Now that summer is here, it’s time to start getting ready for outdoor entertaining. If you have patio cushions, the last thing you want to do is put them in the dryer and risk damaging their shape or ruining them entirely. Instead try these five simple tips for drying your patio cushion without a dryer!.

The “how long does it take for outdoor cushions to dry” is a question that many people ask themselves. There are 5 ways to dry your patio cushions, and they will take different amounts of time.

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If you have patio furniture outside your house, there’s a good chance the cushions have been rained on, or you’ve cleaned them and they’re now sopping wet.

Whatever the situation may be, if you find yourself with damp cushions, it might be tough to determine what the best course of action is for drying them. After all, your cushions are unlikely to fit in a standard-sized dryer, and the material is unlikely to keep up well in one.

Fortunately, there are a few techniques you may use to thoroughly dry your drenched cushions, and that is precisely what this article seeks to assist you with. Continue reading to discover how to dry those cushions so you may enjoy your patio furniture once again.

1 – Taking Care of Your Cushions

It’s critical to dry off your damp patio furniture cushions as soon as possible, since germs and mold might form in them if you wait too long. This might possibly destroy your cushions, forcing you to toss them out and lose money.

Most patio furniture cushions are composed of foam, thus this post will explain how to dry cushions made of this material. Make careful to remove the fabric coverings off the cushions before attempting to dry them. These may be placed into the dryer.

You could also wash your cushions before drying them out if they are already developing mold or if they are damp due to a spill of some type.

To remove filth or a stain, toss them in the bathtub, fill it with warm water and dish soap, and compress the foam cushions. After cleaning the cushions, properly rinse them to remove the soap.

2 – The Sun and the Wind

Allowing your damp patio furniture cushions to lay in the sun with a natural wind on them is one method to dry them out. If you choose this way, make sure it’s not too humid outdoors, otherwise your cushions will never be entirely dry.

This procedure works best if you shake or wring out as much moisture as possible from the cushions before placing them out to dry in bright sunshine. To speed up the drying process, turn the cushions over every couple of hours.

Foam takes a long time to dry out, so don’t be concerned if your cushions are still damp after many hours in the sun.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you leave your cushions out in the sun for too long, the UV rays may cause the material to break down.

3 – Make use of a fan

Aside from using the wind and fresh air outside to dry your cushions, you may also place them in front of a fan or two within your house, or put up a few fans outside. If you do decide to utilize this approach inside, do it in your bathroom since your cushions may have water trickling from them.

Before you set up your fan or fans, spread the cushions out on towels on your bathroom floor or in your bathtub, and then cover them with a large towel. To get some moisture out of the cushions, push down on the towel with all of your weight.

For the greatest results, repeat this technique a few times. In front of a fan, the more water you push out of the cushions, the quicker they will dry.

4 – Automobile Hood

Cars are drawn to the sun because they are constructed of metal, as you may have seen. As a result, you may place your cushions on the hood of your vehicle to allow the sun to dry them out more quickly.

Before placing your cushions on your hood, wring them out or push down on them many times, like with the previous ways, to let the water to evaporate more rapidly.

Naturally, this strategy works best during the summer months, when there is plenty of sunshine. It also works better if you have a darker-colored car.

Make sure you put a cloth below the cushions so you don’t scratch the paint or metal of your automobile.

5 – Make use of gel packs

If your cushions are still damp after using one of the aforementioned drying techniques, you may always use some dehumidifying gel packs to help.

Simply insert each cushion in its own bag, along with some of the gel packs, and close each bag tightly but not too tightly. Place the bags holding your cushions in a dry, warm location, and check on them a few days later to see whether they are completely dry.

Wait a day and inspect them again if there is still moisture in them. You may keep doing this until they’re completely dry.

What to Avoid

When it comes to caring for your outdoor furniture cushions, there are a few things you should never do. If you want to keep your cushions in good shape, pay attention to the instructions below.

1 – Make use of a hair dryer

You should never try to dry your cushions with a hair drier, at least not if you are using hot rather than cold air. Using one for this purpose might cause harm to your cushions since the air that comes out of them is usually fairly hot.

2 – Allow Sit to Sit

You should not keep your cushions wet for an extended period of time, nor should you leave them on the furniture and cover them believing they will dry on their own, as they will not.

If you wait too long to dry your cushions, the possibility of mold and germs forming within them increases dramatically, and you’ll have to properly clean them before drying them.

Also, if your cushions already have dirt or stains on them, the longer you leave them unclean, the more difficult it will be to clean them properly. If you wait too long to address the problem, you may have to chuck them away.

That is why it is critical to dry your pillows as soon as you realize they have been damp. It’s easy to put off drying, but you’ll thank yourself later if you get started right away.

3 – Heat Directly

It is not a good idea to set your pillows on on a heater since this can destroy them. More significantly, this is a risky approach since it might result in a fire.

Preventative Actions

There are various strategies to assist avoid your patio furniture cushions from being drenched in the first place, believe it or not. This section will go through the many strategies you may use to do this.

1 – Bring everything inside

When your patio furniture isn’t in use, it’s a good idea to store the cushions inside your garage, shed, or home. This will protect them from becoming wet or otherwise harmed in the harsh environment for obvious reasons.

If you don’t want to bring your cushions inside every time you’re not using them, you may at least protect your furniture and cushions from rain by placing them under a tree or other sort of cover.

If you want to use your patio furniture set for more than a year, you should keep not just your cushions but also your whole patio furniture set inside and away from the harsh, freezing weather throughout the winter months.

2 – Use a spray to treat

You may use a fabric protector spray right after you acquire your patio furniture to keep your cushions in great shape. You may also apply the spray on a yearly basis.

It should not only help protect your cushions from water, but it should also help them live longer.

3 – Covered with a Waterproof Membrane

You may cover your outdoor furniture cushions with a waterproof cover or even plastic, which you can keep on all of the time or slide on while you are not using your patio furniture.

This is a highly efficient way to keep your pillows from getting wet when it rains. It will also assist them remain in excellent condition for a longer amount of time by preventing them from becoming uncomfortably damp.

Last Thoughts

As you can see, there are a variety of options for drying wet foam cushions. You will ultimately have entirely dry cushions that you can put back on your patio furniture if you keep the recommendations discussed throughout this article in mind as you make your way through the drying process and if you practice patience.

The “how long does it take for sunbrella cushions to dry” is a question that has been asked many times. Here are 5 simple ways to dry your patio cushions quickly.

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