Your outdoor parasol, always ready.

There is no doubt that if you want to enjoy your terrace or garden at 100 %  at any time, you need a good outdoor parasol to protect yourself from the sun. Especially if you live in the south of Andalusia or on the Costa del Sol, having a shady area in summer is something non-negotiable.

There are parasols with eccentric mast, with crank, orientable, with or without wheels in different sizes, colours... all have in common the same feature: they have to be always ready to use them when the weather permits.

BALI parasol with aluminium outdoor NEWAVE collection

Just like your pool or lawn needs a good tuning, your parasols are not going to be less. Here are some tips to help keep your parasols and umbrellas fresh and your outdoor space cool this season.

1.  Clean the sunscreen regularly.

Parasols spend a lot of time outdoors and therefore get dirty quite often. It is important that we clean the fabric from time to time: dirt not only shaves our sunshade, it can also be introduced into the mechanisms and pulleys and cause damage.

To clean the canvas of our umbrella it is convenient to vacuum with the brush accessory or a soft manual brush. This will allow us to remove surface dirt.

To face resistant stains it is convenient to use warm water and neutral soap, rinsing conveniently.  The tarps of the PATIO parasols are also washable in washing machine in cold water, you will look like new!.

Keep your sunshades tarps always clean.

2. Close the umbrella when you are not using it.

Parasol with protective cover.

If you close the sunshade when you’re not wearing it, you’ll extend its life considerably. Not only will it not get dirty, but you’ll also avoid accidental damage. 
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Use covers made of nautical fabric whenever you can. They are ideal for keeping them clean and will prevent insects from using them as a den.

3. Avoid mold stains.

If you’ve ever closed your parasol with a wet tarp, you may have found some small green spots on the tarp the next day.
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It is no secret that keeping things wet creates moisture and mould,  which can be harmful to people in addition to deteriorating the fabric.

Open your sunshade when the weather permits and let it air and dry in the sun, you will prevent mould stains from spreading.

​To remove the existing humidity you can use a solution of 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup of neutral soap with 4 litres of warm water: let the fabric soak and let stand for a few minutes. Remove the residue with a soft bristle brush and rinse thoroughly, repeating the operation as many times as necessary. 

Let your parasol air whenever you can.

4. Pay attention to the mast and rods of your parasol.

Solid aluminium structure are always better.

Although their maintenance is less delicate than the tarps, the metal parts of your parasol also need to be taken care of from time to time.

Aluminium parasols are the ones that need the least maintenance. Regular water and a little white vinegar and a soft cloth is more than enough to make them always ready. 

On the other hand, parasols with wooden masts are usually more delicate because they need treatment with specific products to prevent cracks or cracks.

5. Use a suitable parasol foot.

Do not spare expenses when choosing the foot or base of your parasol: your safety and yours are at stake. The wind resistance of a parasol depends on many variables, but the most important is that it has a good counterweight.

In PATIO you will find the best (and heavy) parasol bases depending on the model you choose: granite, cement, filter sand... and do not worry about transport,  we take it and install it at home. 

BALI parasol foot fillable with sand and built-in wheels.

6. Count with specialized technical service.

No one is exempt from any accident with our parasols, so it is advisable to have the support of an official technical service to deal with these eventualities.

Use original spare parts for your parasol.

Before buying a parasol ask if there are original spare parts available. Cheap umbrella brands do not usually count on them and as soon as you need to change a rope, the parasol fabric or any mechanism will not provide it and you will have to buy a new one.

Fernando Bueno.

PATIO top garden furniture Marbella / Estepona.