Lasting longer

Care and
cleaning

What a product tolerates depends on how it is built - and on which fabric it is made from. That is why there are two lists here: one sorted by product, one by fabric quality.

Sorting 2

Care instructions by fabric quality

Every fabric tolerates something different. Solution-dyed acrylic may see diluted bleach, velvet may not, polypropylene takes no heat. If you know which quality you have, this is the shorter route.

Applies to everything

Four ground rules of outdoor care

Whatever the product and the fabric, these four points hold. They explain most of the damage that reaches us as a complaint.

Store dry, never damp

The most common damage is not wear but mould from goods packed away damp. Cushions and sails have to be fully dry before they go into a bag.

Acting early beats cleaning hard

A fresh stain comes out with lukewarm water. The same stain after four weeks needs agents that attack the water-repellent finish.

No pressure washer

The jet forces the fibres apart and destroys the impregnation for good. A soft brush, lukewarm water and time work better.

Impregnation is a wear part

The water-repellent finish fades with every wash. When water no longer beads but soaks in, the finish needs renewing - not the fabric replacing.

Frequent questions

Frequently Asked Questions

With removable covers usually yes, at 30 degrees on a gentle cycle without fabric softener. Fixed-covered or quilted cushions do not belong in a machine, because the quilting comes apart. What always applies is the sewn-in label and the guide for your design.

Extended, on a dry day. Vacuum or brush off the loose dirt, then work from top to bottom with lukewarm water and mild soap, rinse thoroughly and let it dry completely before retracting. Fabric retracted damp goes mouldy.

On solution-dyed acrylic a heavily diluted bleach solution, on every other quality only mild cleaners and patience. Which agent your fabric tolerates is stated on the care page for that quality; the full method sits on the page about mould on outdoor textiles.

As needed rather than by the calendar. The test: put water on the dry fabric. If it beads, all is well. If it soaks in dark, the finish is spent. On goods that stay outside all year that is usually the case after two or three seasons.

Five basic marks - tub, triangle, square, circle and iron - govern washing, bleaching, drying, dry cleaning and ironing. The care symbols page explains each one, including the dots and numbers inside them.

It is the safest route but not the only one. If the cushions stay out, they need a breathable cover and a spot where no water can stand. Airtight film is the worst option, because condensation underneath never dries off.

Sources

Last reviewed: 25.08.2026 · Reviewer: Germes-Team

Optimal protection for your outdoor products

Unsure what your fabric tolerates? Tell us the quality and the stain - we will tell you what helps and what to leave alone.