Removing black 'ink like' dots from outdoor pillows & cushions

Question

I have tiny black 'ink like' dots all over my outdoor pillows & cushions that are on my front porch.  My husband thinks they come from spiders.  I've tried regular spray cleaners and they won't come out.  Any ideas what might work?

Chris Grube · Answer

think those. spots are mold  from dampness over nite

Donna F · Answer

Help on spots on cushions & pillows!

Rochelle · Answer

It could be mold or maybe fly poop? I would use a toothbrush and toothpaste (not the gel, and make sure it's white). I seem to have good luck with this. Add a little baking soda if needed. If the stains stick, maybe try a bleach Pen if the fabric will tolerate it.

Donna F · Answer

Thank you Rochelle, I will try that tomorrow

Shari · Answer

Looks like little spots of mold/mildew to me. I would try a product called 'Wet & Forget Outdoor.' I think I initially read about this product here on Home Tallk. In the spring of 2014, we tried it for the first time on the vinyl siding on our daughter's house, and our concrete patio. The north side of daughter's house was covered with green algae and our patio had black and yellow algae. In the past, the algae was always quick to come back after just pressure washing but after these surfaces were treated with Wet & Forget, it actually kept the mold/mildew at bay for almost a full year. We used it again this past spring and will continue to do so every spring now that we have experienced first-hand how well it works. It can also be used safely on outdoor cushions as it contains no bleach, and you don't have to scrub or rinse. You just spray it on and it 'does its thing' all by itself and keeps working with the help of wind and rain for up to a year! We bought it at Lowes. http://www.wetandforget.com/product_wet_and_forget_outdoor.html

Funnygirl · Answer

Lowes sells a spray for mildew that does not contain bleach.not sure what's in it,but works great!

B. Enne · Answer

It sounds like spider poop, and some things make it worse...Sometimes Magic Erasers work. Universal Stone cleaner works. I found these for you, but I don't know if they work. http://www.colonialpest.com/how-to-clean-up-spider-droppings/ http://www.dropoffcleaner.com/ http://www.houzz.com/discussions/857789/ugh-how-can-i-clean-spider-droppings-off-my-house-and-railings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnKWi6kGlnMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naUqSQJ1RL8 http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2400238/spider-poop http://jadz.com/2011/11/11/cleaning-spider-poop/ http://ask.metafilter.com/226584/Its-a-spider-poop-remover-AND-a-dessert-topping http://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/spider-poop-wont-wash-off-my-siding.56117/

Linda · Answer

We live in SW Florida right on the water. Mold and mildew is a constant here. If the outdoor products are colorfast (many are - some ARE NOT, so test on an inconspicuous area first), try this; Mix 2 quarts of water with 1 quart of bleach and 1/4 cup of dawn dish soap. Mix well. Brush it on the pillows and cushions repeatedly for a few minutes. The bubbles in the Dawn help to hold the bleach on the fabric. The spots will most likely disappear before your eyes. Then rinse very thoroughly to get rid of all trace of the bleach. WARNING; Doing this too often will weaken the thread in the products and eventually it will cause the thread to begin to fail. Nonetheless, there is no other way to get rid of mold that we denizens of the deep south know of.

If the stains are not mold or mildew, try a product called 'Awesome' cleaner (the gold colored one). It is available at Dollar Tree stores and does remove black streaks and stains of some kinds very well.

Dobi · Answer

we just got a outside patio set to put on our patio and I have noticed some stuff on it as well, the cushion covers are removable, I was going to wash them in the washing machine. The material is washable, so I can wipe them down, hopefully I don't ruin them!

Removing black "ink like" dots from outdoor pillows & cushions

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