If you’ve made an effort to beautify your patio, the last thing you want is for pollen to undermine its aesthetic appeal. Even worse, it can trigger allergic reactions in people with pollen allergies. You might be worried if this yellow dust has accumulated! But don’t fret because we’ll teach you how to clean stubborn pollen off your patio furniture!
Cleaning Stubborn Pollen
To remove stubborn pollen from your patio furniture, you should spray it with a water-and-dish-soap solution, and give it a few minutes. Then, scrub the yellow dust off with a bristled brush or coarse sponge. Rinse your patio furniture with a garden hose, and dry it. If the pollen is super stubborn, you can apply tape and remove it to lift the dust off.
How to Remove Stubborn Pollen off Your Patio: Step-By-Step Guide
It’s easy to clean pollen, even if it’s stubborn. To do that, you should:
1. Spray Your Patio Furniture
Fill a ¾ of a spray bottle with warm water. If you want to use hot water, ensure that it won’t cause your cushions’ colors to run. Then, add dish soap to create your cleaning solution.
If your patio cushions are removable, take them off your couch or chairs. This way, you can clean both sides of the cushions. If not, work with what you see. Spray your cushions with the mixture, and let it sit for a few minutes. This cleaning solution also works on iron, plastic, and wood.
2. Scrub the Pollen Deposits
Use a sponge, preferably a coarse one, or a bristled brush to scrub the dust off your cushions. Apply pressure if needed, but be extra careful around weak, torn, and ripped areas. Then, wipe the residue away with a cleaning cloth, or use a hose to rinse your patio cushions. Skip the scrubbing for anything other than cushions, and rinse the surfaces immediately.
3. Use Tape on Stubborn Pollen
This method is for particularly stubborn pollen. Wait till your cushions dry out, or use the tape method before applying water and dish soap. Stick the tape to your patio furniture, and pull it off to lift any stuck pollen.
4. Dry Your Furniture
Note that pollen and dirt are more likely to stick to wet furniture, and moisture is an excellent ground for breeding bacteria. So, don’t leave it up to the weather. Instead, run a dry cloth on your patio furniture, and place cushions in areas with the most sun exposure.
Protecting Your Patio Furniture Against Pollen
Maintaining a cleaning routine is necessary to protect your outdoor furniture and prevent the buildup of pollen. This routine should include:
Covering Your Furniture
You want to be proactive about your outdoor furniture maintenance. According to the VP of Operations at Daimer Industries, Matthew Baratta, “Covering your furniture when it isn’t in use is often the best practice.” It’s also a very low-maintenance and cheap method!
Invest in machine-washable, durable covers. You can secure them on your patio furniture and protect it from pollen, dirt, and the elements. This way, you don’t have to worry about iron rusting, wood warping, or dirt and pollen sticking to your cushions.
When the covers collect pollen, you can ask a family member or friend for help. Fold the flaps over the cover from its bottom (the closest end to the ground), and keep rolling it up.
Once you and your partner roll up the cover entirely with the pollen between its folds, lift it, and transfer it away from your patio furniture. Do so for all the patio furniture covers. Then, hose them down gently to remove the pollen, and hang them up to dry.
Pressure Washing
You should pressure-wash your outdoor furniture twice a year. If you have a pressure washer at home, it can be super effective on the most stubborn pollen spots. It’ll also eradicate dirt, debris, grime, and mildew.
Wiping and Hosing Down
You can keep dirt and pollen to a minimum with this weekly habit. Soak a sponge in warm soapy water, and wipe down all exposed surfaces with it. A garden hose can be super helpful, and you should use it to spray your patio cushions and furniture.
Beating off Pollen
Yes, you can get rid of fresh pollen by smacking cushions against each other or using a broom, tennis racket, or baseball bat. We recommend trying out this method before water-based ones, as the water can sometimes get the pollen to stick more to surfaces.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming is a great technique for wicker, removing any loose pollen particles. Also, you should follow it up by spraying it with a warm water and dish soap solution and rinsing it with water.
Applying Glass Cleaners
If you have a patio coffee table or side tables with glass, you might be unsure how to remove the layer of pollen on top of it. Make a glass cleaner by combining two cups of water and ¼ cup of vinegar. Then, spray your surfaces with the solution, and wipe them down. You’ll love how clear and streak-free your glass surfaces will be!
Final Thoughts
Overall, it’s quite easy to remove pollen from your outdoor furniture. All you need to do is apply a dish soap and water solution on your cushions. Give it a few minutes before scrubbing off the pollen layer and rinsing it with a garden hose. And we can’t forget the tape method for especially tricky pollen!