How to Deep Clean Outdoor Patio Furniture (Wicker, Metal, Wood, Fabric)

Patio furniture takes a beating from sun, rain, pollen, bird droppings, and the occasional dropped popsicle. Most of it can be revived with 30 minutes of focused work — no replacement needed.

The trick is matching the cleaner to the material. The wrong combination strips finishes, fades colors, or rots fabric. Here's the right approach for every common type.

What You'll Need

• A bucket of warm water
• A few soft-bristle scrub brushes
• Dish soap (Dawn works for almost everything)
• A bottle of OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover
• A gallon of distilled white vinegar
• A garden hose or low-PSI pressure washer
• For wood: outdoor furniture oil

Skip bleach unless absolutely necessary — it fades colored fabric, eats metal welds, and damages wood fibers.

Step 1: Brush Off Everything Loose First

Take a stiff brush or shop vacuum to every piece. Pollen, dirt, leaves, and spider webs come off dry much easier than wet. Skipping this step turns dust into mud streaks the moment you add water.

Pop cushions off and look at the underside — you'll find acorns, leaves, and a small civilization of spiders.

How to Clean Plastic Resin Furniture

Plastic patio chairs are the easiest. A bucket of warm water with a squirt of dish soap and a soft brush handles 90 percent of the grime. Scrub, rinse with the hose.

For yellowed white plastic, mix one part bleach to four parts water, brush on, leave for 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly. Test in a hidden spot first.

For green algae stains, a mold and mildew remover spray wipes it away in minutes.

How to Clean Powder-Coated Aluminum or Steel

Powder coat is durable, but harsh cleaners scratch it.

• Dish soap and warm water with a microfiber cloth
• For chips or rust spots, sand the spot lightly, prime with a rust-stop primer, and touch up with matching outdoor paint
• Apply a thin coat of car wax once a year — it actually protects the powder coat from UV fade

Don't use steel wool or abrasive pads. They strip the finish.

How to Clean Wicker (Real or Resin)

Resin (synthetic) wicker

Hose it down, scrub with dish soap and water using a soft brush, then rinse. Use a hand-held vacuum on the woven gaps to pull out trapped grit.

Natural wicker (rattan or bamboo)

Less water is better. Wipe with a damp cloth and a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. Never soak natural wicker — it warps and unravels. After cleaning, leave in the sun for a few hours to dry completely.

For mildew on natural wicker, mix one tablespoon of Borax into a quart of warm water. Brush on, let sit 15 minutes, wipe off.

How to Clean Wood Furniture (Teak, Eucalyptus, Cedar)

Teak

Mix a cup of oxygen bleach (OxiClean) into a gallon of warm water. Brush onto the wood with a soft brush, going with the grain. Let sit 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with the hose.

This restores the warm honey color teak had when new. Once dry, you can let it weather to silver-gray naturally, or apply a coat of teak oil to keep the warm tone.

Eucalyptus and cedar

Same OxiClean treatment, but rinse fast — these woods are softer and don't like long soaks. Apply teak oil or outdoor wood sealer every spring to extend the life by years.

How to Clean Outdoor Cushions and Fabric

This is where most people give up. Don't.

Removable cushion covers

Check the tag. Most outdoor fabric covers (Sunbrella, Olefin) are machine washable on cold, gentle cycle. Air dry — never put them in the dryer. They shrink.

Non-removable cushions

Vacuum first. Then mix a quart of warm water, two tablespoons of OxiClean, and a tablespoon of dish soap. Spray or brush onto the cushion. Scrub gently. Let sit 15 minutes.

Rinse thoroughly with the hose, then stand the cushions on edge and let them air dry for at least 24 hours. If they smell musty when you bring them out of storage, sprinkle baking soda on, leave overnight, then vacuum off.

For mildew spots, a fabric mildew remover spray works without bleaching the fabric.

How to Prevent Furniture From Getting This Dirty Again

A little prevention saves the spring deep-clean entirely:

• Use waterproof furniture covers when furniture isn't in use
• Apply fabric waterproofing spray to cushions every spring
• Move cushions inside or into a deck box during heavy weather
• Sweep the patio weekly so blowing debris doesn't hit the furniture

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pressure wash patio furniture?

Yes, but use a wide tip (40-degree) and stay 2 feet back. A 0-degree pencil tip will gouge wood, strip paint, and tear fabric. Plastic resin and powder-coated aluminum take pressure best.

How do I get bird droppings off without scratching?

Soak the spot with warm soapy water for 10 minutes first to soften it. Then wipe with a microfiber cloth — never scrub dry, you'll scratch the finish. Bird droppings are acidic; clean them off the same week if possible.

What's the best way to store cushions in winter?

Clean and dry them completely first. Then store in a zippered storage bag or large deck box with a few silica gel desiccant packs inside. Never store damp.

How do I remove tree sap from outdoor furniture?

Rubbing alcohol on a microfiber cloth lifts sap from most surfaces. For stubborn sap on plastic, a small amount of WD-40 breaks it down — wipe with soapy water afterward to remove the oil residue.

Final Thoughts

A spring clean for the patio takes one Saturday and adds 5+ years to furniture that would otherwise look ready for the curb. Match the cleaner to the material, rinse thoroughly, and let everything dry completely before reassembly.