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Awning Cleaning & Care

May 7, 2015

You’ve invested in a beautiful awning for your home, now what? First, you should enjoy this great addition to your home. But, often times we forget that awnings are like any other part of your home; you have to take care of it for it to last and stand the test of time. This means you have to clean and care for your awning.

So why should you care about cleaning your awning? For starters, even if you bought an awning with mildew resistance, that’s not enough. Awnings collect dirt and over time that dirt becomes fodder for mildew to grow. Using a combination of quality materials and consistent cleaning, you can avoid the growth of unsightly mildew.
Keep in mind, even if you have top quality fabric with all the bells and whistles like mildew, UV ray, and scratch resistance, cleaning and caring for your investment is a must. It’s like if you buy a new suit, you want to clean and take care of it to ensure the fabric doesn’t get soiled, stained, or even frayed; it’s the same with an awning.
Now that you know why it’s so important to take care of your awning, let’s talk about how you can do this. Here are some tips:

  • Hose your awning down at least once a month to clean off loose dirt, leaves, and other debris. In fact, hose your awning down whenever you see a buildup of dirt and other organic matter.
  • If you can, wash your awning using a soft cloth or brush. Don’t use detergent. Use a mixture of non-detergent soap like Ivory and lukewarm water. 
  • Don’t use bleach or other harsh chemicals.
  • Don’t use an abrasive sponge or other abrasive cleaning utensil as you can scratch, tear or damage your awning fabric.
  • Don’t let trees, bushes, or other plants grow on or too close to your awning. 
  • Repair any rips or tears as soon as you can.
Even if you have a retractable awning, you still need to clean it. Remember, your awning – whether fixed or retractable – is made of a specialty fabric and needs to be properly cared for in order for it to continue looking great. 
You can always call your local awning shop to help you understand how to clean your awning. You can also have your awning professionally cleaned but this is something you do if your awning is so soiled or dirty that you can’t clean it yourself. So remember, clean your awning at least once a month so you can avoid costly repairs and cleaning services. 

If you have questions or need some advice about how to clean and care for your awning, feel free to contact us at www.americanawningabc.com or call us at 800-654-5933.