Forum

what is the best way to clean my canopy?

Posted by Josh Trefethen on November 28, 2010 at 11:44pm
So I have a LARGE trimline tent.  a 10x20 with 9' tall walls.

I need to clean the canopy before the spring shows start coming around...any advice on how to clean it?  The canopy is huge, and the square footage of the canvas is pretty high when all laid out...I sure don't have the space in my home to clean it.

Anybody out there got any good tips or ideas that would point me in the right direction?

Also, any cleaning solutions you'd recommend to get the canvas sparkly white?

Thanks in advance,

-Josh

http://JoshTrefethen.com
http://facebook.com/JoshTrefethenPhotography


You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!

Join Art Fair Insiders

★
★
★
★
★
Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • Douglas Farrar December 11, 2010 at 6:49pm

    We have cleaned our Trim Line about 2 to 3 times a year.  We set it up in the back yard and clean the top with soapy water(dawn dishwashing soap) and a soft scrub brush and then rinse.  We then put the legs on and raise to normal height.  Put on the sides and wash the outsides with the same soapy water.  After we finish with the outside we go inside and wash the inside the same way working the sides first and then the roof as we work our way from the back to the front and out the door.  We then spray the whole thing with fresh water and if there are any spots left, we use majic eraser on them.  I then check seams and sewn areas to see if we see any light thru them.  If so I use tent sealer from Walmart on the holes.  Our tent is now over 10 years old and people still think it is new.  The few times we have gotten mold, we wash with the majic erasure and a little cloreox.  Good luck.

  • Matthew Olian December 11, 2010 at 10:53am

    Get a big bottle of simple green, an extendable scrubber, a powerwasher, and an extra set of hands! I helped my buddy get his canopy from serious moldiness to sparkling white using simple green! That stuff is amazing!!

  • Arlene & Bob Carey November 30, 2010 at 9:14pm
    We cleaned our EZUP Encore II canopy in a large capacity commercial washing machine, but noticed some degradation in the fabric. Took the canopy to a boat canvas shop to have it waterproofed and no leaks so far for the last couple years. Time to do the routine again before the Florida rainy season next year.
  • Jacqueline Webster November 30, 2010 at 4:33pm
    I second the Crud Cutter. The stuff is magic. I would use it as a last resort or if you had some kind of tar or sap that wouldn't budge with another method.
  • R. Michael Wommack November 29, 2010 at 10:01pm
    Here is a tip I learned from a veteran. You know those annoying black marks that don't seem to want to come out? Use a "Magic erasure" with nothing but a little water. At the end of the season after washing my canopy with dish soap and a soft brush, I go over the bad spots with the magic erasure. It will totally wear down by the time your done, but it really gets that stubborn stuff out.
  • Gary Haynes November 29, 2010 at 7:45pm
    Josh I'd call Flourish and see what they recommend. After that call Ringling Brothers and see what the use on the big tops :} (just had to do it)
  • Robert Wallis November 29, 2010 at 4:32pm
    Go to Lowe's and get a gallon jug of Crud Cutter. Better than Greased Lightning ;-) I set my John Mee canopy out to dry on my sundeck, and it rained again, bringing down leaves which stained the top brown something terrible =8-O.

    I set the top on the frame and adjusted it to the lowest height. I got a bristle push brush used for cleaning decks, sort of like a push broom except only about a foot wide. I sprayed the canopy with water first, and sprayed the Crud Cutter on after that. The brush with 4 foot handle would reach the top of the canopy, and was able to get all but a small spot removed. It was so terrible it looked like camoflauge patterns. I had to scrub inside and outside both. The side tarps just got laid on the driveway and hosed down with water and sprayed with the Crud Cutter followed by the scrub brush. I doubt if yours is that bad, but the CC removed more than the Greased Lightning.

    It's also a good idea to apply Armour All to the tarps and tops afterwards to keep the plasticizers flexible, not to mention making the top look better than new.
    • Cindy Ketchersid > Robert Wallis November 29, 2010 at 9:41pm
      I've never heard of Crud Cutter...Will check it out if it better than Greased Lightning. Anything to simplify my life. Thank you.
  • Jacqueline Webster November 29, 2010 at 1:05pm
    I've used a laundromat in a pinch. I came home with a wet, stinky canopy with pine sap on it and had a show the following weekend. I put it in one of those jumbo commercial washers ($5.00 per wash) with some enviro-friendly laundry soap and it cleaned up pretty well. I then spread it out on a clean concrete floor to dry. There's no agitator in the machine, so it cuts down on some of the wear and tear, but I try not to do it all the time just in case. For spot cleaning Simple Green works well and can be used on ProPanels, too, so it's my all-purpose cleaner when I'm on the road.
  • Cindy Ketchersid November 29, 2010 at 12:34am
    We put our frame up the lowest it will go and put the top on. Use Greased Lightning in a bucket with a car brush. I've put a little bleach in there as well, if there was any mold, or spray with a light bleach and water. I lay the sides on the drive way and brush and hose them down also. I have also put the sides in the bath tub with Greased Lightning or little bleach and let them soak if they were real bad. Good Luck.
This reply was deleted.