Textiles and their manufacturing process are quite varied and complex. Fabrics are tailored for the environment where they will live and the typical stains they might encounter. While indoor fabrics will likely see stains from spills of food/drink or pet stains, an exterior fabric will face a totally different set of challenges. Outdoor fabrics are exposed to the weather including UV, rain, humidity changes, heat and cold. These conditions require a totally different design process than indoor fabrics. Outdoor fabrics are built with a robust range of protections against fading from UV, staining from mold/mildew/dirt, and with water repellency. Typically, these protections allow for a more aggressive cleaner to be used to address the dirt, mold, and mildew that are sure to come if you leave your fabrics out in the elements.    Brands like Sunbrella have years of experience in the manufacture of outdoor fabrics. Their years of Research & Development, Manufacturing & Testing have led them to provide a very specific cleaning code for each of their fabrics. These codes tie into industry standards that help you evaluate if you have a fabric that is dry clean only, bleach cleanable, or wet and solvent cleanable. These designations are critical in knowing which cleaning product is right for your fabric.For this reason, if you know the manufacturer and name of your outdoor fabric, your should look up the cleaning guidance on the manufacturers website. If you don't have that detail available, you should check your fabric for the manufacturer's tag to see if they have specified a proper cleaning method. If neither of these options is available, you should test any cleaning product on a very small spot on the fabric in an inconspicuous area to make sure that it retains its color once the cleaner is used and rinsed off. If your test spot shows any signs of the color changing in the cleaned area, you should not use that cleaner as it is not compatible with your fabric.  Just like cleaning your stained clothing, outdoor fabrics require due diligence to learn about the fabric and the right method for cleaning. Finding the right cleaner for your situation is an important step to not be missed.