As the season begins to shift from colorful autumn to wintertime, a lot of people are starting to retire and store tools and products until spring. Tractors, machinery, gardening tools, farming tools, outdoor furniture, patio furniture – anything that will get little to no use over the winter is being stored away in a safe environment, and a common product that is stored alongside them is clear vinyl tarps.
Many homeowners may not see the need to keep a tarp up for the entire winter season because it is typically used on construction sites or for outside activities/projects. Instead, they may decide to store it away in the hopes that it will be usable again in a few months. But if you don't store these clear vinyl tarps properly, it could be disastrous for you. Imagine being eager and ready to begin or resume an outdoor project as the weather starts to warm up, only to discover that your clear vinyl tarp has become clouded over over the winter and is no longer functional.
4 Steps to Properly Maintain Your Clear Vinyl Tarps
You can keep this from happening to your tarps and prolong their lifespan with a little simple preparation!
1. Cleaning Your Vinyl Tarp
You should probably clean off your transparent vinyl tarp before storing it correctly. Never store anything that is unclean since harmful bacteria, mould, and stink could grow on it over time.
Lay the tarp out and carefully clean both sides of the cover of any dirt, debris, or spills. Despite the availability of specialised tarp cleaning chemicals, neutral or mild soap and water will suffice. DETERGENTS SHOULD NOT BE USED ON CLEAR VINYL TARPS. After cleaning the cover of any debris, thoroughly rinse it with lukewarm water to remove all of the soap. Before storing, you must ensure that your tarps are dry, which brings us to step two.
2. Drying Vinyl Tarps
Completely drying the cover is a crucial, if not the most crucial, step in properly storing a vinyl tarp. The main reason they discover the tarps in worse condition than when they were stored is that many individuals either forget or don't wait until the tarp is completely dry before folding it up for storage.
To ensure that the tarp is completely dry on both sides after cleaning, hang or stretch it out above the ground. To hasten the drying process, you can flip the tarp.
Don't wait until the tarp is damp or just a little moist before storing it since any moisture left on the tarp's surface will cause the cover to become murky or discoloured, undermining the purpose of a clear vinyl tarp. In order to prevent the development of mould and mildew, vinyl material shouldn't generally be stored while damp or wet.
3. Folding Your Vinyl Tarps
Your vinyl tarps should be thoroughly cleaned and completely dried before being folded or rolled up for storage. Folding or rolling your tarps is only a question of preference or how best they will fit in your storage place. There is no recommended or "correct" way to store your tarps. Tossing, bunching, or cramming the tarps into a place is not advised because this could cause rips, tears, creases, and wrinkles.
4. Storage Location
It's time to locate a beautiful, dry area to store transparent tarps for the winter once you've cleaned, dried, folded, or rolled your tarps. No matter how long you intend to keep the tarps in storage, it's critical to locate a cool, dry space to keep out direct sunlight, UV rays, and humidity.
You can store your tarps anywhere that will prevent heat and moisture from penetrating and harming your tarp, including basements, garages, attics, utility rooms, and warehouses. Tarps should generally be kept off the ground and away from walls.
Tarps are a wise investment that you may use for many years, but they do need some upkeep to prolong and increase their lifespans. Your tarps will be more effective and prepared for the upcoming season if you take the time to clean, dry, and store them properly.
You can get your own custom clear vinyl tarps here