Not Just Clothes: Your Laundry Detergent Also Cleans This Outdoor Essential

What if we told you that your regular liquid laundry detergent was a more versatile cleaner than you thought? These cleaners have so many uses both inside and outside the home. Patio furniture often becomes coated in a layer of pollen, sticky sap, or just dirt from being outdoors, but a little laundry detergent could help to efficiently clean your outside chairs and tables. Depending on the material your furniture is made of, laundry detergent will wash away grime and cut through grease to leave your patio furniture looking and feeling its best. Detergent can help to spot treat and clean outdoor cushions and cloth patio umbrellas as well. Even if the fabric has started to become stained with mildew, laundry detergent could help.

This method is great for a variety of patio furniture types, including resin, bamboo, some coated metals, wicker, and certain hardwood pieces. Laundry detergent, though unconventional, is perfect for cleaning chalky plastic lounge chairs, too. Before you start scrubbing down your tables and chairs, consider if laundry detergent and water are gentle enough for the surface. Some materials, such as natural rattan or unsealed wood, should be cleaned with alternative methods, as all that water could warp the delicate furniture. When cleaning the fabrics of outdoor cushions, check the care instructions on the tag first.

This laundry detergent hack is as simple as combining the soap with water and washing your patio furniture. Mix ¼ cup of liquid laundry detergent with a gallon of water to dilute the soap and create your DIY cleaning solution. Make sure you use a laundry soap that doesn't contain bleach. Scrub your furniture with the soapy water and a cloth, sponge, or soft-bristled brush, getting into all the nooks and crannies. If you typically use a different kind of laundry detergent, such as strips or perhaps powder, you should still be able to use it to clean your patio chairs. Combine enough detergent for one small load with water, though you could use less than a gallon to make a concentrated cleaner. 

Will Cotter, COO of FreshSpace cleaning, told Homes and Gardens how to use this method when your furniture is extra filthy. "For heavily soiled pieces, allow the solution to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. Once cleaned, rinse the furniture with a hose or a bucket of clean water and let it air dry in the sun," Cotter said. For outdoor cushions and other fabrics, you may be able to put covers directly in the washing machine with your detergent. Otherwise, spot clean cushions with laundry soap and water. Laundry detergents are commonly used to treat fabrics affected by mildew, and this cleaning method could possibly be helpful for removing mold from outdoor cushions.