Awning Cleaning and Maintenance: A Few Do’s and Don’ts

December 12, 2022

Investing in awnings can make a powerful difference for a business or home. Whether its intended purpose is for aesthetics, signage, or shade, awnings are often the first thing people notice about your property, so it’s important to consider awning cleaning and maintenance to help preserve your new look. Regular services are also key to preserving the specialty fabrics that are designed and used to withstand all weather conditions.

Over the past five years, there has been an increased preference for outdoor seating for patios and decks. With approximately 66% of households in the US purchasing furniture or accessories for outdoor spaces, it’s clear that many people care about making their outdoor spaces desirable and that includes awnings for protection and aesthetics. 

To ensure your eye-catching awning is protected from damage, preserved to last longer, and continues to make a favorable first impression, here are a few do’s and don’ts for taking care of and maintaining your awning. 

Do’s: 

• Clean your awning regularly – preferably monthly to remove debris, dust, and dirt. 
• Depending on the type of awning (retractable, fixed, etc) and type of fabric (woven acrylic, vinyl, etc).
• A simple approach is to pre-soak your awning with water, then wash using a soft-bristled brush to remove any dirt that may have accumulated on the surface. 
• Use a mild dish detergent, or Simple Green, or obtain specially designed fabric or vinyl cleaners from a Marine Supply store.
• Rinse well, using a garden hose to remove the film left on the material, to prevent marks and residue.
• Ask your awning manufacturer for specific awning maintenance and cleaning instructions.
• Retractable awnings (particularly in a marine environment) have a special set of instructions
• Make sure your awning is clean and dry before storing it safely. For retractable awnings, leave them open (if weather permits) until dry.
• The moving joints on the arms of a retractable awning can be lubricated using a Teflon or Silicone lubricant

 

Don’ts: 

• Try to avoid scrubbing your awning fabric intensively, as it could damage the fabric or stitching (particularly if the fabric is aging).
• Aggressive cleaning agents are typically to be shied away from. Consult with Dorchester Awning if you have questions.
• You can use a power washer, however, don’t put it on a point-spray; make sure it is on a fan-spray mode.
• Don’t ignore the state of your awning. Tears, holes and abrasions may be able to be repaired, particularly if you remove your awning on a seasonal basis. They can be repaired while the fabric is off the frame, or a patch kit can be created with instructions on how to do the patching.
• Don’t roll up a retractable awning until it is dry (weather permitting, of course). 
• Never use WD40 as a lubricant on retractable awnings. It’s a penetrating agent which is good for loosening frozen bolts, but lubrication should be with a Teflon or Silicone lubricant.

 

Sometimes, cleaning and maintaining your awning can present challenges depending on the kind of structure you choose, but hiring a company like Dorchester Awning will simplify the process for you. We have over 120 years of experience providing quality shade-covering options and, in return, receiving consistent positive customer reviews. Our customers choose us because:

 

• We have a variety of awnings
• We offer a personalized design process.
• We only use trusted vendors.

Services to Protect Your Awnings and Canopies 

In addition to bringing your dream awning ideas to life, we may be able to offer storage and repair services to ensure your awnings and canopies are well-taken care of so they remain in the best condition. We can provide services for seasonal take-down, storage, and reinstallation of awnings or canopies we have made for you. This is a high-demand service with limited openings, so contact us to see if we can accommodate the services you are requesting.

 

While we do not perform awning cleaning directly ourselves – we have references for individuals and companies who will travel to you and provide this service.

 

If you have maintenance concerns about your awning. We can review your concerns via phone, then schedule to have one of our Sales Executives come over to review your awning and the options. The options can range from referring you to a cleaning service, providing patches, to full fabric (and/or frame) replacement. For commercial applications – new fabric and graphics may require permit-approval by the local town/city,  and we can assist with that service as well.

 

Contact Dorchester Awning to learn more about our maintenance and repair services and work with one of the best companies in the business.