Pet Urine on Outdoor Furniture Cushions

Your dog or cat peed on a patio cushion or outdoor pillow. This guide covers how to blot it fast, clean covers and fixed cushions the way fabric makers describe, drying, and stopping repeats.

First: blot it up fast

The AKC says: "Regardless of what your dog has peed on, your best course of action is to act fast." It warns: "Lingering scent can draw your dog back to the same area, reinforcing accidents."

Humane World for Animals says to "soak up as much of the urine as possible", and: "If possible, put the fresh, urine-soaked paper towel in your pet's designated "bathroom area.""

Sunbrella, a maker of outdoor fabric, says: "Blot (don't rub) liquid spills with a clean, dry cloth." The Carpet and Rug Institute, writing about carpet, says: "Blot liquids with a dry, white absorbent cloth or plain white paper towels (no prints or colors)."

Sunbrella adds a caveat: "While Sunbrella fabric offers excellent protection against stains, full removal is not always guaranteed if spills are not addressed promptly."

Sources: AKC, How to Get Dog Pee Out of Carpet; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery; Carpet and Rug Institute, Cleaning and Maintenance.

Check the fabric maker's care page

The steps below come from outdoor fabric makers' own care pages; check which fabric your cushions use. Sunbrella, Phifer and Bella Dura each list urine among the stains they cover, with their own treatment; we do not repeat those treatments here, so see Sunbrella's Cleaning Guide, Phifer's cleaning page and Bella Dura's cleaning chart (PDF). Outdura's stain chart also lists urine; see Outdura's Clean and Care sheet (PDF).

Removable covers

Sunbrella says: "Some removable casings can be washed in the washing machine. However, consult the furniture manufacturer before removing the casing as cushion construction may vary. To wash, first close all zippers. Machine wash in cold water on the delicate cycle with normal amounts of mild laundry detergent." It ends: "Allow fabric to air dry." Its machine washing steps include a further step we do not cover here.

To hand wash a removable cover, Sunbrella says: "Soak fabric in a solution of 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water". "Use a sponge or very soft bristle brush to lightly agitate the stain. Then rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue and allow fabric to air dry."

Source: Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery.

Cushions without removable covers

For non-removable fabric, Sunbrella says: "Prepare a solution of 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of lukewarm water". "Use a soft bristle brush to clean, allowing the cleaning solution to soak into the fabric. Rinse thoroughly to remove all residue and allow fabric to air dry." It adds: "For best results when cleaning upholstered pieces, clean the entire surface area of the fabric, from seam to seam, instead of rubbing the fabric in a circular motion on the spill. This method, along with an extractor, may be required in order to avoid water rings and residue."

Outdura says: "Prepare a mixture of cold to lukewarm water (do not exceed 100° F) and mild soap. Rub in mixture with a soft brush and allow the mixture to thoroughly soak into the fabric. Rinse well with water and air dry. Do not machine dry."

Bella Dura says: "Make a cleaning solution of 1 part mild detergent to 10 parts water and apply on stained area." Then: "Rinse thoroughly with clear water to remove soapy residue." "Blot clean with dry cloth to remove excess moisture." "Allow to completely air dry."

Phifer says: "Dip your cloth, sponge, or scrub brush into your cleaning solution. Don't pour it on."

Sources: Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery; Outdura, Clean and Care (PDF); Bella Dura, Caring for Bella Dura Fabrics; Phifer, How to Clean Outdoor Furniture Fabric.

What the fabric makers say to avoid

Sunbrella: "Avoid scrubbing, hard bristle brushes or any other abrasive cleaning method. Sunbrella should only be allowed to air dry." And: "DO NOT use a steamer or an iron set to the steam setting."

Outdura: "Never dry clean Outdura fabrics." And: "Never use a steamer on Outdura fabrics."

Bella Dura: "never use a stiff bristled or wire brush as they will damage the fabric."

On urine in general, Humane World for Animals says: "Avoid using steam cleaners to clean urine odors from carpet or upholstery. The heat will permanently set the stain and the odor by bonding the protein into any man-made fibers." It also says: "Avoid cleaning chemicals such as ammonia or vinegar. Strong chemical odors may encourage your pet to reinforce the urine scent mark in that area."

Sources: Sunbrella; Outdura; Bella Dura; Humane World for Animals.

If urine soaked into the foam

No source we checked covers urine that has soaked through the cover into the foam or filling inside a cushion. On removable covers, Sunbrella says to "consult the furniture manufacturer before removing the casing as cushion construction may vary."

Source: Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery.

Drying fully

Phifer says: "Allow your furniture ample airflow while it dries." And: "Stand cushions on their side while they dry and turn them as necessary to allow them to dry evenly and completely." It warns: "Fabric that remains damp for long periods of time is more likely to cause mold and mildew."

Sunbrella says: "Sunbrella fabrics do not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances if not removed from the fabric." Its page has further mold and mildew steps that we do not cover here. No source we checked says whether drying cushions in direct sun helps with urine smell; Sunbrella, Outdura and Bella Dura say to air dry.

Sources: Phifer, How to Clean Outdoor Furniture Fabric; Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery.

Why pets go back to the same cushion

Humane World for Animals says: "As long as your pet can smell their personal scent, they may continue to return to the "accident zone."" It advises: "Once the area is clean, make it unattractive and/or unavailable to your pet and make the appropriate bathroom area attractive."

On dogs that mark, the AKC says: "Even though you might not be able to smell it, they will be able to and this will continue to draw them to that area." No source we checked covers keeping pets off outdoor furniture specifically.

On cats, the ASPCA says: "Urine marks are usually deposited on vertical surfaces." It describes a spraying cat: "a cat usually backs up to a vertical object like the side of a chair, a wall or a stereo speaker". No source we checked covers cats marking outdoor furniture.

Humane World for Animals also says: "If your pet is having regular accidents, have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes."

For more on repeat spots, see why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot. If the smell returns after cleaning, see pet urine smell came back. For indoor fabric, see dog pee smell in a couch and pet urine on curtains. If the deck or yard smells too, see dog pee on a wood deck, why your yard smells like dog pee and dog pee on artificial turf.

Sources: Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; AKC, Curbing the Issue of Dog Marking; ASPCA, Urine Marking in Cats.

Related guides

• How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of a Couch
• Dog Pee on a Wood Deck: Cleaning and Smell
• Why Does My Yard Smell Like Dog Pee?
• Why Do Dogs and Cats Keep Peeing in the Same Spot?
• Pet Urine Smell Came Back After Cleaning: Why and What to Do
• Pet Urine on Curtains and Drapes: How to Clean Them

Sources: Sunbrella, Clean Sunbrella Upholstery; Sunbrella Cleaning Guide; Outdura, Clean and Care (PDF); Phifer, How to Clean Outdoor Furniture Fabric; Bella Dura, Caring for Bella Dura Fabrics; Bella Dura, Fabric and Fiber Cleanability (PDF); Carpet and Rug Institute, Cleaning and Maintenance; AKC, How to Get Dog Pee Out of Carpet; AKC, Curbing the Issue of Dog Marking; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; ASPCA, Urine Marking in Cats; Pet Cleanup Kit product listing. All checked 28 October 2026.