[Jerry's 2LT]

Unless you are just brushing off leaves or other heavier items, I recommend using a vacumn cleaner with the carpet brush attachment. You should vacuum lightly (not a lot of pressure). Let the vac do the job. If you have bird droppings or other such staining/acidic substances, then use the Raggtopp cleaner.

Follow up your cleaning with the Raggtopp protectant.

This is the process I have been using since 1967 on cloth/canvas tops and I haven't had to replace one yet.

A stiff brush will only loosen up the fibers, weakening the fabric. The object is to remove any grit, not brush it into the fabric. This is especially important in sandy areas where wind blows the sand around. Sand being basically glass, it isn't nice to fabric!