| p>Even though you'll be sitting around on your patio | | | | over time. Harsh detergents, for example, can break |
| chairs, porch swings, lounge chairs, and picnic tables, | | | | down their waterproof barriers, stiff-bristled brushes |
| as you enjoy autumn's breath-taking scenery, that | | | | can scratch or damage their seals, and tanning |
| doesn't mean that you have to just sit around. You | | | | products, besides causing stains, can weaken some |
| can also be doing some of those chores that must | | | | fabrics. |
| be finished before the onset of cold weather. In fact, | | | | In most cases, everything that you need to know, |
| if you're going to be storing your patio furniture in | | | | including the type of material, and the cleaning |
| the garden shed for the winter, before you put the | | | | instructions, should be listed on the label. However, if |
| outdoor furniture covers on it, you can give it a good | | | | you've committed the egregious crime of removing |
| cleaning; and that includes the outdoor furniture | | | | the tag, not only will you be left in the dark about |
| cushions. | | | | how to care for your outdoor furniture cushion, but |
| The amount of cleaning that they will need will | | | | you may suffer serious "penalties of law" as well. |
| depend upon how heavily they were used during the | | | | If your outdoor furniture cushions are made from a |
| summer, and how diligently you kept up with regular | | | | treated, acrylic fabric, such as Sunbrella®, PVC |
| maintenance. If you hosed them down, or, at least, | | | | polyester, or vinyl, you can hose them down to |
| wiped them off, periodically, you shouldn't have to | | | | loosen trapped dirt and dust. Most stains can be |
| deal with a lot of built-up dirt or mildew. Moreover, if | | | | removed with mild dish detergent and a sponge. The |
| you tended to spills immediately, and made sure that | | | | best formula is a quarter-cup of detergent to a gallon |
| anyone who was slathered in suntan lotion put a | | | | of water. To get tougher stains out, you can use a |
| towel on the outdoor furniture cushion before sitting | | | | soft-bristled brush, or a product that has gentle |
| down, you probably won't have set-in stains, either. | | | | scrubbing agents. |
| Naturally, the method that you will use to wash your | | | | Patio furniture cushions that are more heavily soiled, |
| patio furniture cushions will be determined by the | | | | or mildewed, may need a deeper cleaning. If so, |
| materials from which they are made. Some of the | | | | many manufacturers recommend soaking them for |
| most common fabrics are acrylics, such as | | | | about a half-hour, in a solution of one cup of |
| Sunbrella®, woven polyesters that are coated with | | | | non-chlorine bleach, one cup of laundry detergent, |
| PVC, and vinyl; and these are normally treated to be | | | | and three gallons of warm water, then rinsing and |
| resistant to water, mildew, and UV rays. Usually, they | | | | drying them thoroughly. Of course, before you do |
| have polyester fillings that won't hold water; but | | | | this, you should make sure that it's all right to use |
| some may contain urethane foam, which is not | | | | bleach on the fabric; and even if it is, always dilute it |
| completely waterproof. | | | | in water, rather than using it full-strength. |
| The thing to remember is that, even if outdoor | | | | Remember, if you protect your outdoor furniture |
| furniture cushions are designed to stand up to the | | | | cushions, they'll protect you - where it counts! |
| elements, they can lose some of their resistance, | | | | |