No matter what the season is, spending time with your good friends or family on the patio in beautiful weather is definitely a great way to relax, especially for outdoor parties in the summer, which is certainly thanks to your patio umbrella that helps you keep the hot sun out and keep you cool.
But while your patio umbrella is taking the worry out of your life and making it enjoyable, it is also taking a lot of "damage". Over time, your outdoor umbrella will begin to get dirty and slowly lose its beautiful appeal. There are many outdoor elements that can cause "damage" to your patio umbrella, including dirt, dust, pollen, mold, and even bird droppings. And by being exposed to the elements (sun, rain, snow, etc.). Even if you have a fancy fabric umbrella, such as a spun or sun umbrella, that prevents fading and mildew, it will still accumulate dirt, mud, animal droppings and more.
So cleaning your patio umbrella is inevitable. Fortunately, cleaning your outdoor patio umbrella is a simple task that, if done properly, can improve the life of your umbrella.
In this article, we will show you how to clean your outdoor patio umbrella so that it looks almost brand new. Let's get started.
Outdoor Patio Umbrella Cleaning Equipment
Tools
- Tarp
- Water Hose & Bucket
- Sponge or Soft Bristle Brush
- Soft Bristle Broom or Vacuum
Cleaning Agents
- Warm Water
- White Vinegar
- Dish Soap
How to Clean a Outdoor Patio Umbrella
1、Disassemble and place your outdoor umbrella
First, place the tarp on a flat surface and make sure it is free of any dirt or dust particles.
Once your tarp is in place, remove the umbrella fabric from the pole holder and place it on top of the tarp. Use your soft bristle broom or vacuum to sweep off any loose dirt, twigs, etc. from the fabric.
If you are not sure if the bristles of your broom are soft enough, we recommend using a vacuum to prevent pushing loose particles further into the fabric.
2、Making the cleaning solution
Next, make the cleaning solution for cleaning your outdoor patio umbrella.
It is best to prepare two buckets. One bucket is made by diluting mild detergent/laundry detergent with warm water to make cleaning solution. The other bucket mixes equal parts of warm water and white vinegar, which is mainly used to treat mold or mildew stains. But make sure you don't use any high strength soaps or detergents as they can cause damage to your umbrella. If you only have a bucket, mix the three together and use your sponge or soft bristle brush to mix the solution together until it becomes soapy.
3、Clean the entire surface area of the umbrella
Dip a soft bristle brush into the cleaning solution and scrub the entire outdoor umbrella fabric in a small area in a circular motion.
Once the entire surface area of the patio umbrella has been scrubbed and covered in the cleaning solution, let it sit for at least 15-20 minutes. This will loosen dirt and grime to achieve a deeper clean.
4、Rinse and dry
After resting is complete, rinse the surface thoroughly with a hose or clean bucket of water to ensure that all soap is removed. If the soap is not completely rinsed off, this will cause more dirt and grime to adhere.
After the outdoor umbrella has been completely rinsed of all the soap, let the cloth dry and air dry in a sunny spot until it is completely dry.
Once it is dry, you can reattach the fabric to the pole stand and enjoy the beauty your clean patio umbrella brings or put it away for storage.
Outdoor Patio Umbrella Care Tips
It's important to clean your outdoor umbrella regularly. Outdoor patio umbrellas are constantly exposed to rain, sunlight, dust, debris and pollutants, and also include bird droppings and tree sap.
So to keep your outdoor patio umbrella looking great and extend its life, brush off dirt, debris, cobwebs, etc. on a regular basis. This should be done at least once a month.
When not in use, the best way to keep your umbrella clean is to close it and use an outdoor umbrella cover. If you are storing it after use, make sure it is cleaned in the above steps and has been completely dried to avoid mold growth. Also, to avoid staining, do not allow mold, sunscreen or oily leaves to remain on the umbrella for long periods of time.
