How To Clean Outdoor Furniture Covers

How To Clean Outdoor Furniture Covers

Knowing how to clean outdoor furniture covers properly is what keeps them repelling water and dirt season after season. Your covers work hard to protect your patio pieces from the elements, but over time, exposure to dirt, pollen, and weather can wear them down and affect their performance. So what actually separates a cover that keeps performing from one that quietly stops working?

My Personal Experience with Cover Care

When I started paying attention to what people actually ask us about cover care, one question came up more than any other: can I just put this in the washing machine? It is a fair assumption. It is fabric, and fabric goes in the wash. The problem is that the coating doing the real work was never built to survive a spin cycle, and once it is gone, the cover still looks fine but quietly stops performing.

That pattern shows up again and again. Most of the worn out covers I have seen were not old. They were washed the wrong way, or put back on damp, or folded into a bag before they finished drying. Very little of it came down to the fabric giving out. That is why the steps below spend as much time on drying and mildew as they do on scrubbing, because those are the parts people skip.

1. Shake Off Debris

Start by removing the cover from the furniture. Give it a good shake to remove leaves, dirt or pollen.

Why this step matters: Loose debris can trap moisture against the fabric which may lead to mildew or staining. Shaking your covers first ensures a more effective cleaning process.

2. Rinse with a Garden Hose

Lay the cover flat on a clean surface such as a patio or driveway and rinse thoroughly with a garden hose. Flip the cover to rinse the other side as well.

Tip: Avoid high-pressure nozzles as they can damage seams or coatings on covers. A gentle rinse removes most surface dirt and prepares the cover for washing.

3. Gently Wash with Soap or Fabric Cleaner

Mix mild dish soap with warm water in a bucket. Use a sponge or soft bristle brush to scrub your cover, paying special attention to areas with stains, mildew or pollen buildup.

For tougher stains, Coverstore recommends Golden Care Fabric Cleaner which lifts dirt while refreshing furniture covers.

Pro tip: Let the soap or cleaner sit for a few minutes on stubborn spots before scrubbing. Always rinse thoroughly to remove all residue. Repeat this process for persistent stains.

4. Treat and Protect Your Cover

After cleaning, protect your cover with Golden Care Fabric Nanoprotector. This spray creates an invisible barrier that repels water, dirt and grime, helping your covers last longer. Apply to covers twice a year for optimal results.

Using a protective spray also preserves the appearance and performance of your covers, keeping them looking like new season after season.

5. Dry Completely Before Use

Air drying is essential. For smaller covers such as table round covers or grill patio covers, drape them over a railing or fence. Larger covers should be laid flat on clean towels in sunlight.

Most covers dry within a few hours in direct sun, though thicker fabrics and shaded spots can take a full day. Ensure your cover is completely dry before putting it back on furniture or placing in your cover storage bag. This prevents mold and mildew growth.

Important: Do not machine wash or dry your covers. Heat and agitation can damage the protective coating and the fabric itself.

How to Clean Mildew from Outdoor Furniture Covers

Mildew is the most common problem people run into with outdoor covers, and it needs a different approach than everyday dirt. Mildew is a living growth, so rinsing alone will not remove it and it will come back if any spores are left behind. Work through these steps as soon as you spot it.

1. Move the cover into direct sunlight and let it dry out completely first. Scrubbing wet mildew spreads the spores across the fabric.
2. Brush the dried growth off with a dry soft bristle brush, working outdoors so the spores do not settle somewhere else.
3. Mix one gallon of lukewarm water with a quarter cup of bleach. Wearing gloves, spray a small area and let it sit for five minutes.
4. Scrub gently with a soft brush, then rinse thoroughly with a garden hose until the water runs clear.
5. Air dry the cover fully in the sun before it goes back on the furniture or into storage.
6. Reapply a fabric protectant once the cover is dry so water beads off instead of soaking in.

How to Clean Mold Off Outdoor Furniture Covers

Mold and mildew are treated the same way on cover fabric. The difference is depth. Mildew sits on the surface as a flat gray or white film. Mold appears as raised black, green, or dark spots and has usually worked into the weave. If the stain remains after two full cleaning passes, the mold has penetrated the fibers and the cover is at the end of its useful life.

Preventing Mildew From Coming Back

• Check the underside of the cover, not just the top. Mildew almost always starts on the inside surface where moisture is trapped against the furniture.
• Never put a cover back on damp furniture, and never store one that is not bone dry.
• Keep water from pooling on flat sections, since standing water is what creates the conditions mildew needs.
• Reapply a fabric protectant twice a year so moisture runs off rather than soaking in.
• Let air circulate under the cover where the design allows it, especially in humid and coastal climates.

Can You Machine Wash Outdoor Furniture Covers?

No, you should not machine wash outdoor furniture covers. Coverstore covers are hand wash only. A washing machine combines agitation, spinning, and detergent in a way that breaks down the water repellent coating that makes a cover work, and the dryer makes it worse by adding heat. Hand washing with mild soap and a garden hose is safer, faster than a full wash cycle, and it protects the coating you paid for.

The same answer applies whether you are asking can I machine wash outdoor furniture covers, can you put outdoor furniture covers in the washing machine, or how to wash patio furniture covers in a washing machine. The washing machine is the one tool to leave out of the process.

What Happens If You Put a Cover in the Washing Machine

• The water repellent finish breaks down, so rain soaks in instead of beading off.
• Seams, straps, zippers, and elastic hems can stretch, tear, or pull loose in the spin cycle.
• Laminated and coated fabrics can crack, peel, or delaminate.
• Heavy wet covers can unbalance the drum and damage the machine itself.
• Heat from a dryer can shrink the fabric enough that the cover no longer fits.

Machine Washing by Cover Material

Outdoor covers are made from very different fabrics, and that is why generic laundry advice fails. Here is how the common materials compare.

When in doubt, check the care tag on your specific cover before you clean it. If you are cleaning polyester outdoor furniture covers, the hand wash steps above are all you need.

How to Clean Outdoor Chair Covers, Table Covers, and Other Shapes

The five steps work for every cover in your yard, but a few shapes need small adjustments.

• Chair covers. Outdoor chair covers are small enough to hang over a railing, so rinse both sides and let gravity do the drying work.
• Table and patio covers. Lay large patio covers flat on a driveway so you can reach the center panel, which collects the most pollen and standing water.
• Sectional and sofa covers. Clean these in sections rather than trying to scrub the whole cover at once, and pay attention to the seams where dirt collects.
• Grill covers. Focus on grease spots near the lid, and read our guide on how to clean a grill cover for the full method.

Whatever the shape, the rule stays the same. Clean covers by hand, rinse until the water runs clear, and dry them completely before they go back on.

How to Clean Outdoor Furniture Covers Without a Hose

If you live in an apartment or condo, you may not have a driveway or an outdoor spigot to work with. You can still clean covers properly on a balcony, in a bathtub, or at a laundry sink. Just remember that machine washing is still off the table.

1. Shake the cover out over a railing or a trash bag to remove loose debris.
2. Fill a bathtub, laundry sink, or large bin with warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap.
3. Submerge the cover in sections and work each area with a sponge or soft bristle brush.
4. Drain the soapy water, refill with clean water, and rinse each section until no suds remain.
5. Press the water out by hand. Do not wring or twist the fabric, since that stresses the coating and the seams.
6. Drape the cover over a balcony rail, a shower rod, or a drying rack until it is completely dry.

A watering can or a detachable shower head works well for the rinse step if you are short on space. Lay a towel underneath to catch runoff, and give the cover extra drying time indoors, since it will not have direct sun helping it along.

Cushion Covers Are Different From Furniture Covers

Many removable cushion covers unzip and can be washed on a delicate cycle with mild detergent and cold water, which is the opposite of the advice for furniture covers. Always check the manufacturer tag first, and never put a cushion cover in the dryer. For the full method, read our guide on how to clean outdoor cushions.

How Often Should You Clean Outdoor Covers

We recommend cleaning covers at least once or twice a year. If your covers are exposed to heavy pollen, salt air or tree sap, you may need to clean them more frequently. Regular cleaning helps maintain your covers' water and dirt repellency, which matters most for any cover left outside for extended periods.

Climate makes a real difference. Coastal homes deal with salt spray year round, humid regions see faster mildew growth, and shaded yards hold moisture longer. Washing garden furniture covers on a spring and fall schedule is a simple way to stay ahead of buildup in any of those conditions.

Benefits of Properly Maintaining Your Covers

• Longevity. Regular cleaning and protection extend the life of your outdoor furniture covers.
• Appearance. Keeps covers looking their best by preventing dirt, mold, mildew, and odor buildup.
• Peace of mind. Knowing your furniture and grill are protected means less maintenance and stress throughout the year.

Storing Outdoor Furniture Covers After Cleaning

Cleaning and storage go together. A cover that goes into storage even slightly damp will come out with mildew on it. Once your cover is fully dry, fold it loosely, keep it out of direct contact with concrete floors, and store it in a cover storage bag in a garage or shed. For the full folding and storage method, see our guide on how to store your cover.

When to Replace a Cover Instead of Cleaning It

Cleaning restores performance, but it cannot repair damage. Consider replacing a cover when you see any of these signs.

• Water soaks in and stays dark instead of beading up, even after a fresh coat of protectant.
• The fabric is brittle, chalky, or cracking from UV exposure.
• Seams have opened, or straps and elastic no longer hold tension.
• Mildew has stained through the fabric and returns within weeks of cleaning.
• The cover no longer fits properly, which lets wind and water underneath.

Featured Products: Cover Care Essentials

Two products handle nearly everything in this guide. Golden Care Fabric Cleaner lifts stains, mildew spots, and ground in dirt that mild soap leaves behind. Golden Care Fabric Nanoprotector restores the water and dirt repellency after washing, which is the step most people skip. A cover storage bag keeps the cover clean and dry between seasons.

Industry Expertise and Company Credentials

Coverstore has spent years developing and testing outdoor cover fabrics across every climate in the country, which is where this cleaning guidance comes from. The care instructions here reflect how the coatings and constructions we use actually behave, not generic laundry advice. Coverstore also stands behind its materials with tiered warranty coverage.

Warranty Coverage by Collection

Addressing Common Objections

The most common pushback is that hand washing takes too long compared to throwing a cover in the machine. In practice, a rinse and scrub takes about fifteen minutes and a wash cycle takes closer to an hour, so the machine is not actually saving time. The other objection is that cleaning a cover is not worth the effort when a replacement is inexpensive. That holds only until you factor in what the cover is protecting, which is usually furniture worth many times more than the cover itself.

Final Thoughts

Taking care of your covers is just as important as maintaining your furniture. Hand wash them once or twice a year, treat mildew as soon as you spot it, dry them completely before they go back on, and reapply a protectant twice a year. With that routine, your outdoor furniture covers will keep your patio looking beautiful and functional for years.