I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, whether or not you celebrated the Easter holiday.  We had a wonderful time full of family, Easter eggs and bunnies, games and great food.  The weather could not have been any better.  Spring has officially sprung in the DC Metro area….

image via NBC

With the warm temperatures over the weekend….we enjoyed appetizers and conversation on the deck on Saturday afternoon.  Unfortunately, our outdoor furniture needs a little sprucing….and there is no time like the present.  So, I am hoping to address our furniture cushions this afternoon while Miss Maddie naps.

image via Decorpad

For good instructions on how to best care for your outdoor cushions, Sunbrella® has great instructions here.  For this life of me, I am not sure what classifies as “mild soap” vs. detergent.  So, I usually just use water.  For our lounge chairs and ottoman, I remove the fabric from the cushion inserts and run through the delicate cycle in my washing (front load) machine–using only water.  I then allow the material to dry completely in the sun.

For my outdoor dining table cushions, which do not remove, I lay them out on the patio by the pool and spray them off well with the hose, using a large brush on any especially dirty spots.  (Note, bringing your cushions inside at the end of the season or covering them with waterproof covers keeps them from getting too grungy.)

After all of the cushions are clean and completely dry, I’ll treat them with 303 High Tech Fabric Guard.  You may be able to find this product locally at patio, auto supply or marine stores…..I took the easy route and ordered it online here.

Doing the above annually will extend the longevity of your outdoor cushions and will keep your outdoor spaces looking as good as those that are no doubt inside your home.  I’ll post pictures once our deck and patio are all spiffed up.