With the holiday season just around the corner, you’re probably wondering how to clean your awning. Soon enough, the snow will be falling, and that beautiful retractable awning will have to roll in for a long winter’s nap. That being the case, a good end-of-season scrubbing is in order.
The great news is that cleaning your retractable awning isn’t difficult. All you need are some simple supplies and an eye on your calendar. What’s even better news is that SummerSpace® retractable awnings are made to make care and maintenance as easy as possible.
The marine-grade Tempotest® fabric with which our awnings are made come with complimentary enhancements such as Teflon® Extreme fabric coating and Hi-Clean® finishing. These additions help waterproof the fabric while nanometrical technologies make it stain-resistant. This makes the awnings easy to clean and maintain throughout their lifetime.
When to Clean Your Awning
As to when you should clean your awning, that schedule varies depending on where you live. If you live in a coastal area, your best course of action is to clean both the awning and the frame at the beginning and end of each season. This will help prevent corrosion from the salty air.
Inland residents have it a little easier. In these areas, your awning typically requires no more than a cleaning at the beginning of the spring season to stay in top shape up until the winter.
We do, however, recommend that you periodically apply a 303 waterproofing protectant to the fabric to extend its lifetime.
Cleaning Supplies
With all of these protective features in place, the actual cleaning process is a snap. All you need is a soft bristle brush (you can even use a push broom as long as the bristles aren’t too stiff) and warm, soapy water. For the best results, combine two ounces of nondetergent soap with one gallon of water. Be sure that the water is warm but still under 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Cleaning Procedure: Do’s and Don’ts
Before you scrub, remove any large debris such as leaves from the awning and its machinery. Then, dip your brush into the water mixture and gently scrub the awning in its extended position. This will remove air pollution, smog, and particulates.
Once you’ve scrubbed it down, rinse it off with regular water and let it air dry in the sun. Be sure to let the fabric dry while the awning is in its fully extended position. Otherwise, it’s harder for the moisture to escape. Once it’s completely dry, you can retract it.
Secondly, do not place a fabric enclosure or artificial coverings on your awning when it’s retracted. If you want to protect your awning in its retracted position, your best bet is to install a SummerSpace semi-cassette or full cassette to the awning. These are more durable and less likely to cause an accidental extension of your awning than a fabric enclosure.
How to Clean Your Awning the Fun Way
Yes, cleaning your awning is a chore, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Our recommendation: make a party out of it!
We’ve seen some awesome awning cleaning parties happen over the years. It’s a great way to bring friends together for one last hurrah on your patio while making the cleaning job a lot less tedious.
When you’re done cleaning, everyone can sit under the awning and enjoy some food and beverages while the fabric dries. Just make sure you’re far enough away from the awning’s edges so you don’t get hit by the occasional drip.
Your Source for Retractable Awnings
SummerSpace is your premier source for retractable awning products and care tips. Get in touch with your local SummerSpace dealer today, and they’ll answer any questions you may have about customization and pricing. They may even hit you up with some cleaning party tips, too!
