Umbrellas have such high utility value, but what happens when your protection gets attacked? This is why you must know how to get mildew off an umbrella, especially if you’re not one to lose such an item easily.
Umbrellas these days still come in various sizes, shapes, and designs. However, they remain susceptible to damages on the frame and the cloth serving as the shield for all weathers.
While we use umbrellas to block the sun and avoid sunburn, the primary purpose of this item in most places is for rain and snow, in which case it gets wet. If this happens too often that your umbrella doesn’t get dried after use, then mildews are inevitable.
Steps In Removing Mildew From Your Umbrella
Mildew can either grow in the outer or inner surface of the canopy(the part of the umbrella that acts as the shield), then spread through all the other parts and cause further damage. To stop and avoid such a thing from happening, follow the steps we’re sharing below to get the mildew off in your umbrella.
Step #1. Open up your umbrella outside
Mildew can smell, especially when there is already a lot present, so you must do the cleaning outside. Not to mention that the spores from the fungi causing the mildew can get blown or splashed into other things if you work inside your home.
Pick a spot outside that has enough space that you can open the umbrella with room for you to move around it at the same time. If no such space is available, you can opt to vacuum the mildew first to lessen its possible spread.
Open up your umbrella so you can see where all the mildews have grown, and make sure to go over all those spots later on to make a full sweep.
Step #2. Prep a vinegar solution and soak
Next is to pick a white vinegar, preferably with high acidity, on your counter or from a nearby store for a cleaning solution. Vinegar kills mildew on almost any surface, and it will work for your umbrella.
You can dilute the vinegar with water to increase its volume. Mix at least 50% vinegar solution in a pail and take a decent brush and toothbrush with you.
Pour the vinegar solution on all the umbrella parts with mildew and brush it off gently. Make sure you reach even the areas covered by the frame in the canopy so that no fungi or spore gets left behind to start another mildew problem.
Don’t worry about vinegar corroding the umbrella; we assure you that it’s completely safe. Let a fresh solution sit there for at least 15 minutes.
Step #3. Rinse the vinegar off and wash with detergent
Soaking will help the vinegar reach hidden parts of your umbrella that may have mildew, but you’re unable to see. After it’s soaked, you can now rinse the umbrella so you don’t end up smelling sour every time you open it up.
After getting off the vinegar, wash your umbrella with a mild detergent to deal with other dirt that the vinegar couldn’t remove. Brush gently with the soap, too, then rinse the umbrella with clean and running tap water.
Step #4. Dry the umbrella thoroughly
This is the most important of the entire process since it’s the unsupervised excessive moisture that gets stuck in your umbrella that causes the mildew to grow in there in the first place. Take a clean and dry towel or cloth and wipe down all the umbrella surfaces.
If possible, let the umbrella hang outside in the sun to assist in drying. Leaving moisture in your umbrella will later on also cause problems in its frame, so always dry it after use.
If you’re on top of bricks, here’s how to clean mildew off brick.
Should you wash an umbrella in a washing machine?
The answer to this question is no.
You can’t feed your entire umbrella to a washing machine, that is, if you still want to use it afterward because the machine will tumble and mash it with your other garments. Your umbrella will come out broken and no longer usable, even if it’s foldable.
If you want to machine wash it, though, you can detach the canopy (the fabric) from the frame and place it inside a covering, like a pillowcase, before feeding it. Doing this will ensure that it doesn’t get tangled or scratched by the other clothes.
Don’t heat your umbrella with the rest of your clothes; however, a spin-dry is fine. Dry it in the sun and reattach it to the frame afterward.
If you’re worried about the washer, though, here’s how to clean mildew out of washer.
Can you power wash an umbrella?
The answer to this depends on how strong the power washer setting is versus how much pressure the umbrella is able to take. The vital point to note for this is that umbrellas are rarely designed to withstand focused and powerful blows of air, though some of them don’t flip on a storm.
Our advice would be to stick to an average hose and brush for cleaning your umbrella.
Conclusion
We now finished learning how to get mildew off an umbrella so take it out for cleaning now. Remember to keep it dry all the time, and you’re all good