Patio umbrellas are your best friend when you want to spend time outside. They stand by you, through thick and thin, giving you shade and solace from the harsh sunlight. Not just that but patio umbrellas are a live saver when you wish to enjoy the rain without getting soaking wet. Since patio umbrellas do a lot for you, it is important that you give back to them. Keep them clean. If you take care of your patio umbrellas and keep them clean from time to time, they can last you for a long time.
However, you must learn how to clean your patio umbrellas in the right way so that the fabric stays in its original state for as long as possible. To help you learn the right way to really clean your patio umbrella, here is a step-by-step guide:
Step By Step Guide to Clean Patio Umbrella Canopies
You may think it is simple to clean a patio umbrella but there are some things you must be careful of so that you don't end up damaging the fabric. Follow this guide to clean your patio umbrella canopies:
Things You Require
- Brush (Soft-bristled)
- Water Bucket
- Spray Bottle
- Pieces of Cloth
- Water Hose
- Laundry Detergent
- Chlorine Bleach
- White Vinegar
- Dishwashing Liquid
Steps to Follow
Step 1: For the first step you must remove the fabric or if it is unremovable, you must get it out of direct sunlight so that you can clean it easily and the fabric is unaffected.
Step 2: The next step is to remove any loose dirt from the fabric. You must first remove the loose dirt before getting the canopy wet. To clean the loose dirt, you will have to use a soft-bristled brush so that you can easily brush off the dirt without pushing it into the fabric. Using a hard brush can do that and it will then make it difficult for you to clean the fabric. If you do not have a soft-bristled brush you can also use a vacuum as a substitute.
Step 3: Once you have cleaned the patio umbrella canopy with a dry brush you need to move to make a cleaning solution. There are multiple ways you can make the solution but one of the best ways is using 1/4 cup of the laundry detergent and mixing it with a bucket of lukewarm water. If you do not have laundry detergent you can also substitute it with dishwashing liquid but it is best to use laundry detergent as it is better for the canopy fabric.
Step 4: Wet the canopy with the cleaning solution and use a soft-bristled brush to scrub the canopy. Use circular motions to scrub away the stains and other dirt on the canopy. If there are stains on your umbrella canopy, you must scrub for longer and the stains should come off on their own. If the stains are stubborn, you can leave the solution on it and wait for 10-20 minutes. The enzymes in the cleaning solution will work to break down the stains and then you can scrub them away.
Step 5: Once you have gotten rid of all the stains and dirt you need to rinse out all the cleaning solution from the fabric. To do that you can use a hose that has a sprayer and easily shower it to remove the entire residue. If you do not rinse out the fabric, you might be left with the soapy fabric and it can cause the fabric to rot or catch mold.
After cleaning the patio umbrella canopy thoroughly, you must make sure the fabric dries out completely. To dry the fabric, you can mount it back on the umbrella stand and keep it in direct sunlight.
When cleaning your patio umbrella fabric, it is important to understand that different fabrics have different cleaning requirements, it is important to clean the fabric according to its needs to make sure it stays in mint condition.
How to Clean Terylast Canopies?
Since the Terylast fabric is made of heavy-duty polyester, it is important that you use the right protocol to clean it so that you don't end up damaging the fabric. Here are some important things to keep in mind:
- Using bleach might not be the best option when cleaning your Terylast umbrella canopy.
- If the stains are stubborn, you can use a detergent solution and put it on the stains so that you can scrub them off easily. But it is best to use cotton to dab the stains with a cleaning solution. You can leave it on for a maximum of 15 minutes.
- When drying the fabric, do not ring out the excess water but press down with a cloth or let the fabric air dry.
- You can also use an oxygen-based brightener to make sure that your fabric retains color.
How to Clean Sunbrella Canopies?
Sunbrella is an acrylic fabric and you must clean it accordingly to retain its shape. Typically, the cleaning process is similar to the way you would normally clean a Sunbrella canopy but here are some things that you must be mindful of when cleaning the canopy:
- Do not use a strong detergent as that can harm the fabric and cause its color to fade.
- If there is mildew growth then you must spray the fabric with a cleaning solution made with bleach and mild detergent.
- Rinse the fabric thoroughly so that you can remove the bleach completely otherwise, it can ruin the fabric.
- Do not machine dry your Sunbrella canopies, they dry quickly which is why it is best to let the fabric air dry.
Using the tips mentioned above you can easily clean your patio umbrella's canopy and ensure that the fabric stays in the best shape. MidtownUmbrellas gives you the highest quality fabric featuring both Sunbrella and Terylast!
