed away the products, see if you need to go over any areas that have any grime stuck on.
How to Clean Outdoor Rugs
Outdoor rugs are a great option for making your outdoor space feel cozier and more like home. They’re also a better option than traditional rugs because they’re made to be outdoors. But if neglected, they can accumulate grimy build-up over time, and even if you don’t have young kids crawling on them, you won’t want guests seeing a gross rug.
Luckily, getting your outdoor rugs in pristine condition isn’t too difficult. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Vacuum
- Hose
- Soft-bristle brush
- Dawn Powerwash
- Vinegar or baking soda (optional)
Once you have your products and tools, cleaning your outdoor rug will be easy!
- Vacuum your rug to remove dust, loose dirt, and any debris
- Rinse your rug with your hose
- Create a mixture of Dawn Powerwash and vinegar in a bucket
- For any spots that have a lot of grim build-up or stains, use your soft bristle brush to work the mixture in even more
- Rinse and dry
How To Clean Patio Furniture
All of your questions about how to clean patio furniture answered –
What Is The Best Thing To Clean Patio Furniture With?
There are so many cleaning products for your patio furniture on the market but I cannot recommend Dawn Powerwash, vinegar, and a little elbow grease enough! Since patio furniture is specifically made to be outdoors, it’s extremely durable and easy to clean and these products will have your furnitue looking brand new in no time.
How Do You Disinfect Patio Furniture?
Dawn Powerwash is a disinfectant so all you need to do to disinfect your patio furniture is spray and rinse! It’s as easy as that.
Does Vinegar Clean Patio Furniture?
Absolutely! Vinegar and mild soap are a dynamic duo that’ll get your patio furniture clean and removes any tough-on stains. When using these products together, I recommend mixing them together in a bucket and using a scouring sponge or a soft-bristle brush to really work the mixture into your furniture. This will also help remove any stains so your furniture looks pristine.
Cleaning your patio furniture can be a big project, but setting aside the time will not only keep your outdoor furniture looking great, but will greatly extend its lifespan. Even though we keep our furniture outdoors year-round, sticking to a regular cleaning schedule has allowed it to look brand new every season!
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