Our outdoor furniture always seems to collect dust, dirt, and mold—uncomfortable things to sit on. The same goes for our patio: the light gray restoration coating we applied shows stains and grime no matter how often we rinse it. Here’s how we cleaned our patio and cushions and kept them looking fresh.
We live near the coast, where nighttime dew leaves furniture and cushions damp most mornings. Because the cushions seldom fully dry, mold and mildew find an ideal place to grow.
For years our go-to was soapy water and elbow grease. It works well on plastic surfaces, but fabric cushions are harder to clean, and mildew usually returns after a few weeks.
Because we have a toddler who climbs on everything, we were hesitant to use harsh chemical cleaners that could leave a residue.
As someone who writes about DIY and home improvement, I was interested when Concrobium Mold Solutions reached out.
They asked about our mold problems and offered to send a couple of their products to try. A week later we had them in hand.
We started with Concrobium Mold Stain Eraser to treat the furniture.
The instructions recommend pre-cleaning surfaces with a regular outdoor cleaner to remove dirt and grime, which exposes the deeper mold stains for the Mold Stain Eraser to address.
We mixed the Mold Stain Eraser in a spray bottle per the directions and applied it to the stains and surrounding areas. There was no scrubbing or rinsing required—just apply and let it dry. While it worked on the furniture, we turned to our patio.
When we restored the patio, we picked a neutral light gray to complement the furniture and the yard. It looks good, but it shows dirt and stains easily. Rinsing with a hose never removed the ingrained grime.
Concrobium’s second product, House and Deck Wash, connects directly to a garden hose, making it simple to use. A knob switches between off, water, and cleaner.
We cleared leaves and debris, sprayed the deck wash on the areas we wanted cleaned, let it sit for about five minutes, and then scrubbed with a stiff brush.
The cleaner foamed slightly, and while scrubbing we could see dirt lifting. The instructions advise rinsing before the solution dries, so we rinsed using our regular hose spray for broader coverage and higher pressure.
Our cushions were still drying, but the embedded mold stains were already fading. The patio needed to dry overnight for the full effect to be visible.
We left our son’s toy basketball hoop in place to compare treated and untreated areas, and the contrast was striking. It was surprising to see just how dirty the untreated patio had become.
With a clean patio, we also expect to track less dirt into the house.
We appreciated the chance to try both Concrobium products and plan to use them regularly. We’ll likely perform a couple more deck washings to establish a thoroughly clean baseline that will be easier to maintain.
For more information on Concrobium Mold Control and Mold Stain Eraser, visit their website.