How to clean outdoor cushions, ottomans, headboards and recliners
To clean outdoor cushions, brush off the dirt, wash the fabric with mild soap in lukewarm water, rinse until no soap is left and let them air-dry on edge; a removable cover goes in the washing machine only if its label says so, and the foam inside never does. Ottomans, benches, headboards and recliners are cleaned like a chair: an ottoman or bench has its own price on chair cleaning, and for the pieces without a price on the form you text a photo; the prices page lists what has a fixed price. WATERFALL cleans a bench or ottoman at your home for $40: call (747) 214-6199.
How do you clean a fabric ottoman that gets a lot of use?
An ottoman takes feet, trays and spills, so clean it on a routine rather than all at once, in the order below.
A top that has darkened all over, velvet or an S tag is a job for a professional, and X fabric takes no liquid at all. WATERFALL prices a bench or ottoman as one item, per piece, on the prices page.
- find the tag under the ottoman or its lid and read its code (what W, S, W/S and X mean)
- vacuum the top, the sides and the seams weekly with the upholstery tool
- blot spills at once with a white cloth, from the edge of the mark inward; do not rub
- on W or W/S fabric, put the cleaner on the cloth, not on the ottoman, and test a hidden spot first
- clean the whole top panel, not just the mark, so it does not dry with a ring
- let it dry with air moving before trays and feet go back on it
How do you clean velvet ottomans?
Gently. Velvet shows rubbing, so brush or blot along the nap and do not scrub. Test a hidden spot first.
How do you clean an upholstered bench at the end of the bed?
Like an ottoman: find the tag underneath, vacuum the top, the sides and the seams, test the cleaner on a hidden spot, blot marks with a lightly damp cloth from the outside in, and clean the whole top so no ring is left. Let it dry with the room aired before bedding or bags go back on it; WATERFALL prices a bench like an ottoman, per piece.
Can you clean an upholstered headboard or bed frame?
Yes. Headboards are cleaned too, and the second pair on the chair cleaning page is a headboard before and after. The booking form has no price for headboards or upholstered beds, so text a photo to (747) 214-6199 and we send the price.
How do you clean an upholstered headboard in a kid's room?
Take the pillows and bedding off, then work from the top down, with less water than you think: a headboard is vertical, so water runs down into the padding.
Which products to use around children is covered in cleaning products around kids and pets. For a stain that has soaked in, text a photo to (747) 214-6199; the chair cleaning page shows a headboard WATERFALL cleaned, before and after.
- vacuum the headboard slowly with the soft brush, about weekly, and the seams and buttons with the crevice tool
- check the tag; on W or W/S fabric, put a little cleaner on a cloth, not on the headboard, and blot marks from the outside in
- wipe off residue with a barely damp cloth and let it dry with the window open or a fan on
- keep your child out of the bed until the fabric is completely dry
What can bedroom upholstery cleaning address, and what about daybeds?
Upholstery in a bedroom collects skin oils and dust at the pillow line and where people sit. A daybed, a bench and a headboard are cleaned in the same visit as a mattress. Details on mattress cleaning.
How do you clean a recliner without leaving the cushion soaked?
Keep liquid off the mechanism and wring the cloth until it is only damp, in the order below.
A reclining couch is cleaned like any couch, with the price following the seats; a single recliner has no set price on the form, so text a photo.
- unplug a power recliner first and keep liquid away from the motor, the hand control and the cables
- open the footrest and vacuum the crevices and the seat
- on W or W/S fabric, wet a microfiber cloth with the cleaner and wring it until it is only damp; never spray onto the chair
- blot from the outside of the mark inward; do not scrub
- remove residue with a second barely damp cloth, then press dry towels on the spot
- let it dry with the recliner open and air moving, and plug it back in only when everything is dry (drying times)
Can you clean upholstered barstools and counter stools?
Yes, they are small chairs. The form has no price for stools, so send a photo of one and how many you have to (747) 214-6199.
Can you clean outdoor and patio cushions?
Text first: outdoor and patio cushions are not on the booking form and have no set price. Send a photo and the count to (747) 214-6199 and we tell you what we can do.
How do you clean outdoor cushions, and can the covers be washed?
Many covers can be washed, but only when the label on the cover allows it: a zipper does not make a cover machine-washable.
Black or grey spots are a different job: see mildew and musty smells.
- take the cushions off and brush or vacuum off loose dirt and pollen
- spot-clean with a soft brush or cloth and mild soap in lukewarm water; no hard bristles, no scrubbing
- if the label allows machine washing, take the foam out, close the zipper and wash the cover on a cold, gentle cycle with a mild detergent
- rinse until no soap is left, because soap left in the fabric holds dirt
- air-dry the cover and stand the foam on edge in the shade with air moving; no dryer heat and no steamer unless the label says so
- put the cover back on and store the cushions only when both are completely dry
How do you clean Sunbrella and other outdoor fabric?
Sunbrella's own guide gives a quarter cup of mild soap in a gallon of lukewarm water, a soft brush, a thorough rinse and air-drying, and says not to use a steamer. Follow the fabric maker's care guide first, since most outdoor-fabric makers publish one, and use a cold, gentle machine cycle only for covers whose label allows it.
Clean the whole panel from seam to seam rather than one spot, so the cushion does not dry with a ring. Outdoor fabric is made to take water; the foam and the stitching inside are not, so do not soak them.
How often should outdoor pieces be cleaned, and what can professional outdoor furniture cleaning address?
Outdoor cushions collect pollen, dust and splashes, so clean them at the start of the season you use them and when they look dull. A professional cleaning takes the soil out of the fabric; it cannot repair sun-faded fabric.
Can you clean kids' upholstered chairs and play seating?
Yes. Small chairs and play seating are cleaned like any chair. Send a photo of the piece and the tag to (747) 214-6199 if you are unsure about the fabric.
Can you clean nursery gliders and rocking chairs?
Yes. A glider is an armchair with a moving base, so the fabric is cleaned and the mechanism is kept dry.
Can office armchairs be cleaned individually, and why do office chairs get dirty without a spill?
Yes, one chair at a time. Office chairs get dark from daily contact on the seat, arms and back, not only from spills.
Do you clean futons, home theater seating and couches in screening rooms?
Text a photo and the number of seats to (747) 214-6199 and we confirm. Futons and theater seating are fabric upholstery, so the cushions and arms are cleaned like a couch, and the extra arms, seams and moving parts are what to ask about.
Questions and answers
How to clean a dirty ottoman?
Vacuum it, check the tag and blot marks with a lightly damp cloth. A dirty ottoman can be cleaned at the same visit as other pieces.
How to clean an upholstered bench?
The same way as a chair: vacuum, blot and let it dry. A bench is priced like an ottoman.
How should I clean Sunbrella cushions on my patio furniture?
Follow the maker's care guide: brush off the dirt, clean with mild soap in lukewarm water and a soft brush, rinse until no soap is left and let them air-dry. Removable covers go in the machine only if their label allows it, on a cold, gentle cycle. Outdoor cushions are not on our booking form; text a photo to (747) 214-6199.
Do you clean upholstered entry benches?
Yes. An entry bench is an upholstered bench, priced per piece.
Can you clean power lift chairs?
They are chairs with a motor. Text a photo and the model to (747) 214-6199; we keep water away from the mechanism and confirm what we can do.
Can you clean fabric office chairs?
Yes, one chair at a time. Text a photo of the chair to (747) 214-6199 if the fabric is mesh or unusual.
Do you clean poolside chaise lounges?
Outdoor pieces are not on the booking form. Text a photo and the count to (747) 214-6199 and we tell you what we can do.
Can you clean upholstered headboards in kids' rooms?
Yes. A headboard is cleaned like any other; text a photo to (747) 214-6199 and we send the price.
How to clean fabric ottomans?
Vacuum, check the tag and blot marks. Velvet is brushed along the nap, not scrubbed.
Prices and booking
More guides
- Couch care: all guides
- How to clean upholstered chairs — Seat and back are cleaned chair by chair; the fabric tag decides what is safe to use.
- Sectionals, loveseats and sleeper sofas — Each piece is cleaned on all sides, cushions off, and the price follows the seat count.
- How professionals clean a couch, step by step — Check the tag, pre-treat, work in a shampoo, then pull it out with hot-water extraction and let the piece dry.
Sources: IICRC (The cleaning and restoration industry's standards body, for how professionals clean fabrics and carpet.); Sunbrella on cleaning its upholstery fabric (The fabric maker's own cleaning instructions for Sunbrella upholstery and outdoor fabric.)