Covered in Pollen? Here's Ways to Clean Pollen Off Your Porch and Furniture

Read the sizing notes before the shopping list. Scale is the part that is hard to return. Is your porch, patio, or deck covered in pollen? Today I'm sharing some simple pointers for how to clean your outdoor furniture, cushions, pillows, and porch windows so you're ready to enjoy your outdoor space all season long. Let's dive in and start cleaning… (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here})

Cushion Cleaning

Before you start scrubbing your cushions, vacuum them. Vacuuming will remove any loose dirt or debris from the surface, making it easier to get a deep clean. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner, a shop vac, or handheld vacuum to go over the entire surface of the cushion. Pay special attention to the seams and edges where dirt and pollen tend to collect.

I use {this Shark WandVac} to vacuum mine and it does an solid job – it's basically the MVP of household cleaning! You can already see a big difference from the left side that I vacuumed to the right side, which is what the whole cushion initially looked like:

If you have a ton of pollen, you may have to pull out the vacuum filter and tap the pollen off after a few cushions before finishing the rest.

If your cushions have covers that can be zipped off, the next step is a easy one because most outdoor cushion covers can be placed in the washing machine on gentle cycle and then air dried. No zippers? You'll need to get scrubbing! Here's what you'll need to get your cushions clean:

• Waterproof tarps (I use {these})
• Soft bristled scrub brushes (A strong choice is {this set})
• Hose with an adjustable sprayer like {this one}
• Gloves
• Bucket
• Cleaning solution

For a cleaning solution, you can use a pre-made spray cleaner such as {this multi surface cleaner}, which is recommended by Sunbrella. Or you can make your own (this is what I do!) by mixing 2 tablespoons of dish detergent in a bucket of warm water. Also add about ¼ cup of borax if your cushions have any mildew or mold (you may already have borax from trying my laundry stripping recipe for linens and towels! ). For a natural cleaner, mix one cup of white vinegar with a gallon of warm water. Always test your cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area before using.

Lay out your tarp and place your dirty cushions on it. Using a hose with an attached sprayer, spray down each dirty cushion with water. Next, spray your cushions with a cleaning solution (if you're using a bottle cleaner) or use your scrub brush to apply it (if you mixed your own cleaner in a bucket). Scrub all sides of your cushions well with {your soft bristled brush}:

Let the cleaner soak into the cushions for at least 5-10 minutes before rinsing.

Tackle Stubborn Stains with the Right Solution

If you have any stubborn stains on your outdoor cushions that aren't going away with your overall cleaning solution, I have a few pointers to tackle them! No matter what you use to remove stains, be sure to spot test it on a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure it won't damage your cushion's fabric.

For stubborn mildew and mold stains, diluted bleach works great IF your fabric is bleach friendly. If not, try mixing a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar. Spray this solution onto the affected area and let it sit for at least 5-10 minutes before rinsing it off. Spot cleaning with diluted borax (one part borax to four parts water) is another effective cleaning option.

For rust stains, try applying either white vinegar or a mixture of lemon juice and salt to the affected area and letting it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing it off.

For I-don't-know-what-it-is stains, try making a paste of powdered Tide and a little water (you can use liquid detergent if you don't have powder), scrub it into the stain, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before rinsing.

Rinse and Dry Your Cushions

Once you've scrubbed your cushions, rinse them thoroughly with your hose and attached sprayer. It's best to do this while standing the cushion up on one end so that the dirty water drains off of the cushion:

Once you've sprayed the entire cushion, lay it out on a clean area of your tarp to dry (in a sunny spot if possible).

To speed up drying time, wrap your cushion in a towel (beach towels work great for this) and squeeze to remove any excess water:

Just as important as how to clean outdoor cushions is how to protect them! After you've washed and dried your cushions, you'll want to…

Protect Your Cushions from Future Stains

After getting your outdoor cushions beautifully clean, there are a few things you can do to protect them from future stains and keep them looking pristine:

Source links:Pair of lounge chairs | Palm pillow covers | Scalloped concrete table | Blue outdoor rug | Wall planters

1. Spray on a water and stain repellent. Applying a fabric stain repellent like {this outdoor water shield} can help repel water and prevent future stains from setting in:

The manufacturer recommends that you use it in a test spot first because it can slightly darken the fabric color, but The household has noticed no difference when using it on my own cushions once they're dry.

2. Store your cushions in an outdoor storage box. Consider storing your cushions in a large deck box like {this one} to prevent dust, dirt, and other outdoor elements from settling in and staining your cushions. Outdoor storage boxes are typically weather-resistant but not waterproof, so if they're stored in an area with no covering, consider placing a waterproof cover like {this one} on top.

3. Use furniture covers. In Connecticut where we had a patio with no overhang, we used waterproof furniture covers on our outdoor furniture year-round. We had good luck with {these Amazon Basics brand covers}.

Cleaning Outdoor Furniture Frames

Now that we tackled how to clean outdoor cushions, what about cleaning the frames of your outdoor furniture? For steel frames, you can simply clean them with mild soap and water and air dry. For teak furniture like {these two teak armchairs} of ours, you can also clean with water and mild soap or with a teak cleaner, scrubbing in the direction of the wood grain. Rinse and air dry your your teak furniture for 24 hours.

If there are any stubborn stains or you want to smooth the wood grain, sand lightly with 120-grit sandpaper. Then apply a teak protector – I highly recommend {this wood conditioner and protectant}:

Source link:Teak lounge chair set

It not only conditions the wood, but protects it too so it stays conditioned much longer than using only teak oil. You simply rub it on,

let it soak in, and remove any excess. If your teak is really thirsty, it might need a second coat. It makes a crazy difference!

Allow 24 hours for it to completely soak in and dry before putting cushions back on your furniture.

Cleaning Outdoor Rugs

For a quick clean of our outdoor rugs, I first sweep them with a broom to remove the bulk of the dirt and pollen and then use my vacuum to get the remainder of it. Once a year I also do deep cleaning by placing them on my waterproof tarp and using the same cleaning solution as I do with my cushions to scrub them and then let them air dry. They clean up beautifully!

Streak-Free Window Washing

Need to tackle some windows too? Last year I tried {this set of microfiber cleaning + polishing cloths} and it does the best job of leaving your windows streak-free of anything that The household has tried! No chemical cleaners needed – it works great with either water or white vinegar.

You first dampen this microfiber cloth and use it to scrub your windows:

and then follow it with the polishing cloth to dry them:

The household has tried using newspaper and a ton of different cleaners but this cleaning cloth set comes out on top!

And with that, it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your beautifully clean outdoor space! If you want other pointers for freshening up your outdoor space, look at my post on back porch approaches on a budget.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!