Illustration for Cleaning Outdoor Cushions and Awnings

Two stories from a pressure washing forum show the risk. In one, a washer cleaned a customer’s patio cushions with a degreaser, and stains showed up as they dried. In the other, a homeowner found splotchy bleach-like marks on a teak patio table and chairs. They sat about 10 to 12 feet from the house, and the marks appeared a few days after a siding wash. The mix had soaked through a fabric tablecloth.

Check the fabric first

What a fabric can take depends on how it was dyed and what it’s made of. Here’s what makers publish:

Fabric Bleach? Pressure washer? Source
Solution-dyed acrylic (cushions, umbrellas, awnings) Yes for mildew: 1 cup bleach + 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of water Not in guide: hose, soft brush, mild soap Sunbrella care pages
Acrylic awning canvas, one European maker “Never use bleach products” “Do not use Karcher type pressure washers” Dickson awning care page
Piece-dyed or yarn-dyed fabric Can strip color; bleach only solution-dyed or tested olefin, at 1:10 Not covered James Dunlop Textiles
Polyester awning fabric Avoid undiluted bleach; try hydrogen peroxide or diluted vinegar Not in guide: hose, soft brush, mild dish soap Trivantage awning guide

The difference comes down to where the color sits. A textile maker explains that piece-dyed fabric gets color only on the surface, so bleach can strip it. Solution-dyed acrylic gets its color while the fiber is still liquid. That’s why its maker can allow a bleach mix.

Even on the tough fabrics, bleach has a cost. The acrylic maker says the fabric needs re-treating for water and stain resistance after a bleach cleaning. It adds that bleach and fabric age can weaken the sewing thread. Check the care tag first. If there isn’t one, treat the fabric as one that can’t take bleach.

Cushions and umbrellas

The acrylic maker’s upholstery guide says some removable cushion covers can go in the washing machine. Check with the furniture maker first, because cushion construction varies. Close the zippers, wash in cold water on the delicate cycle, and air dry.

On covers you can’t remove, it says to clean the whole surface from seam to seam. Scrubbing just the stain can leave water rings. One textile maker adds that inserts may not be waterproof even if the cover is. So don’t soak the whole cushion. It also says to dry covers in shade. Long direct sun-drying speeds fading on piece-dyed goods.

Umbrella canopies are made from the same kinds of fabric, so read the tag before you reach for bleach.

Awnings

The acrylic maker’s shade guide says to hose an awning off monthly with clean water. It expects a thorough cleaning every 2 to 3 years in most places. An awning fabric maker recommends a deeper clean once a year and says a professional can do it. It also says not to use a high-pressure cleaner. Rinse with the hose pointed up so water falls on the fabric like rain.

Lichen is the hard case. A washer on a trade forum spent 4 nights on lichen-covered canvas awnings. The washer raised the bleach strength from 2% to about 7%. Other washers said lichen roots into canvas and leaves marks no cleaner removes. The acrylic maker notes that full stain removal isn’t always guaranteed when stains sit too long. An awning fabric supplier’s guide says to keep plants and vines from touching the fabric.

During a house wash

The homeowner with the spotted patio table said nobody told them to move or cover it. One house wash label we checked lists sodium hypochlorite, the chemical in bleach, as its active ingredient. It warns the formula may stain clothes. The acrylic fabric maker warns that bleach may discolor fabrics other than its own. It says to protect the area around it.

So before the crew arrives, bring cushions and umbrella canopies inside. Or move them well away from the walls. Washers on the forum split over who moves furniture. Some do it, some charge for it, and some ask the homeowner to clear the patio. Settle it when you book, using our questions to ask a house washing company. If spots show up anyway, photograph them and contact the company quickly. Our guide on wash damage vs damage that was already there covers how to raise it. Other things people ask a washer to clean have their own limits too, such as RV rubber roofs and decals.

Humid summers mean more mildew

The acrylic maker says fabric needs cleaning more often in a humid place with heavy foliage than in a dry one. It also says the fabric doesn’t promote mildew, but mildew may grow on dirt left on it. Mobile, Alabama, is a good example of that kind of summer. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals put Mobile at 67.08 inches of rain a year. Of that, 21.11 inches fall in June through August, with rain on about 40 of the 92 summer days.

In a climate like that, brush off dirt and hose fabric down often. That beats one big bleach cleaning later. One awning maker also says not to retract an awning damp and leave it that way for long. A textile maker says to dry fabric completely before storing it. For mildew on the house itself, see our guide to a house washing schedule for heat and humidity. Also see what a DIY soft wash costs vs hiring.

Hiring someone for an awning? The acrylic maker suggests asking about their experience with its fabrics and with cleaning and re-treatment. For how we check every claim, see our methodology.

Sources

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