[TVCS]

 Good evening everyone.
Had a phone call today from a chap who wants he patio umbrella cleaned.  Sounded like a daft little job but he is a friend of me dads so I thought why not.

Well.  This unbrella could be mistaken for the millenium dome.  A space age looking thing that keeps on expanding and opening and expanding etc.

It has been outside for about 6 years and the chap recons that when new, the company claimed that it will never need cleaning due to the teflon coating.
Well, it needs cleaning now.  Basically it is covered in the usual bird mess and algae that you would expect to find on patio furniture in this country.  The problem is that it has all seeped its way into the  canvas.

The canvas is now off the frame and I was wondering if there was a certain product that would be best for cleaning such a peice of material.  About 5 mins after I had got it off the framework his wife wispered to me that it is her husbands birthday at the weekend so could it be clean and back up by then.
If anyone can offer some advice it will be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks everyone.
Ant

[TVCS]

Somebody must be able to help.
Perhaps I'm asking in the wrong part of the forum.

[John Kelly]

Do you know exactly what the material is? If its manmade you could try any kind of general cleaner. This would need spraying on and agitating with a deck brush, then rinsed off with either a pressure washer or hosepipe.
If its cotton canvas you would need to make sure the cleaner wasn't too high a ph in case of browning problems. Any neutral ph cleaner designed for wool or cotton would do it. Contact your local carpet cleaning supplier for a suitable product.
If pressure washing make sure there is something solid behind the material otherwise the fabric just absorbs the pressure making it unafective.

[Timmy Boy]

Ant
I know that the chemical arm of Tuckerpole uk do an awning cleaner. Spray on, scrub, wash off but I don't know how effective it is. They will send you a sample though. (Tuckerpole are based in Basingstoke-their number will be on this forum somewhere!)
Regards
Tim

[TVCS]

Thanks chaps.
I'm not too certain of the exact fabric.  There is no label to be seen.  It appears to be canvas.  So far I have had it soaking in some mild detergent and some of the green algae has started to come away but the worst staining is where the mildew and the worst staining has soaked in. 
I have tried a mild carpet cleaner on a small area and that really had no effect at all. 
I don't really want to get the pressure washer onto it as I fear the machine I have may blow holes in it.
Well, things look better when they are dry so after a night drying in my poly tunnel I can see what the score is.  I have until saturday so no worries yet.

Not being a sailing kind of man and what with being land locked here in worcestershire I was wondering if sails on some types of boats were canvas.  If so, they must get cleaned with something, 
Just a thought, 

Anyway thanks again for the imput.
Ant