Anyone know how to clean a Garden Parasol?

[ChippyMinton]

Got mine out yesterday, one of those cream canvas and wooden ones, and the canvas is covered in black speckles (mildew???). I am going to try scrubbing it with milton and leave it out in the sun to dry, unless anyone has a more cunning plan? TIA

I machine-washed mine (also cream) at 60deg with laundry bleach and some oxy whitener stuff. Not all the mildew came out, but it cleaned it up enough to allow it to last another summer.

Hope that helps.

Mine did not shrink, and I have to say that it was in such a state, that had it shrunk I would not have cared and bought a new one. (by then the cream one was nearly 10 years old) However, if yours is quite new, please handwash or try 40deg first. I don't want to be responsible for shrinking your parasol...

thanks hippi, i hadn't thought of machine washing. will have a look & see if the cover comes off. Mine is ancient too

Just in case anyone else wants to do this - i washed the cover at 40, but it didn't get rid of the mildew, so i soaked it in a mild bleach solution, then rinsed it in the washing machine. The bleach did the trick. Then i put the cover back on the parasol while still wet and stretched it out to dry in the sun. Looks pretty good now