LIFE Outdoor Living Timber Corner Set
Angela Slater
01 May 2021
Daughter of a farmer and market gardener so have always had a connection with the outdoors, whether it was keeping animals or producing fruit, vegetables and cut flowers. Along with my work at Hayes Garden World I also have a smallholding, mainly breeding rare breed pigs. I gained an HND and BSc in Conservation and Environmental Land Management, as a result I am an ardent environmentalist and have a keen interest in environmentally friendly gardening. In my time at Hayes I worked for several years in the Outdoor Plant and Houseplant areas

How To Clean The Mould Off The Cushions On Synthetic Rattan Garden Furniture

Prevent moulds growing on cushions; keep them warm and dry

LIFE Outdoor Living Timber Corner Set (pictured above)

Cushions on outdoor rattan garden furniture can so easily get spotted with mould; all it needs is for them to be left out in a shower and not dried off or stowed away for the winter when they are not completely dry. In this case prevention is definitely better than cure as it is not easy to remove mould spots; they need tackling as soon as they appear.

  • Take a bucket of tepid water
  • Add ½ cup Vanish stain remover and ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • Mix until dissolved
  • Scrub the mould gently with the solution on a soft brush
  • If this doesn’t work at first you may have to apply lemon juice and Vanish directly to the mould and leave for a few minutes before further scrubbing with the solution  
  • Remove the covers from the filling and wash as per the instructions on the cushions; some outdoor cushions cannot be washed as it destroys the waterproofing. Glencrest cushions have to be hand-washed at a temperature no higher than 30C (86F), cushions off Cozy Bay furniture can be washed at 40C (104F), Alexander Rose cushions have to be gently hand-washed in mild detergent and not wrung out, tumble dried, ironed or dry cleaned and 4 Seasons can be washed at a temperature of 40C (104F) but not dry cleaned.
  • Rinse and dry thoroughly

If the cushions are dark or strong coloured it would be advisable to test a small patch underneath the cushion to make sure it is lightfast.

 

How to: How To Clean The Mould Off The Cushions On Synthetic Rattan Garden Furniture

This guide will take you through the steps necessary for cleaning off the mould from your garden furniture cushions

Mixing the solution

Add half a cup of Vanish and half a cup of white wine vinegar to a bucket of tepid water.

How to apply the solution

First apply the solution to a small patch underneath the cushion to make sure it won't take out the colour of the cushion. Gently scrub the solution into the mould with a soft brush. If this doesn't work apply a paste of Vanish and lemon juice and leave for a few minutes.

Remove the padding from the cover and wash as per the manufacturers instructions. Some cushion covers are not washable as it will destroy the waterproofing, in which case dab off the solution with a clean damp cloth.

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