Cleaning
Outdoor canvas covers for water and power sports equipment should be routinely cleaned after every use to keep your covers looking clean and performing as needed. When it comes to routine cleaning or more difficult removals like bird droppings and oil-based stains, refer to our recommendations below.
Routine Washing
- Be sure to wipe off dirt and debris with a soft dry cloth on a regular basis before a full washdown.
- Completely hose down the canvas.
- For normal care and cleaning add two (2) ounces of mild soap (Woolite®, Dreft®, Ivory®) to one (1) gallon of lukewarm water.
- Use a soft bristle brush or sponge to lightly remove dirt and debris in full sweep motions from seam to seam. Never rub in circles. Be sure to clean the entire cover. Finally, rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue and allow fabric to air dry.
Stain Removal
- To remove stains, add a cup of bleach to your gallon mixture of water and dish soap. Be sure to only spot clean these stain areas on the non-coated side of the fabric. Follow up with the routine clean of the entire cover. Do not soak fabric. Prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals can damage the coated side of the fabric. Therefore, it is important to rinse immediately. Do not leave on for more than two (2) minutes.
- Cleaning with harsh cleaners (such as bleach) will require a retreatment (like 303 High Tech Fabric Guard) for restoring water repellency.
- For oil-based stains, immediately apply an absorbent powder such as corn starch directly on the area to soak up the oil. Let sit for 10 minutes and remove the excess using a straight edge or ruler. This helps extract the stain rather than being pressed into the fabric. Then proceed with the cleaning process.
- Never dry clean canvas products or use washing machines or power-washers as the force can do damage to the fabric.
Most fabrics provided by Outer Armor do not need to be re-treated for water-repellency. As it pertains to cleaning and treating Sunbrella fabric, Glen Raven® recommends 303® Fabric Guard™.
More information about cleaning Sunbrella® products.
