Looking after Sunbrella cushions.
Solution-dyed acrylic is about as forgiving as outdoor fabric gets, but it is not self-cleaning. Almost everything that ruins a cushion is preventable with a brush and ten minutes a month.
The short version
- Brush loose dirt off before it gets wet. Dry dirt lifts; wet dirt becomes a stain.
- Rinse with a hose every few weeks in season.
- Spot clean with mild soap and lukewarm water, then rinse until the water runs clear.
- Air dry. Never put a cover in a tumble dryer.
- Store dry over winter, not damp and not sealed in plastic.
Routine cleaning
Once a month through the season:
- Brush the surface with a soft bristle brush to lift loose dirt, pollen and leaf debris.
- Hose the cushion down and let it soak for a minute.
- Mix a capful of mild dish soap into a bucket of lukewarm water - under 100°F.
- Work it in with the brush, in small sections.
- Rinse thoroughly. Soap left in the fabric attracts dirt faster than no cleaning at all.
- Stand the cushion on edge and let it air dry completely.
Stains
| Stain | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Food, drink, sunscreen | Blot - do not rub. Mild soap and lukewarm water. Rinse well. |
| Grease and oil | Absorb with cornstarch first, brush it off, then wash as above. |
| Tree sap | A little isopropyl alcohol on a cloth, then wash and rinse. |
| Mildew | 1 cup bleach and ¼ cup mild soap in a gallon of water. Soak 15 minutes, scrub, rinse hard. |
| Ink, paint | Call us before you try anything. The wrong solvent will do more damage than the ink. |
Bleach is safe on solution-dyed acrylic and is not safe on the thread or the zipper. Sunbrella will not lose color from a bleach solution because the pigment is locked into the fiber. Rinse thoroughly afterwards so nothing is left sitting on the stitching or the slider.
Mildew
Sunbrella does not feed mildew - acrylic is not organic. What mildew grows on is what settles on top of it: pollen, dust, sunscreen, spilled drinks. Keep the surface clean and mildew has nothing to live on.
If it has already taken hold, use the bleach solution above, work it in with a brush and let it sit 15 minutes before rinsing. Repeat rather than scrubbing harder. Then find out why the cushion was staying damp - a cushion that never dries out will do it again.
Washing the covers
Every boxed cushion we make has a hidden zipper, so covers come off.
- Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle with mild detergent.
- Bleach only if you are treating mildew, and rinse twice.
- Air dry only. Heat will shrink the cover and it will not go back on the foam.
- Put the cover back on while it is very slightly damp. It goes on easier and pulls taut as it finishes drying.
Do not tumble dry, and do not iron. Acrylic melts. A cover that has been through a hot dryer is not a warranty claim, and it will not fit the foam again.
Water repellency
Sunbrella leaves the mill with a fluorocarbon finish that makes water bead. That finish wears off with use and cleaning - expect two to three seasons. When water starts soaking in rather than sitting on top, re-treat with a fabric guard made for outdoor acrylic. Clean and dry the cushion first, or you will seal the dirt in.
Off-season storage
- Clean the cushions and let them dry completely. Completely.
- Store somewhere dry with some air movement - a garage shelf, not a sealed bin.
- If you use a storage bag, make sure it breathes. Sealed plastic traps moisture and grows mildew on a cushion that went in clean.
- Store flat or on edge. Do not stack heavy things on top; compressed foam takes weeks to recover.
What the warranty covers
Sunbrella’s 5 year limited fabric warranty covers the fabric becoming unserviceable through loss of color or strength from normal exposure. It does not cover stains, damage from the wrong cleaning method, or heat damage.
Our workmanship - seams, zippers, ties - is covered for one year. If a seam opens in normal use, tell us and we will repair or remake it.