Yurt Maintenance: Essential Tips for Longevity and Care

Our cottages and yurts are built with the highest quality materials to create the strongest, most innovative, and most versatile outdoor living structures available. Now that you own a yurt or cottage, it is important to develop proper cleaning procedures to begin caring for your yurt or cottage and ultimately extend the life of your investment.

Please exercise caution and best practices when cleaning out-of-reach and high places. We ask that you are cautious while caring for your yurt or cottage and recommend using a standard ladder and hose to clean tall objects. The roof vinyl has an acrylic topcoat resistant to UV light, mold, mildew, and dirt. Regularly cleaning to remove dirt and debris will significantly extend the life of your roof.

Preventing mold or mildew streaks on your yurt roof and walls is simple. We encourage cleaning the roof with a long-handled soft mop and a solution that consists of lukewarm water and light soap. Given the height and reach to clean your roof you may consider a telescoping pole to reach those spots near the dome. Please do not use abrasives, bleach, detergents, or a pressure washer to remove dirt or mold from your structure. It’s helpful to think of the way you wash your car while cleaning your yurt or cottage. First, rinse off as much accumulated dirt as possible with a garden hose. Then, scrub and rinse a section of your structure before the soap dries to the surface. Finally, be sure to thoroughly rinse away all soap residue when you are done washing the roof.

Yurt walls are made of a durable fabric and supported by the lattice. Like the roof, use a soft brush (typically found at an auto parts store) to wash the walls of your structure. Use the same solution for your walls as you would use for the roof – light soap and lukewarm water.

Vinyl scratches very easily and takes extra care when cleaning. Preventative measures you can take while cleaning your windows are avoiding paper products to clean your windows. We recommend using only a clean cotton cloth and warm water. Please keep in mind, allowing harsh chemicals like Windex or detergents on your soft windows will harm the surface.

The acrylic skylight dome is very susceptible to scratching if an abrasive cloth is used. Use only a clean soft, cotton cloth and a diluted solution of warm water and mild soap to clean the surface. Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly.

Doors and frames are typically most exposed to the elements. For optimal waterproofing, the doors and frames must be treated on-site with polyurethane. For doors without an awning, a thin bead of clear sealant where the glass windows meet the frame and extra weatherproof silicone caulking at the base of the door are proactive steps of care. You can clean the glass windows as you would any other glass window.

Like the doors of your yurt, we recommend using weatherproof silicone caulking around the exterior perimeter of the glass window frames. Then, apply waterproofing polyurethane to any exposed exterior wood trim. Finally, clean the glass windows as you would any other glass window.

Our Canvas Cottages are made from 100% cotton Army duck and treated with the best “dry’ water-repellent finish available. We use a treatment called Sunforger to create a water repellent, mildew resistant, and flame-retardant fabric.

If your Canvas Cottage has been tainted or is dirty, you can quickly create a proper cleaning method to give it a complete cleanse.

1. Always remove caked-on dirt or mud using a soft bristle brush.
2. Most dust and dirt can be removed by using the Shop-Vac dry method.

1. Washing your yurt or cottage fabric with any kind of soap can affect the Sunforger treatment in the fabric.
2. Use only a very mild non-detergent soap such as Woolite or Ivory Flakes and scrub lightly with a soft bristle brush.
3. Use a hose to rinse thoroughly with plenty of water.

Please keep in mind, that soap residue acts as a sheeting agent and will prevent the fabric from repelling water.

The possibilities are endless and so are your options. Contact us today to start living your adventure!

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