Most people own compact umbrellas or some variation of the typical pocket umbrella, but you may not know that to elongate the lifespan and function of your umbrella, there is actually a process you should learn regarding how to fold an umbrella. That’s right; your stylish umbrella has many small elements that make this simple device susceptible to damage if you aren’t careful. 

In this post, we provide a short guide on how to fold an umbrella, so you can make sure that your high-quality Rumbrella umbrellas have a long life of dependable performance.

Make Sure Your Pocket Umbrella is Completely Dry

Before folding or storing an umbrella, you need to check to ensure that it is entirely free of any type of moisture. While it can be easier to carry an umbrella once it is tucked away in a bag, if you close your umbrella while it is still wet, you increase the chances of mildew or rust. 

Keep in mind that even top-quality fabric is subject to mildew growth in the right conditions and that metal umbrellas have lots of rods that are subject to rust. It is always better to leave your umbrellas drying in a corner for an extra hour than to close them too early and risk creating issues.

Folding an Umbrella

Once you are sure that your umbrella is dry, it is ready to fold. The good news is that it’s not hard to close an umbrella. If you have an automatic umbrella, you can hold the button down and push the stick back into place. Then you want to take the top of the umbrella, give it a gentle shake, and run your palm down the fabric, slowly turning the stick of the umbrella so that the fabric and rods neatly twist under your hand. It should turn easily, and you should be able to feel the shaft easily turn in a spiral to match.

Then simply button the clasp, and your umbrella can be stored in the corner of a dark closet until it is needed again. If possible, after folding your umbrella, you always want to store it in a dark location because sunlight can cause the colours to fade. This is another reason it’s not a good idea to keep your umbrella in the cabin of a car, it’s better to store umbrellas in the trunk.

Periodically Check the Fabric and Ribs

As part of good umbrella open care, from time to time, check your umbrella for problems. This is easy to do and involves a quick search for fabric tears or rips and inspecting the ribs. An umbrella that is not folded properly may start to show signs of bending or breakage in the ribs.

It's an Umbrella, Not a Walking Stick

As a quick aside, a lot of people like to use their umbrella like a cane, but that will actually damage the point and the structure of the umbrella. Resist the urge to use the handle as your walking stick and find yourself a real cane or a friend to lean on instead. Plus, if you hit the button while using it as a walking stick, you might suddenly find yourself sideways in a puddle which is certainly no fun.