Should You Spray Scotchgard on your New Sunbrella or Agora Squabs?

You’ve just taken delivery of your gorgeous new Outside Space outdoor lounge furniture. The sleek, powdercoated aluminium frames look stunning on the deck, and you can’t wait to invite loved ones over and fire up the BBQ.

Naturally, you want to keep your new investment looking pristine against the harsh New Zealand sun, unpredictable weather, and, of course, food and other stains.

This brings up a very common question from our customers:

“Should I spray Scotchgard on my new Sunbrella or Agora squabs?”

The Short Answer: No!

Save your money and put down the spray can. You should not spray aftermarket stain repellents (like 3M Scotchgard) onto brand-new Sunbrella or Agora outdoor cushions.

Here are the two simple reasons why your new lounge suite doesn’t need it.

2 Reasons Why It’s Unnecessary for New Fabric

• Built-in Factory Protection: Both Sunbrella and Agora fabrics are premium, marine-grade textiles. They are manufactured with a high-performance, proprietary fluorocarbon finish right out of the box. This gives them top-tier water, stain, and UV resistance from day one.
  
• Waste of Product (and Money): Adding an aftermarket spray to a new cushion is redundant. The fabric’s existing barrier is so effective that a new spray won’t even absorb properly—it will just sit on the surface, pool up, and go to waste.
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When Should You Apply a Protector?

While the factory finish is incredibly durable, it isn’t permanent. Over a few years of heavy Kiwi weathering, regular use, or after a rigorous deep clean (especially if you’ve had to use bleach to shift stubborn spots), that protective layer will eventually start to degrade.

Not sure if your lounge suite needs a top-up? Try The Water Droplet Test:

1. Pour a few drops of clean water onto your outdoor squab.
2. If the water beads up and rolls off: The factory finish is still doing its job perfectly. Leave it alone!
3. If the water slowly soaks into the fabric: The original finish has worn off, and it is finally time to reapply a fabric protector.

What to Use When the Time Comes

While standard 3M Scotchgard is fantastic for everyday outdoor gear, Sunbrella and Agora fabrics have specific chemical compositions. When your squabs eventually need a water-repellency top-up after a few summers, we recommend using this industry-approved product instead:

303 Sunbrella Fabric Guard: This is the gold-standard alternative. It is historically endorsed by premium outdoor fabric manufacturers for restoring maximum water and stain repellency. Can be purchased at Burnsco!

Pro-Tip for the Future: If you do end up treating your cushions a few years down the road, make sure the fabric is 100% clean and completely dry before applying any protectant. If you spray it while it’s damp or dusty, you’ll just end up sealing the dirt in!

For now, just sit back, relax, and enjoy your new Outside Space NZ furniture—it’s already fully prepared to handle whatever the Kiwi summer throws at it.

Kerry is the co-owner of Outside Space NZ, offering a range of contemporary outdoor furniture and sun umbrellas for coastal living kiwis seeking premium quality outdoor products and design at achievable prices.