HELP YOUR PATIO UMBRELLA LAST LONGER

It’s summertime! Get ready for cookouts on the patio, lounging by a fire, and dozing away afternoons on your beautiful and comfortable patio furniture. But with sunny summer days comes the need for shade, which is where your trusty patio umbrella will come in handy.

However, if you’ve left your umbrella out during the frigid months of winter and the rainy aftermath of spring, you may find it a little worse for wear when you pop it open again. Rain and hail damage can poke holes in the canvas, mould and mildew can leave a particular odour, and sunlight exposure can wash out your umbrella’s beautiful colour.

Summer is our favourite time of the year, and we want you to enjoy your patio to the fullest. By following these easy cleaning tips, you can keep your umbrella working and looking great for many more seasons to come!

BRUSH IT OFF

The first thing you need to do when you start cleaning your umbrella is to brush off any dust or dirt it has attracted since it’s been outside. Do this using a soft bristle brush or cleaning rag.

It’s important to do this task first because rinsing first can create mud that sticks to the canopy, opening a whole new avenue of problems that can affect your umbrella’s overall lifespan.

LATHER IT UP & HOSE ‘ER DOWN

Once all the dirt and dust has been brushed off, the next step is to give it a deep clean using soap and water. Please avoid using any heavy-duty cleaners on your canopy. The chemicals inside these products can wear out the canvas, reducing its durability and washing out the colour. These chemicals can also harm the colour and quality of the umbrella’s frame or base.

Instead, all you need to do is use lukewarm water and a little bit of dish soap. This helps clean away any mould or mildew that may have built up over time, leaving your umbrella with an unpleasant odour. Let the soap and water soak in for a few minutes before you rinse it off.

Finally, simply hose the canopy until all the suds are off.

LET IT DRY

The very last step is to set the umbrella up to dry for a little while. If you have a bright summer day to let it dry in, all you have to do is sit back, relax, and let the sun do all the work. 

PACKING IT AWAY

If you really want to extend your patio umbrella’s lifespan, the best thing to do is to pack it away when you’re not using it. 

Ensure the canvas is dry before you store it away as excess water can lead to mould and mildew development. Keep the canvas in a dry area like a garage or an attic, and store your poles and base in a similar area to help them last longer. When the sun comes back out, you’ll enjoy your patio and umbrella without any problems!

SIT BACK & ENJOY!

The whole cleaning process takes about 30 minutes to an hour to do, and only needs to be done once per year.

And voila, you’re done! If you’re in the market to buy a new patio umbrella, please don’t hesitate to visit our team at PatioLine. We can help find the right umbrella to match your patio and we can walk you through our incredible selection of accessories to really make your patio stand out among the rest.