A professional marquee is a significant investment. Whether you are a hire business owner or a private owner, keeping your PVC covers clean is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about protecting the material’s integrity.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to tackle everything from stubborn grass stains to the dreaded mildew, all while protecting the vital fire-retardant and UV coatings.
1. The Secret Weapon: Traffic Film Remover (TFR)
Many people reach for harsh household bleaches or abrasive scrubs, but these can strip the fire-retardant coating and turn your PVC brittle.
The industry secret? TFR (Traffic Film Remover). This is the same specialized cleaner used to wash the PVC curtain sides of heavy-duty lorries. It is specifically designed to lift road grime, grease, and organic stains without damaging the synthetic fibers or the protective coatings of the PVC.
How to use TFR:
- Dilute: Mix the TFR with water according to the bottle’s instructions (usually a 1:10 or 1:20 ratio depending on the grime level).
- Apply: Spray the solution onto the PVC.
- Agitate: Use a soft-bristled broom to gently work the solution into the surface. This lifts the dirt without scratching the “gloss” finish of the marquee.
- Rinse: Thoroughly spray down with clean water.
2. The Best Way to Clean: “The Standing Method”
While you can clean panels on the ground, we always recommend cleaning your marquee while it is fully erected.
- Why? When the covers are tensioned over the frame, they are much easier to scrub. Water runs off naturally rather than pooling, and you can see exactly where the streaks are.
- The Technique: Work from the top down. Start with the roof panels and move to the side walls. This ensures dirty water doesn’t run over sections you’ve already cleaned.
3. Alternative: The “Tarp & Floor” Method
If you don’t have the space to keep the marquee up, or if a panel is particularly filthy, you can clean it on the ground.
Important: Never lay your marquee panels directly onto concrete or gravel. Always lay them on a clean groundsheet or tarp first. This prevents “pinholing” and new scuff marks.
For deep cleans on the floor, you can use:
- Pressure Washers: Keep the nozzle at a safe distance (at least 30cm) to avoid “burning” the PVC with high pressure.
- Floor Cleaners: For large volumes of panels, some professionals use rotary floor buffers with very soft pads to speed up the process.
4. Dealing with Stains, Scuffs, and Mildew
- Grass Stains & Scuffs: Most of these will lift easily with the TFR and broom method. For stubborn scuffs, a bit of extra “elbow grease” with a microfiber cloth usually does the trick.
- The “Black Mould” Warning: Mildew happens when a marquee is packed away damp. While surface mildew can be cleaned with TFR, Black Mould is a different beast.
The Point of No Return: If black mould has been left long enough to penetrate between the layers of the PVC laminate, it cannot be cleaned out. At this stage, the panel is structurally compromised and unsightly. In these cases, the only solution is to replace the panel. —
5. Pro Tips for Longevity
- Dry, Dry, Dry: Never pack your marquee away until it is 100% bone dry. If you have to take it down in the rain, hang the panels up in a garage or warehouse as soon as you get home.
- Storage: Once clean and dry, store your covers in our heavy-duty storage bags to prevent dust buildup and accidental scuffing during the off-season.
Is your marquee beyond a simple scrub? If you’ve encountered the “Black Mould” issue mentioned above, remember that our Commercial Range features a 2m interchangeable side panel system, making it easy and affordable to replace a single panel rather than the whole set!