Umbrella Maintenance & Care

Ideally, your umbrella should be hosed down regularly to keep it clean, and any bird-droppings or tree sap should have been removed without delay.

If umbrella maintenance has been ignored until it looks “dirty”, it can often still be successfully cleaned.

Put the shade umbrella up, in its stand, then gently tip it over until it is resting on two of its arms, so you are looking at a vertical canvas wall. Using the hose on high pressure, squirt the dirt away (even if it doesn’t look like there’s any dirt, there will be pollen and other fine dust which has settled on it). Halfway through, you will need to put the umbrella upright, turn it 180 degrees and gently tip it  again so you can get to the other side. If using a high pressure cleaner keep the nozzle at least 30cms from canvas or risk damaging canvas.

Stubborn dirt and stains on white or natural canvas may need the ‘White King’ solution. You will need a large 2 litre bottle White King, a 10 litre bucket, and a watering can. Wear old clothes, rubber gloves and be aware that this solution is not very kind to gardens or lawns. Put a cup of the bleach into the bucket, fill with water, and, using the watering can, wet the entire umbrella with this solution. Depending on how marked the umbrella is, you may need to allow this to sit for up to 2 hours (do not let it dry out). Test an area by scratching with your fingernail. If you get a grey sludge it means the bleach has loosened the dirt and/or mildew and gentle scrubbing with a scrubbing brush can commence. Finish by squirting with high pressure both inside and out to thoroughly remove all traces of the bleach. Allow umbrella to dry completely, then treat with  waterproofing compound (usually in the shoe polish aisle of supermarket). For a large umbrella you may need two cans. Allow the umbrella to dry completely before storing.

Our professional cleaning and re-proofing service is available, including pick up and delivery if needed. Contact us for more details.

Regular cleaning will ensure the maximum life of your canvas.