Life's Dirty. Clean Easy.

How To Clean Patio Furniture with Wet and Forget Outdoor

By Wet & Forget
Learn how to clean patio furniture, including adirondack chairs!

“Organic growth” is a dry, technical term that immediately becomes disgusting when it answers the question, “What did I just sit in?” 

Fortunately, you can avoid awkward questions like this by reading through our guide on how to clean patio furniture. You’ll find that with just a little bit of work, you can ensure that practically everything on your patio gets and remains clean. 

What Causes Patio Furniture to Become Dirty? 

It’s understandable to find dirt or caked-on mud adorning your patio furniture every now and then. Luckily, you should be able to brush or scrub dirt and mud away with a bit of work from your hose and a non-abrasive sponge.  

However, the musty, slimy, and otherwise icky stuff causes a little bit more concern.  

Each of these growths is slightly different and knowing what causes them can help you cut down on cleaning in the future. So, let’s take a look at the potential perpetrators of those unsightly stains and how to identify them: 

  • Algae can be green or red, feels slimy, and are usually found in sunlight. 
  • Lichens are green when wet but various colors when dry, have a tangible structure and prefer sunlight. 
  • Mold and mildew can be a variety of colors, feel slimy or powdery, smells musty, and prefers dark environments. 
  • Moss is usually green (though it can also be black, brown, or yellow), feel fuzzy, and prefer sunlight. 

While there is some variance in which growths prefer sunlight or shade, they all share the universal thirst for moisture. So, if your patio furniture is made from absorbing fabric or sits somewhere that runs a little more humid than the rest of your lawn, you are at risk of coming into contact with these potential hazards. 

Cleaning your patio furniture at the first sign of new growth can help your furniture’s life. Depending on the material used in making your chairs, tables, and umbrellas, the contaminants above can lead to rust, surface damage, and permanent stains. 

Clean wicker furniture with Wet and Forget Outdoor.

How to Clean Patio Furniture 

Ideally, you should clean your patio furniture at least once a year. However, if you notice any organic growth, take time to remove it before it spreads and damages your patio’s inanimate inhabitants. 

Luckily, you don’t need many tools to effectively clean your patio furniture of organic growth. All you’ll require are: 

  • Wet & Forget Ready To Use 
  • A hose 

Wet & Forget Ready To Use is safe on virtually all outdoor surfaces, including much of what patio furniture is made from: 

  • Fabric 
  • Metal 
  • Outdoor carpet 
  • Painted and stained surfaces 
  • Plastic 
  • Vinyl 
  • Wood 

Unlike bleach, which has a high pH level of 13 compared to Wet & Forget Outdoor’s more neutral 8, Wet & Forget works with the rain and wind to clean gently over time. If you’re concerned about using Wet & Forget on any outdoor fabrics, try it out on an inconspicuous spot. 

Before using Wet & Forget Ready To Use, make sure the conditions are right. There should be no rain or wind in the immediate forecast, and the temperature should be at least 32 degrees Fahrenheit during application and for at least four to five hours after. Additionally, the surface of any patio furniture you’re spraying should be dry. 

After applying Wet & Forget, the formula will work with wind and rain to gently clean your patio furniture over time. 

Green stains should clean up in a few days or weeks, while black ones may take a month or two. However, stubborn or long-lasting stains can take up to a year to dissipate entirely.  

To protect nearby plants, simply rinse them with fresh water both before and after application.  

Cleaning outdoor furniture is easy with Wet and Forget.

How to Remove Algae, Mold, and Mildew From Patio Furniture 

Once conditions are right, it’s time to start removing unsightly stains. For algae, mold, and mildew stains, it’s a straight-forward process: 

  1. Open the bottle’s flip cap 
  2. Remove the sprayer from its slot on the handle 
  3. Pull the hose tip to its full extension — about 3 feet. 
  4. Press the hose tip into the flip cap opening until you hear it click into place. 
  5. Twist the nozzle to your preferred stream or spray setting. 
  6. Thoroughly spray Wet & Forget wherever you see organic growth stains. 
  7. Let the spray dry undisturbed for at least four hours. 
  8. The next day, before anyone uses the furniture, gently rinse the furniture with water. 

This single application will work with wind and rain to gently remove stains. If a stain is particularly stubborn, consider a second application of Wet & Forget a month or so after the first. 

Depending on the humidity, available sunlight, and weather, a single application can keep furniture clean for up to a year or longer. 

How to Remove Lichen and Moss From Patio Furniture 

Due to lichens’ complex structure, removing its stains from patio furniture can require just slightly more effort. 

First, spray the surface of the lichen thoroughly until it’s soaked. After waiting 15 minutes, the outer shell should now be opened up and ready for the second application of Wet & Forget Outdoor. 

For moss, spray it until soaked to the surface it’s holding on to. Within a week or so, you should notice the moss turn brown, curl up, and fall off your furniture, where it can then be cast away by the wind and rain. 

How to Store Your Patio Furniture to Keep It Clean 

If you live in a sunny and dry climate, you may keep your furniture out indefinitely. However, for the rest of us that have to deal with, you know, weather, we may be forced to store our patio furniture to protect it. 

Even if it’s the height of summer, if rain is in the forecast, you should consider covering your furniture and bringing cushions and pillows inside. When choosing a cover, pick one made of breathable materials that allow moisture to escape. 

Before storing any furniture, make sure to brush off any loose debris like dirt or leaves. You should also wait until they’re completely dry so that lingering moisture doesn’t set off into a mildew breeding ground. 

Then place the furniture somewhere dry. If you’re covering your furniture in storage, again, choose one made from breathable fabric. 

Where Can You Find Wet & Forget Outdoor Products? 

With Wet & Forget Outdoor at your side, you can save any and all patio guests from sitting in something gross. So, pick some up today either online or at your nearest retailer.