How to Care for Your Umbrella

Ever wondered what the best ways to care for your umbrellas are? We did, so we've researched the topic extensively on your behalf and here’s what we've come up with.

Our exhaustive research has highlighted five main areas to be concerned with, in no particular order these are:

Drying

Perhaps the most obvious one, always allow your umbrella to fully dry before storing it. If you fold it while it is still wet, mildew can form causing staining and odour, yuk. Whilst umbrella frames are plated to make them rust resistant, they are susceptible to rust if left closed while wet for more than 24 hours. Rusting frames will also mark the fabric of the canopy. Store the umbrella in a garage or basement over night for proper drying. Otherwise, leave it open and propped on one side. Inadequate drying is the main cause of defective umbrellas.

Cleaning

Clean your umbrella according to the care instructions provided on the label or packaging. Otherwise, simply spot clean with a wash cloth and warm water. Do not use detergents to clean the fabric they can damage the waterproofing coating within the fabric. Cleaners can also cause discolouring.

Fit For Purpose

Remember that a rain umbrella is not a beach umbrella. Umbrellas designed for use in the rain are likely to sustain damage after prolonged use in the sun. Also a Sun Parasol is not waterproof and getting it wet is likely to stain the cotton fabric. Also take care when opening automatic umbrellas as they can pop open with a sudden movement catching you (and perhaps other around you) off-guard.

Wind Damage

Use care during particularly windy weather conditions. A strong gust of wind can be damaging to an umbrella if it catches the umbrella and forces it to bend in the opposite direction. To reduce this risk, carry your umbrella facing into the wind. If it does blow inside out, turn into the wind and release the catch in the normal way. If it is a “windproof” umbrella follow the instructions provided with the umbrella to reset it.

Folding

Follow the natural creases of the umbrella when folding it. While your temptation may be to crumple the umbrella into a storable manner as quickly as possible, it is best to return the umbrella to its original position. Proper storing will prevent any bending of the spokes or awkward creasing in the fabric.

There you go, easy peasy.

The Queen and her umbrellas

As probably the most famous living woman on the planet, (Beyonce eat your heart out), no one has done more to champion umbrellas over the years.


For decades she has shown the world that umbrellas are both cool, practical and there's no need to have staff carry them for you.






Though obviously if you are test firing an SA - 80 modern assault rifle, a helping hand is needed.







Regardless of the occasion The Queen has kept both her spirits and brolly up. But she has also taken it to the next level as far as colour coordination and style is concerned. One umbrella style has emerged as the obvious favourite and the simplicity of being able to colour coordinate it with outfits is as clear as the brolly itself.

Just check these out.

So to our reigning Monarch we and every other umbrella admirer salute you. Long may it rain over us.

 

If you want the Regal look then check out our full range of clear and colour coordinated umbrellas such as the Fulton Birdcage. This iconic dome shaped umbrella provides complete coverage for the head and shoulders.It glides open and closed with the patented mechanism - so easy to use. 

 

Alternatively how about this iconic Lulu Guinness umbrella. (also known as a birdcage birdcage). This

dome shaped umbrella looks fantastic with this birdcage print and has colour coordinated ferrule and tips.

Feel like a Queen and at these prices you can colour coordinate to your hearts content.

Valentines Day Umbrellas

 Valentines Day Ideas from The Umbrella Shop

Valentine’s Day is an annual event on February 14th and celebrated around the world to recognise the love you have for that special someone or spouse. It is also a day to tell someone secretly that you are admiring them from afar by sending a card or present with a clue as to who it is from.

Valentine’s Day is the second busiest holiday of the year for the makers of greeting cards and could be seen as the saddest holiday of the year for all the single people not receiving any of them. 

Women absolutely love the surprises they receive on Valentine’s Day while men on the other hand are typically only surprised to wake up realizing it is a holiday and should have added that ridiculous iPhone App with the big red hearts to remind them.





Fortunately the internet now makes it much easier on men when it comes to shopping for Valentine's Day with dozens of ideas that come from the ladies in our office that know what women want. You can find many great ideas at The Umbrella Shop.  

Many people throughout the world express their love with Valentines Day Gifts that range from romantic cards, beautiful flowers, and heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates.


We have some suggestions for Valentine's Day gifts for everyone:

Heart Shaped Umbrellas

Valentines Day Gift for women

Valentines Day gifts for men

Valentines Day gifts for someone at your office 

If it isn't broken…

…then don’t do anything like this with your own umbrellas. Here are a few interesting uses of umbrellas we've found which show amazing powers of recycling skill:

The umbrella dress, but of course! How else would one keep one's smalls dry? Bit tricky on a busy street too we think.

Don't throw that wind battered brolly on the skip. Sell it to a canine loving neighbour as an ultra-chic puppy protector. They'll thank you forever for ridding their house of wet dog smell all winter.

Not necessarily just for Halloween, this batty design can be rolled out for birthdays, weddings, children's parties....okay, maybe just Halloween.

We have a sneaking suspicion that this may actually be working model. But we also suspect we will probably never know.

But with all the fab fabrics in our range of umbrellas, it would be a shame if they weren't recycled when the time came, to make a nifty addition to anyone's wardrobe.

Admittedly this one may not have been broken when Britney started to use it as a car key but, hey, would you argue with her right then?



If you have, or know of, any other novel uses for umbrellas, defunct or otherwise, do let us know.

Rain, rain, rain.......

Over the past 100 years the intensity of UK precipitation has increased during winter and to a lesser extent also during spring and autumn. This has been accompanied by more frequent spells of very wet weather and an increase in total precipitation, at least during the last 40 years.

Research from the Met Office suggests we are seeing a change in the nature of the rain we get, with 'extreme' daily rainfall becoming more frequent. An analysis of 1 in 100 day rainfall events since 1960 indicates these 'extreme' days of rainfall may have become more frequent over time.

Just saying like :)

Christmas shopping ideas: Wives and Girlfriends | The Umbrella Shop

Don’t Panic!!!

Yes, it’s Christmas
Yes, there’s only a few shopping days left
Yes, your wife or girlfriend has bought your present months ago
Yes, you’re still at the mulling it over stage

But……

The best 'Yes' is that all ladies love carrying a beautiful umbrella, fact!

We have loads of great ideas whether they are fun, formal, couture or practical, we have the ideal brolly for your amour and we can deliver the very next day if you order before noon. Check these out these examples to prove it:

For fun

An umbrella with a difference. This beautiful heart shaped umbrella has an ivory canopy will help her stand out in any crowd.
The Heart Umbrella range has a strong, lightweight 16 rib fibreglass frame which is totally wind-proof.

Around 88cm long, the unique Heart Umbrella has a very smart, colour coordinated, ergonomically designed rubber handle and with a lightweight aluminium shaft, matching tip and handle protector.



Formal

Slim and luxurious Lulu Guinness umbrella with an understated elegant design ie: we think it is "absolutely fabulous!"

- Exceptionally slim pencil umbrella
- Lightweight and strong fibreglass frame
- Easyglide opening system
- Ultra-lightweight high performance polyester fabric




Couture

Another Lulu Guinness umbrella that opens automatically at the touch of a button and is stunning when you see it in real life.

This umbrella has a luxurious double canopy made from polyester pongee fabric which covers the ribs of this umbrella. It has a red outer cover, and the distinctive Lulu Guinness diagonal stripe on the inside. The shaft is a black plated automatic steel frame with a red curved handle.



Practical

This stylish slinger umbrella is the ideal umbrella when the weather is a bit uncertain.

The convenient, detachable red cotton slinger strap allows you to throw it over your shoulder when the sun comes out.

Fibreglass ribs and shaft provide strength, and the rubber handle keeps this umbrella securely in your grip.

This umbrella is also automatic(-ally something she'll love).

We've never met a woman who would turn down a beautiful umbrella so panic over, just click here to browse our full range. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas. 

Christmas shopping ideas: Dads and Granddads | The Umbrella Shop

They've delivered bad jokes aplenty for as long as you can remember, embarrassed you regularly in front of your friends, and don’t even talk about their dancing. But dads and granddads give some of the best cuddles when you need them and, in between the awful gags, some of the best advice on life you’ll ever receive.

Such dedication to duty and stereotyping deserves a reward and, frankly, a ‘world’s best dad’ mug just doesn't cut it. This year celebrate the king of tall tales with something he’ll treasure and will make him smile every time he strides from the house with it held firmly in his hand. (Mum’s rarely stride).

Whether he’s a dad in the city of a grandpa in the country we have the perfect gift to suit.

Our most manly of weather proof brollies have to be our Gustbusters which come in a range of colours to suit town or country.

Sleek and stylish? (when was the last time you used these words to describe your dad?) Check out our Fulton range which offers style and reliability in bucket loads.

Take a look through the entire men's range by clicking here. Quality is guaranteed and there are umbrellas to suit ever budget.

Choose, purchase, wrap and hand over. Then count to three to see if he comes up with a worse joke than this:

Q: What did one raindrop say to the other?
A: Two's company, three's a cloud

Boom, boom!

Merry Christmas