Why you can’t dry an umbrella with it open, what experts advise

“My grandmother always dried her umbrella open.” Many of us can say the same. Indeed, this is a popular method, at least in Russia. Why do they say that you can’t dry an umbrella with it open? Experts insist: this spoils the dome and spokes. There is a very small segment of umbrellas that have to be dried open - but they are not placed on the floor, but hung with the dome down.

Why can't you open the umbrella before drying?

Putting an umbrella on the floor open to dry is a serious mistake. Here's why: when wet, the fabric becomes more elastic. This applies primarily to nylon, from which most umbrellas in the middle and budget price categories are made today. When opened, the awning is stretched and, as a result, stretches a little. When the umbrella is closed, it loses its original attractiveness - now the nylon is no longer smooth and even, as it was on the day of purchase, but sloppy, worn.

In addition, the load on the knitting needles increases several times, and accidental kicks (who hasn’t accidentally touched an umbrella that was opened and left to dry?) also do not help extend the service life. Even better, the spokes are designed to withstand the wind; the load from its pressure is distributed evenly over all the spokes and along their entire length, and when the accessory is open, the entire overload goes to the two lower spokes.

Other drying errors

There is another serious mistake: after rain, leave the umbrella in its case, tied with a belt or in a bag, instead of drying it. It would seem that it’s no big deal, because the production uses a special fabric that is not afraid of moisture and does not rot.

On the other hand, this is precisely the problem. Without allowing moisture and steam to pass through, the umbrella will dry many times longer than any crumpled clothing. Moisture will remain on its surface, and over time will become a source of an unpleasant musty odor. If measures are not taken after this, the fabric will become covered with mold stains. It is quite difficult to clean an umbrella from it - in some cases you have to get rid of it.

Interesting fact
Special umbrella baskets are good if they only hold two or three umbrellas. If the stand is cramped, then the accessories will dry slowly and mold may even appear.

In addition, quite often moisture gets from the fabric inside to the metal parts. Large, serious companies use special stainless alloys in the manufacture of umbrellas. But many budget products from China are made from cheaper and less reliable materials.

Prolonged exposure to high humidity conditions leads to rust. Unattractive red stains spread across the fabric, and the knitting needles themselves simply rot. The author of the magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com had a chance to check this on his umbrella - fortunately, the spots on the black dome were not too noticeable.

If it is also an automatic umbrella, then the mechanism often rusts and ceases to perform its function. When you press the button, it does not open, and when you try to open it manually, it simply breaks. Alas, deterioration in the functioning of “joints” is recorded even in expensive branded umbrellas.

The third common mistake is drying the umbrella in the sun. Of course, in direct sunlight the fabric will heat up and dry faster. However, this speed comes at a price. First, white salt spots appear on the umbrella. Secondly, the fabric fades - this is especially true for bright materials. If stains can be easily removed by simply wiping with a damp cloth, then nothing can be done about the fading of paints. At best, in a couple of years with such regular drying, it will age and lose its original attractiveness.

How to dry an umbrella?

Now, having analyzed the most common mistakes, we will give some tips on how to properly dry an umbrella after rain:

1. Close and sharply open the umbrella several times, shaking off drops from the fabric. It is advisable to do this in the entrance or in the bathroom so as not to splash water on upholstered furniture, carpets or wallpaper.
2. Close the umbrella without folding the fabric, much less securing it with a button or Velcro.
3. Hang on a suitable hanger, hook or doorknob for several hours, or better yet, overnight. You shouldn’t just put it on a shelf - moisture will collect on the underside, and it will take a very long time to dry. It is advisable that the room be warm, dry and have a slight draft to facilitate quick drying of things. A good solution would be a glazed balcony or loggia.
4. Open the completely dry umbrella for 10-15 minutes to prevent rust on the metal parts.

If the umbrella comes with instructions (many reputable manufacturers complete their products with them), then it would be a good idea to study it in order to follow all the rules.

With this approach, the umbrella will dry quite quickly and neither the fabric, nor the mechanism, nor the knitting needles will be damaged. This means that the accessory will serve faithfully for many years.