Cleaning Outdoor Furniture – Mildew and Mould

Mould and mildew are no minor matter when it comes to outdoor furniture. It can render your money wasted and be a disappointment every time you go to use your outdoor setting. Prevention is definitely the best way to deal with mould and mildew, but there are some tactics you can take to remove it from your furniture and avoid permanent markings it can leave.

There are quite a few products available on the market to deal with mould and to hinder its return. To effectively combat a mould and mildew problem it helps to understand what environment it grows in and then you can see where you might stop the growth of it on your outdoor furniture pieces.

Warm, Damp, And Dark

Regardless of where you live or what climate you live in, there can be microclimates created that mould and mildew thrive in. As the spores are constantly in the air, the right conditions allow them to grow quickly. Both these problems are a fungus and therefore plant life. As with most other fungi and plants they need water, warmth, and a food source to grow, however these prefer the dark to the light and poor air circulation will assist growth.

So you’ll always be likely to find them in dark, moist places with limited or no light, as long as they have an adequate food source. This can be the dust, oils, and dirt that float about in our day to day atmosphere and settles on surfaces and clothing. It might also be food or drink spillage that isn’t properly cleaned.

Prevention

Here are some storage and care tips to prevent mould and mildew forming on your outdoor furniture:

* Always thoroughly clean and dry any spillages
* If they get wet or damp be sure to dry thoroughly in a dry air flow, preferably in sunshine
* Do not store furniture or fold umbrellas until they are completely dry
* Lift cushions so trapped moisture can evaporate
* Clean outdoor furniture regularly to remove food sources
* Try to get the sunshine onto your setting as much as possible
* Be sure your storage area is not a damp, dark opportunity for moulds to grow

Cleaning Methods

Bleach is a natural killer of moulds and mildews but this may not be suitable for use on all outdoor furniture. Do a colourfast test on a part that isn’t noticeable first and always follow the dilution instructions. This applies to commercial mould killing mixtures as well.

You can use lemon juice as an environmentally friendly alternative but this will have bleaching properties as well so still test it out.

Depending on what your furniture is made of, mildew can be easy to clean. It will depend on the level of growth and how long it has been there as well. Cleaning off the mould should start with a brush and a vacuum to pick up loose spores. Then a good scrub with a lemon juice and water, bleach and water, or a commercial solution to kill the mould that is present will be needed.

There may be some marks and staining from the mould to deal with. Normally your bleach/lemon juice solution will act to remove the stains as well but if there are some remaining you may need to dry off and repeat the action until it has been removed.

Stubborn Stains

if the stains are particularly persistent you might try a mix of white vinegar, hot water and dishwashing liquid with some baking soda. There may even be instances where you cannot remove all the markings especially on fabrics.

Try to think about your care routine and preventing mould in the first place. Keep storage areas a mould free environment where possible. It can be very disappointing to find your outdoor living furniture ruined, especially if you have spent a lot of money on designer outdoor settings.

If you care for your outdoor furniture it will reward you with many years of fond memories in your outdoor entertaining and relaxing private time.