Angela Slater

25 February 2015

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.

For more information on keeping garden and conservatory furniture in pristine condition for longer just click on the links below:

Can I keep my natural rattan and cane conservatory furniture out in winter?

Can I get replacement cushions for my synthetic rattan garden furniture?

Can I leave out the cushions on my synthetic rattan garden furniture when it rains?

How to paint natural rattan or cane conservatory furniture

How to weatherproof natural rattan and cane conservatory furniture

Do I need to cover synthetic garden furniture in winter?

Do I need to cover natural rattan or cane conservatory furniture in winter?

How to cover synthetic rattan garden furniture

How to protect the feet on natural rattan and cane conservatory furniture

How to protect the feet on synthetic rattan garden furniture