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How to: Look after outdoor fabrics

Aug 19, 2024 Sydney, Australia

We all need a little maintenance from time to time, and while getting down and dirty with outdoor furniture is never that fun, the results speak for themselves. Here are some easy instructions for how to clean outdoor acrylic fabrics.

by Basil Bangs

We all need a little maintenance from time to time, and while getting down and dirty with outdoor furniture is never that fun, the results speak for themselves and makes the effort worthwhile. Not only will your Bangs be a little bit more sparkly but it will last longer too.

We find that autumn and winter can generally be a great time to give your patio umbrella, or any outdoor fabrics for that matter, a little bit of TLC after a solid season of performance.

For those living in really humid zones, your #GlowUp may be about treating mould early, for others in drier areas, it may be about removing built up dirt and dust. So without further ado, here are our pro tips & tricks for how to clean outdoor fabrics.

The deal on Basil Bangs outdoor acrylic fabric

All Basil Bangs outdoor acrylic fabrics feature a high technology finish, which provides long-lasting protection against mould and mildew, excellent water and oil repellence, and protects you from both sun and water for many years. However, the accumulation of dust, pollution particles, foreign organic materials and general dirt can damage this protection, shortening the life of the fabric and should be regularly removed.

Normal Cleaning

The best way to maintain your fabric is to clean the canvas once a month with water using a low-pressure hose, reducing dirt accumulation. It is very important that after cleaning with water, the canvas is completely dry before storing it.If periodic washing with water is done, in most environments, you should only need to do a more thorough cleaning every 2 or 3 years.

Follow these steps...

Brush off dust and dirt with a medium to firm brush (like a dishwashing brush).
Spray the fabric with clean water. If a hose is used, try to avoid high pressure – you don’t want to strip the fabric.
Prepare a solution of solvent-free soap in warm water (no more than 40ºC) and apply it on the fabric.
Scrub with a soft brush allowing the solution to penetrate the fabric.
Rinse with water to remove all traces of soap.
Leave it to air dry completely before storing.

Intensive cleaning

Basil Bangs acrylic fabric is highly resistant to the growth of fungus, mould, and mildew, however it’s important to note that these microorganisms can grow on embedded dirt, especially after long periods of wet and humid weather.

To clean these stains, follow these more intensive cleaning procedures:

Brush off dust and dirt with a medium to firm brush (like a dishwashing brush).
Prepare a solution with 10% household bleach, 20% of solvent-free neutral detergent and 70% water.
Apply the solution on the fabric, allowing to remain between 15 and 20 minutes maximum.
Rinse with clean water several times to ensure all bleach residue is gone. Any bleach residue remaining on the canvas could damage the fabric.
Allow to air dry completely prior to storing.
Repeat the process if necessary.

Be sure to contain and dispose of the dirty water responsibly when using bleach as it can be harmful to animals and plants. We recommend leaving the bucket of water outside in the sun for 48hours to allow the bleach to breakdown in the sun before emptying the water onto your driveway. Or alternatively, into your toilet (if on town water). Please check with your local council as to any specific guidelines or advice they may have.