1. How to Clean Your Marquee

The golden rule of marquee cleaning is this: never, ever put your canopy in a washing machine or dryer. We've seen it happen more often than you'd think, and the heat and agitation will destroy the waterproof coating and ruin your print. Here's what to do instead.

Routine Cleaning (After Every Few Uses)
Set up your marquee in the backyard or lay the canopy flat on a clean surface — not rough concrete, which can scuff printed fabric. Use a garden hose with a gentle spray to rinse off loose dirt, dust and pollen. For most light soiling, this is genuinely all you need.

Deep Cleaning (Quarterly or As Needed)

• Mix a mild cleaning solution
  A bucket of lukewarm water with a squirt of standard dishwashing liquid. Avoid bleach, caustic cleaners, or anything containing solvents — these will strip the PVC coating and fade printed artwork over time.
• Use a soft brush or microfibre cloth
  Gently scrub the affected areas in a circular motion. For stubborn marks on PVC canopies, a soft-bristle car wash brush works brilliantly. On printed polyester canopies, stick to a cloth to protect the dye sublimation print.
• Rinse thoroughly
  Make sure all soap residue is washed away. Leftover detergent can attract dirt and cause streaking, especially on white or light-coloured canopies.
• Dry completely before storing
  This is the step most people skip and it's the one that causes the most damage. A damp canopy packed away will grow mould within days, particularly in Queensland's humidity. Leave it set up to air-dry, or hang it over a clothesline in the shade.

Dealing With Mould & Mildew
If you've opened your carry bag to discover mould spots, don't panic. Mix one part white vinegar with four parts water, apply it to the affected area, and let it sit for 30 minutes before gently scrubbing with a soft brush. Rinse and dry thoroughly in the sun — UV light is a natural mould killer. For severe cases, a purpose-made mould remover designed for outdoor fabrics (available from most automotive or camping stores) will do the trick, but always test on a small hidden area first.

2. Proper Storage

How you store your marquee between uses has more impact on its lifespan than almost anything else. We've seen brand-new custom-printed canopies ruined in three months by bad storage, and we've seen well-cared-for X7 Tectonics going strong after eight years of weekly markets.

PRO TIP: Keep a packet of silica gel sachets inside your carry bag between uses. They absorb ambient moisture and are a cheap insurance policy against mould — especially important for anyone storing in coastal areas or humid climates.

3. Frame Care & Repair

Extreme Marquees frames are built tough — our X7 Tectonic has held a suspended car without bending. But like any mechanical assembly, they benefit from a bit of attention between events.

Regular Frame Maintenance
Lubricate the moving parts. Once every 2–3 months (or more often if you're setting up weekly), apply a light spray of silicone lubricant to the telescoping leg mechanisms and the scissor-arm pivot points. This keeps everything sliding smoothly and prevents the "stuck leg" problem that often gets blamed on a faulty frame when it's really just lack of lubrication. Avoid WD-40 on nylon connectors — silicone spray is gentler and won't degrade plastic components.

Inspect before each event. Take 60 seconds to check for bent truss bars, cracked connectors, loose thumb-screws and damaged foot-plates. It's far better to spot a hairline crack on a connector in your driveway than to discover it mid-setup at a busy market. All of our frame ranges — from the X5 True Blue through to the Q8 Quasar — have a full catalogue of replacement spare parts available on our website.

Clean the frame occasionally. A wipe-down with a damp cloth removes salt, sand and grime that can accelerate wear on moving parts. For aluminium frames (X6 Velocity, X7 Tectonic, Q8 Quasar), there's no rust risk, but salt build-up from coastal environments can cause pitting over time if left unchecked. For the X5 True Blue steel frame, wipe dry after cleaning to prevent surface corrosion.

Replacing Parts
Every frame in our range is designed to be repairable, not disposable. We keep a full inventory of spare parts for every product line in our Brisbane warehouse — truss bars, connectors, foot-plates, thumb-screws, telescoping inner legs, peak poles and more. If something breaks or wears out, there's no need to replace the whole frame. Visit our Spare Parts page or call our team on 1300 850 832 and we'll match the exact part to your frame model and size.

4. Canopy & Print Longevity

Your canopy is the most visible part of your setup — and if it's custom printed, it's literally your brand on display. Here's how to keep it looking sharp for as long as possible.

Understanding Your Canopy Fabric

Protecting Your Print
Our dye sublimation printing process infuses ink into the fabric fibres at 200°C, which means the print is part of the fabric — not sitting on top. This gives you exceptional fade resistance compared to screen printing or vinyl sticker methods. That said, you can help it last even longer:

5. Wind & Weather Preparation

Australian weather doesn't mess around. We've seen marquees at beachside events, outback field days, and everything in between. Here's what 20+ years of experience has taught us about weather readiness.

The Non-Negotiable: Always Anchor Your Marquee
We cannot say this strongly enough — an unanchored marquee is a safety hazard. Even on a calm day, a gust can come from nowhere. Every Extreme Marquee should be secured at every leg, every time, no exceptions.

Rain Prep
All Extreme Marquees canopies are waterproof, but water can still pool on the roof if the canopy is not tensioned properly. Make sure the fabric is pulled taut across the frame and the peak is sitting high. On larger sizes (4m x 6m and up), a slight tilt to one side encourages water to run off rather than collect in the centre. If rain gutters are available as an accessory for your linked marquees, use them — they channel water away and keep the space between connected frames dry.

6. Setup Best Practices

A good setup takes five minutes. A rushed setup leads to bent frames, torn canopies, and a bad day. Here's how to do it right, every time.

• Choose your site carefully
  Flat, level ground is ideal. Avoid setting up under trees where sap, bird droppings and falling branches can damage your canopy. If you're on uneven ground, adjust leg heights using the telescoping mechanism — that's exactly what it's for.
• Attach the canopy before fully extending
  Lay the canopy over the partially opened frame and attach the Velcro corners to each leg. Then extend the frame. Trying to throw a canopy onto a fully erect frame is the number one cause of torn fabric and broken peak fittings.
• Extend evenly with two people
  Stand on opposite sides and push the frame open together. This distributes force evenly and prevents the scissor arms from twisting. Anything 3m x 3m and above should be a two-person job.
• Set leg height, then lock
  Adjust the telescoping legs to your desired height. Make sure each leg's push-button or thumb-screw is fully engaged before moving on. An unlocked leg under load is an injury waiting to happen.
• Anchor immediately
  Don't unload your stock, set up your display, or go grab a coffee before securing the marquee. Anchor first, every time. Even a light breeze can catch an unsecured canopy.

PRO TIP: If you have a custom-printed canopy, orient it before attaching so your branding faces the right direction. Sounds obvious, but at 6am on market morning after a rough night's sleep, it's an easy one to get backwards

7. Seasonal Maintenance Checklist

8. Common Issues & Troubleshooting

The leg won't extend or retract
Almost always caused by grit, sand or dried salt in the telescoping mechanism. Tip the frame upside down and tap the leg firmly to dislodge debris. Spray liberally with silicone lubricant, work the leg up and down a few times, and it should free up. If the inner leg is visibly dented or bent, it will need replacing — these are stocked for all frame sizes.

Water pools on the roof instead of running off
Your canopy isn't tensioned enough. Check that the Velcro is firmly attached at all corners and that the peak is sitting at its highest point. On larger marquees, make sure the centre peak pole(s) are fully engaged. If you're in persistent rain, push the pooling water off with a broom handle from underneath — don't let it collect, as the weight can stress the frame.

My printed canopy has white lines along the creases
This is caused by repeated hard folding in the same spot and is cosmetic — it doesn't affect waterproofing or UV protection. To minimise this, vary your folding pattern and roll rather than fold where space allows. A replacement canopy with updated artwork is the permanent fix.

The frame seems wobbly or less stable
Check the connectors (the joints where truss bars meet the leg assemblies). Nylon connectors on the X5 True Blue can wear over time with heavy use. Aluminium connectors on the X6, X7 and Q8 are more durable but should still be inspected. Replacing worn connectors takes a few minutes, no special tools, and can make an older frame feel brand new.

Mould appeared on my stored canopy
The canopy was packed away damp. Follow the mould removal process in our Cleaning section above. Going forward, always air-dry completely before storage and add silica gel sachets to your carry bag.