Your latest get-together was a blast. Laughter filled the air, and delicious goodies filled your guests’ plates. While relaxing on your stylish custom cushions, your friends and family shared stories and reminisced about days gone past. It was the perfect day – until a burst of laughter tipped over that half-full glass of Merlot, red wine splashing onto your beautiful custom cushions. Thankfully, cleaning Sunbrella is quite simple!
5 types of stains
And how to get rid of them before dessert
Even the most dire stains, like wine, can be easily cleaned from Sunbrella fabric.
[Photo copyright CushionSource.com]Even the most heart-wrenching spills and stains don’t have to ruin the investment you’ve made in quality home décor items, because Sunbrella fabric is resilient and stain-resistant.
Whether your cushions encounter run-ins with food, crayons, dirt or grease, there’s a way to remove nearly any stain from Sunbrella. Before you let your friend’s husband’s carelessness with the ketchup stress you out, check our list below for the best tips on cleaning your cushions and the top tips for cleaning Sunbrella fabric.
We’ve grouped potential stains by their level of panic they tend to cause — but have no fear; all of these anxiety-ridden stains can be removed!
Level 1: Annoying Stains
Includes most food and beverages, plus a few extras
- Ketchup/Mustard
- Cola/Tea
- Juice (Grape, Orange and Tomato)
- Milk/Gravy
- Raw Egg
- Latex Paint (Wet)
- Charcoal/Pencil marks (vacuum fabric before washing)
Annoyance Averted: Mix 2 oz. dish soap (such as Dawn) with 1 gallon of water. Immerse the fabric in the cleaning solution and scrub with a soft-bristled brush; or, spot cleaning Sunbrella can be accomplished by spraying the soap mixture onto the fabric and gently scrubbing. Rinse the fabric thoroughly and allow to air dry.
Level 2: Pesky Stains
Such as dark-colored foods, chemicals, and bodily fluids
Group A:
- Urine/Vomit
- Beer
- Food Coloring
Add 3 oz. of white vinegar to the soap-and-water cleaning solution below.
Group B:
- Dried Blood
- Chocolate
- Berries
Add 4-8 oz. of ammonia to the soap-and-water cleaning solution below.
Group C:
- Wine
Add 4-8 oz. of ammonia AND 3 oz. of white vinegar to the cleaning solution below.
Peskiness Purged: Mix 2 oz. dish soap (such as Dawn) with 1 gallon of water, plus the additional cleaning agent listed for the appropriate stain group. Immerse the fabric in the cleaning solution and scrub with a soft-bristled brush; or, spot cleaning Sunbrella can be accomplished by spraying the soap mixture onto the fabric and gently scrubbing. Rinse the fabric thoroughly and allow to air dry.
Level 3: Stressful Stains
Greasy or oil-based messes
- Butter
- Coffee *
- Car Grease
- Oil
- Nail Polish
- Liquid Shoe Polish
- Chewing Gum
- Candle Wax **
- Wax-based Shoe Polish **
Stress Squashed: Use 100% volatile solvent (acetone) to remove these complex chemicals. Spot cleaning Sunbrella can be accomplished by applying the cleaning agent to the fabric and gently scrubbing. Rinse the fabric thoroughly and allow to air dry.
* Mix acetone with 2 oz. liquid dish soap, 1 gallon of water and 3 oz. of white vinegar to remove coffee stains.
** Before cleaning with acetone, apply a heated iron over a towel to remove wax.
Level 4: Exasperating Stains
Including paint, makeup and crayons
- Lipstick
- Crayon
- Latex Paint (Dry)
- Oil/Lacquer Paint
Exasperation Erased: Spot clean with 100% paint, oil or grease remover. Rinse the fabric thoroughly and allow to air dry.
Level 5: Complex Stains
Use these specific instructions to remove each of the following stains. Spot cleaning Sunbrella can be accomplished by applying the stain removal solution and scrubbing with a soft-bristled brush. Then, rinse the fabric thoroughly and allow to air dry.
- Ink: Mix acetone with paint remover.
- Mascara: Mix acetone, liquid dish soap and water with the paint/grease remover.
- Bird Droppings: Use Goo-Gone or similar cleaning agent.
- Suntan Lotion: Mix Pine Power with water.
- Tree Sap: Mix turpentine with liquid dish soap and water.
- Mildew: Sunbrella is inherently mildew-resistant. If some mildew does grow, mix liquid dish soap, water and bleach to stop the growth and remove the stain.
Whew! Crisis Averted
Although stains and spills can cause an instinctual panic, Sunbrella fabric is resilient and can survive almost anything. The first time you don’t have to replace your cushions, it’ll be clear — your investment in custom cushions with Sunbrella® fabric has paid off.
Now you can relax and enjoy your tiramisu — or a fresh, unspilled glass of wine — on your patio in peace while you plan your next party. Now that you’re an expert on cleaning Sunbrella, perhaps you’ll invite your grandkids over for a picnic, since you don’t have to worry about their mudpie-hands and ice cream faces bringing the family gathering to a crashing halt.
Leave a comment!
Have you had good luck when cleaning Sunbrella fabric? Tell us about it!
What’s the worst stain you’ve had to remove? What is the one spill you’re nervous about encountering? Do you take any precautionary measures to ensure stains don’t happen?