Pick up one of your patio cushions and give it a sniff. If there's a musty smell, or dark speckling across the fabric, that's not surface dirt. That's mildew that has been growing in the foam since the last wet season.
Most people reach for the hose at that point. It rarely works, because the damage builds up over seasons and one quick pass won't shift it.
So how much does outdoor cushion cleaning cost once you hand it to a professional? Here's what we charge in San Francisco, and how to tell whether your cushions are worth it.
Outdoor Cushion Cleaning Prices
Cushions are priced by the piece, based on size and condition. Our patio cushion cleaning and storage service covers San Francisco and Marin County, from Pacific Heights and the Marina to Noe Valley and the Sunset, with pickup and delivery across the Bay Area.
Heavy mildew, pet accidents and fabric protector are quoted once we've seen the cushions.
What a typical patio costs
Add pickup from $99 if you'd rather not drive to San Rafael yourself.
Prices shown are starting prices. Final pricing depends on cushion size, fabric, condition and any additional treatment required. Pickup and other applicable services are charged separately.
Why Cushions Aren't Cleaned at Your House
Patio cushions are cleaned at our San Rafael facility, not on your deck.
A cushion needs spot treatment, several passes and a controlled drying room, and none of that fits in a van. Even our high-powered in-home equipment isn't enough for this job. Getting a cushion dry all the way through the foam is most of the work, and it's what finally kills the musty smell.
That's also why the price includes things a hose never does: fabric testing, pre-treatment for mildew and droppings, hot water extraction with as many passes as it takes, full drying, and a fresh coat of water-repellent fabric protector before everything gets wrapped.
Turnaround is usually 14 to 21 days. You get a return date when we collect them.
What about pressure washing or the washing machine?
Both are tempting, and both can cost you more than the clean would have.
A pressure washer drives water deep into the foam, which is the exact thing that causes the musty smell in the first place. On printed polyester it can also strip the pattern straight off.
Washing machines are a gamble too. Some covers zip off and survive a cold, gentle cycle, but heat is the enemy. Olefin and polypropylene shrink in hot water, and a hot dryer will leave the surface shiny and flattened. Once a cover has shrunk, it won't go back over the foam.
And neither method touches the foam inside, which is where the smell actually lives.
What Changes the Price
Mildew that's gone deep. Surface growth cleans off at the standard rate. Mildew that has been living in the foam for seasons needs more treatment time, so it's quoted separately.
Bird droppings and pet accidents. These get treated separately from general soil, and pet urine and odor removal is priced on top.
Your fabric. Sunbrella and solution-dyed acrylic have the color running right through the fiber, so they handle a thorough clean. Printed polyester has the pattern sitting on the surface, so it needs a gentler touch. Olefin and polypropylene hate heat, since hot water will shrink them or leave the surface shiny and flattened. Unlabeled cushions get tested first.
Size. A daybed cushion is a lot more fabric than a chair pad, which is why it starts at more than double.
Is It Worth Cleaning, or Should You Just Buy New Covers?
Sometimes new covers cost less than cleaning. Better to know that before you book.
Cleaning usually handles: embedded dirt, dust and pollen, mold and mildew growth, food and drink spills, bird droppings and pet accidents, and musty, stale smells.
Cleaning won't fix: sun fading (the color is gone, not covered), mildew staining that has permanently altered the fiber, fabric gone thin or brittle from years of UV, foam that no longer holds its shape, or failed zippers, seams and piping.
Mildew growth comes off. The stain it leaves behind often doesn't, because it sits inside the fiber rather than on top of it. Fading works the same way. Cleaning can't put the color back, though it does lift the dull grey layer of soil sitting over it, so cushions usually look brighter afterwards regardless.
Commercial Patios, Rooftops and HOAs
We also clean outdoor cushions for restaurant patios, hotel terraces, rooftop decks, HOA common areas and apartment amenity spaces, working around service hours so a patio isn't out of use during business. Larger accounts can run on a schedule, so cushions get cleaned before the season instead of when someone complains. Tell us the piece count and location through our commercial programs and we'll quote the job.
What Does Cushion Storage Cost?
Most homes here have no garage and nowhere sensible to keep patio cushions through the wet months.
Storage is 10% of your total cleaning cost per month. So if your cleaning comes to $336, storage runs about $34 a month. Leave them with us for five wet-season months and that's roughly $170.
We clean them, dry them fully, wrap them and hold them. When the weather turns, they come back ready to use. You don't see them again until you want them.
4 Ways to Keep the Cost Down
- Do the whole patio at once. The $85 minimum and the pickup fee cover the trip either way, so a couple of throw pillows on their own is poor value.
- Clean once a year, usually at the end of the wet season. One season of buildup is far easier to shift than three.
- Don't scrub printed fabric. The pattern lifts right off, and that's damage no cleaning can undo.
- Ask about protector. The factory water-repellent finish wears off after a few seasons. Putting it back slows how fast soil settles into the fibers again.
Worth Cleaning, or Time to Replace?
We’ll help you determine whether cleaning your outdoor cushions is worthwhile or if replacing the covers is the better option.
Bringing the indoor furniture back to life too? Our upholstery and furniture cleaning is done in your home, and you'll find every service on our pricing page.
