Seasonal Care for Perfect Parasols

The nights draw in and the golden colours of autumn loom outside every window, our natural instinct is to retreat inside for the shorter days and cosy evenings. The memories of vibrant spring and summer evenings in the garden should keep us nice and warm for winter, safe in the knowledge that it won’t be long until they are here again.

At East London Parasol Company we like to be good to our future gardens, and of course, our future selves. Planning and preparing for next year doesn’t just mean maintaining the natural world of plants, flowers and life in outdoor environments, it means making sure that the garden furniture, garden parasols and accessories that make our gardens so welcoming are tended to so that they can bring joy for many more seasons.

Back to School for Parasol Maintenance

We get many questions about caring for our products during the summer, and we offer advice for protecting parasols from rain and sun fade on our FAQs page. However, for your garden parasol to enjoy it’s longest life it’s best to put in a little time and effort when you pack up your garden and garden accessories for winter.

Rain, Rain? Put Away!

Don’t forget that all East London Parasol Company parasols are glamorous divas, (we’ve named each one after a diva known internationally or personally). A parasol is primarily for sun shade, so exposure to the rain for prolonged periods of time is definitely not advised. You don’t want to get them too wet as it will shorten the life of the canopy and the wooden frame.

We recommend that they are brought inside when rain falls, but we know that’s not always a practical solution, so if you don’t want to bring the parasol in then consider putting a waterproof cover over the closed umbrella in the base if there’s a downpour (our Octagonal Parasols come with one of these). A great rule of thumb is to treat the parasols as you would do with any fabric cushions. These are handmade items and we want to have them for as long as possible.

A few spots of drizzle here and there will be absolutely fine, but please make sure the parasol is fully dried before you put it away in a dry place. Moisture can cause mould in any fabric. If there is any doubt of dampness at all then leave it out of the bag a while longer. and store them indoors away from radiators or direct heat sources too. Put your parasol up inside and enjoy it a while longer whilst it dries, we have customers who have a bamboo parasol above their sofas and some have them in their kitchens!

General Care Questions

Like any investment, it always helps to understand any general repairs and maintenance that will prolong life and add to the overall sustainability. Before you put your garden parasol to bed for the winter is the perfect moment when you can check it for any care that’s needed. We recommend removing the canopy before attempting the following:

• How is the frame? If it needs any repair then now is a good time to engage with this instead of when you need a parasol in the spring. We can usually help with any replacement parts.
• Did the wood get wet? Give it a rub with a cloth and linseed oil to recondition it.
• Is the brass tarnished? If so, this is easily polished up with brass cleaner.
• How is the canopy faring? If you have an Octagonal Parasol we sell extra canopies which can be easily swapped... It’s very unlikely that any holes in the fabric will appear, but occasionally accidents do happen and we’re here to help. Most fabric issues can be solved with a needle and thread, the parasols are handmade and easy to repair If you don’t have the confidence to attempt it then any sewing professional will find it a quick and easy job to complete.
• Consider fabric protector for UV and water protection - see our next paragraph.
• Sometimes the fringe might tangle too, but just remember the Summer of Swift and simply shake it out with a little care and attention. We can usually help with any replacement tassels.

Staying Sun Safe

It is impossible to completely mitigate the effects of sun exposure on any material. Especially for parasols. All of our 3 metre wooden frame parasols are screen printed with pigment ink which has a high rating of UV resistance. However, everything we make uses handmade textiles that will experience some element of sun fade over time, this is the nature of the textiles we use. If you want to slow this process down, then sun protector sprays are readily available online.

Box Clever

Once your parasol is packed away and dry in its bag, or even better the box it arrived in, choose where to store your parasol. The dream scenario for a tasselled parasol is to be stored vertically so the tassels don’t tangle, but wherever you store it please make sure it’s not by a radiator as the heat may affect the wood, or in a damp place.

Weathering the Storm

Every parasol should be given special consideration in windy conditions and ours are no different, in essence they are a sail! The potential for damage from a fall to the intricate, handcrafted workings and design is never worth the risk. If the wind is strong enough to be rattling fences and moving children’s toys across the lawn, then it’s definitely time to bring it down and make it safe.

A Wonderful Winter Awaits

Of course, there are still plenty of opportunities to get outside and into the garden as Autumn and Winter are marching towards us. There may not be as many hours of light in the day, but it just means that when it shines, we should try and make the most of it. Sitting under one of our wonderful parasols as the mercury dips can be the perfect way to do so. Just maybe keep one eye on the weather app to see what the next couple of hours may bring.

Now, where did we put those blankets?