How Can I Protect The Colour Of My Hammock?
Many individuals buy hammocks because of their vibrant colours and awesome designs. It’s important to know how to care for your hammock in the best way possible, to keep the colours vibrant and the hammock reliable. Below are some tips on how to keep your hammock clean, comfortable, and safe.
Never use harsh chemicals
This may be obvious, but harsh chemicals can be really striping for the hammock fibres, whether cotton, polyester, nylon or EllTex. We recommend using natural ingredients where possible and avoiding using chemicals like bleach. If you find that your hammock has stains, we recommend using some white distilled vinegar mixed with some water and soaking the fabric overnight. Vinegar helps to dislodge any staining or dirt. Not only do harsh chemicals strip the fabric from dyes but they can also make the hammock dangerous as the materials weaken and become unstable. Read our blog on ‘How to clean your hammock?’ to look at other useful tips.
Don’t leave the hammock out in direct sunlight
Although the sun can be great for brightening white materials, the sun can actually bleach vibrant colours. This is because the Ultra Violet rays cause radiation to penetrate through the fabric, meaning the dyes separate from the fabric which causes the faded look. We recommend placing your hammock in a shaded area and trying not to leave your hammock in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time. Our hammocks are compact therefore they’re super easy to store when you aren’t using them, and not just that, they come in their own little bag, perfectly organised!
Hand wash the hammock
Hand washing a hammock is probably the safest way of cleaning it, without tugging on the fabric excessively and using chemicals that are too harsh. The best way to hand wash a hammock would be to place the hammock in a bucket or your bathtub and pour mild detergent over the hammock once it has been soaked in water, then gently rub the soiled areas with your knuckles, make sure to not use anything too abrasive if you’re using something to help, as this can displace the dyes making the hammock look worn down and dull.
If machine washing, use a gentle cycle
If you are thinking of machine washing your hammock, there are a few things that need to be done in order to keep your hammock in the best shape possible. Removing all of the metal fixings is the first obvious one, as well as not adding any other clothes as the colours could bleed onto the hammock and ruin the vibrancy or worse stain it. We recommend washing the hammock on a gentle cycle with cold water and a very mild or natural detergent. After the cycle has completed, try to stretch the fabric a little to get rid of any of the creases and hang the hammock out to dry. It’s super simple and effective.
If you would like anymore cleaning tips for your hammock, click here for more information.
