Proper cleaning and care for your umbrella will extend the life of your beloved beach or patio umbrella.

Cleaning

The first step in cleaning your umbrella is understanding it’s parts. There is the frame, consisting of five main components, and the cover, our company refers to this as a skin. Knowing these parts can help you later down the road should you need replacement parts.

Cleaning The Frame

As we mentioned before the frame consists of five main components. These components are:
· Vertical pole, either center pole or offset
· Lower hub which is the part that moves up and down the vertical pole and holds together the small ribs
· Upper hub, which holds together the top of the long ribs
· Ribs (usually 8 ribs), which have a long rib connecting to the top hub and a short rib connecting to the runner hub
· Finial, which is the crown that screws into the top of the patio umbrella

While we offer many different umbrellas these are the key parts in every umbrella we sell. When cleaning regardless if you purchased a wood, fiberglass, or aluminum umbrella the process is the same. Wipe each part down with a clean damp cloth. You can use mild soap to remove stubborn dirt and grime. We do not recommend using any harsh or abrasive cleaners, as they could cause damage to the finish of your umbrella. With routine cleaning, a soapy cloth will be necessary.

Cleaning The Skin
Normal Stains:
Remove any loose dirt. Prepare a mixture of cold to lukewarm water (do not exceed 100
degrees Fahrenheit) and mild soap. Rub in mixture with a soft brush and allow the mixture
to thoroughly soak into the fabric. Rinse well with water and air dry. Do no machine dry.

Stubborn Stains:

Remove as much surface dirt as possible. Soak fabric for 1 hour in a mixture of 1 gallon
cold water, 1/2 cup bleach, and 1/2 cup mild soap.
Rub in mixture with a soft brush and rinse thoroughly with cold to lukewarm water and
air-dry. Never use water over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not machine dry. Detergents
can be used on Outdura without harm; it may however remove some of the water and stain
resistant properties. If this is important to you, a simple spraying of a post cure fluorocarbon
will restore these properties. Please follow the instructions on the package. These
sprays can be obtained through a dry cleaning supply store or stores that sell marine
related products.

Bad weather

At the mention of bad weather, it is always best to close your umbrella and if possible place it in storage. Your outdoor umbrella is designed to provide shade from the sun, not to protect your furniture or you from rainstorms, winds or hurricanes. We know this sounds silly, but the better you maintain and protect your umbrella, the better it can protect and shade you from the sun.