How to Remove Mold from Outdoor Wood Furniture

Outdoor wood furniture should be cleaned a couple times a year, especially at the beginning and end of the warm season when it gets the most use. Follow these guidelines to remove mold and mildew from outdoor wooden furniture.

Tips for Maintaining Outdoor Wooden Furniture

• Store in a dry place during the winter or rainy months.
• When cleaning, never mix chlorine bleach and ammonia-based cleaners which creates a dangerous chlorine gas
• Expensive or antique furniture may need to be treated by professionals, especially if the mold and mildew growth is extensive.

Step 1 - Dry Out Furniture Before Cleaning

Since mold is caused by too much moisture, there’s a good chance mold-infested furniture will be damp. Dry out by sitting in direct sunlight for several hours before starting to clean.

Step 2 - Prepare for Cleaning

Bleach can damage plants and poison small animals. Find a place to clean your furniture (like on concrete or on top of a tarp) that won’t kill vegetation or pets. Keep pets and small children inside while cleaning. The smaller, younger animals and humans are especially susceptible to chemical products. Mix up a cleaning mixture of water, bleach and dish soap or detergent, that is about 10 % bleach and 90% water with several drops of gentle soap. If you prefer not to use beach, rubbing alcohol can be substituted for bleach; however, rubbing alcohol and water should be mixed 50/50 before adding the several drops of soap.

Step 3 - Dry Scrub

Before getting the furniture wet, scrub down with a dry scrub brush first. Don’t forget to scrub on the underside of the furniture since the underside rarely gets sunlight and is more susceptible to mold. The dry scrubbing will get rid of any debris and dirt first, so that it’s easier to see the mold, and so that the dirt and debris isn’t rubbed into the furniture.

Step 4 - Rinse with Water

Rinse down with a garden hose with attached nozzle or pressure washer to remove the mold particles that have been rubbed off with the dry brush. Don’t forget to rinse the undersides as well.

Step 5 - Scrub with Bleach Mixture

Fill a spray bottle with the bleach, water and soap and spray down the outdoor furniture from top to bottom and on the underside as well. If dealing with painted wooden furniture, scrub lightly or use a sponge so that the paint doesn’t begin to chip. For unpainted furniture, scrub heavily, dipping the brush in the bleach, water and soap mixture as needed.

Step 6 - Rinse and Dry

Rinse down with the garden hose. Repeat scrubbing down if mildew still remains. After all the mold has been removed, leave out in the sun to dry completely before placing in position.

Keep your outdoor furniture mold-free and ready for use by cleaning regularly.