How do I wash an outdoor chair cushion? It's the usual outdoor fabric and foam. Do you think I can put it in the washer on gentle? I'd rather do that than do it by hand. Or do you think laundry detergent is too harsh on the foam?
Thanks.
The car wash? Really?
Dunno if you're cushions are made from Sunbrella's fabric, but this might offer some ideas ...
http://www.mckinnonharris.com/ast/pdfs/CushionCare.pdf
One thing it says is to not use detergents, as they are too harsh. They recommend Joy.
I use the pressure washer on ours. hee hee
I use dish soap and a hose to clean all outdoor things, including cushions. Make sure you do it on a warm, sunny day so they can dry quickly...then they won't stink.
Take it to the car wash
I would think it would be Ok to wash it on gentle. Maybe you could use half the soap you normally would and spray it really well with spray and wash or something like that and then air dry it. Good luck!
I suggest that washing a pillow in the washer may misshape the pillow. I also suggest that once you get that foam wet all the way thru it will take too long to dry and may become mildewed or sour in smell. I suggest the dryer heat will be too hot. And......washing in the washer may remove the water resistant finish.
I'm thinking of the large block like pillows.
I'd use a gentle soap and wash the outside by hand using mostly the foam made from the soap and keeping the pillow as dry as possible.
After I wrote this I looked up Justwed's citation. I'm printing it again here because I suggest that this is the best way to wash cushions and because it tells you why. http://www.mckinnonharris.com/ast/pdfs/CushionCare.pdf
Hose it down outside.
Or throw it in the washer.
Its fine.
I throw pillows in our washer, and it is fine.
Gentle cycle.
Just a TINY bit of laundry soap, if anything.
And I throw it in our dryer too... or outside in the sun to dry.
Remember, it is an outdoor cushion/fabric.
It is fine.
