Skip to content
balcony awnings sydney

Eight Cleaning Awnings Tips For Your Home

Cleaning Awnings can be a job many of us dread, however, to be without awnings would mean probable damage to your home from the elements. Not only do awnings offer protection from the rain and sun, but they can also enhance the look of your property making it stand out from the rest. On the other hand, awnings that have not been well maintained will be noticed for all the wrong reasons. Cleaning Awnings is necessary for maintaining a beautiful home, and it’s not that difficult. Here are some great tips on Cleaning Awnings

8 Cleaning Awnings Tips

Since most awnings are made of fabric such as canvas, they need to be handled with extra care when being cleaned in order to avoid any tears. These 8 tips will help you with Cleaning Awnings safely.

1. Machine Wash

Depending on the size and the type of fabric your awnings are made from you may be able to take them down and simply machine wash them. In some cases, this may prove to be beneficial, but often it is easier to just wash the awning while it is still on the awning frame.

2. Cleaning Awnings- Preparation

Before you begin any deep Awning Cleaning, you will need to prepare the area. Cobwebs are much more difficult to remove from your awning when wet and so removing them first, as well as other dirt, will ensure your awnings clean up like new!  While you’re at it, you may also want to remove any debris from the roof or gutters above as debris from them can easily fall onto the awning after it has been cleaned. Once you have removed all the debris, hose down the awning to assess which areas, if any, need a deep clean.

3. Selecting a Cleaning solution

Fabric awnings can be delicate so it‘s very important to use a mild detergent when you are cleaning awnings. Select a detergent that is powerful enough to move grime yet delicate enough to ensure you don’t harm the fabric. Always test a small area first when using any chemical for the first time. A great cleaning solution for fabric awnings is HTD Heavy Duty Detergent. This detergent is especially effective if you decide to wash the awning fabric in a washing machine. Simply add to laundry load as described on the label. This detergent dissolves in water and is safe to use with both front loader and top loader washing machines. Oxy Care is also a great detergent to use for cleaning awnings. Oxy Care is another product that can be used in the washing machine but also is effective on indoor and outdoor surfaces. It is recommended to use with warm water as this activates the oxygenation cleaning process. Best of all, this product us 100% environmentally safe.

4. Scrubbing Your Awnings

If your machine wash doesn’t remove all the stains you will need to scrub the surface. Use the same detergent that you would have in the machine wash however allow it to concentrate and soak in the dirty spots and then scrub with a flexible bristled brush. Rinse and allow to dry.

5. Pressure Wash

If you decide to do your awning cleaning with a pressure washer, make sure to rinse on the lowest setting possible or hold the wand far away from the awning so you don’t damage it. Too strong of water pressure can actually have the opposing effect when cleaning awnings and can cause dirt to become embedded in the fabric or cause the fibres of the fabric itself to weaken. A simple water hose is all you need to rinse an awning. It is also important to rinse from the bottom, up as this will prevent unwanted streaks from the cleaning solution running down the awning. Make sure all the soap suds are gone before allowing your awning to dry in the sunlight.

6. Cleaning the Underside

When it comes to cleaning awnings we often think of the outside, but forget about the underneath. Underneath your awning is where little critters like birds, bees and spiders LOVE to make nests so when cleaning awnings at your home, always rinse underneath to ensure these creatures aren’t calling your awnings home.

7. Cleaning Awnings Annually

Cleaning awnings isn’t that difficult, especially if you’re keeping on top of them regularly. Cleaning awnings should be done at least once a year, if not more, to prevent stains from setting into the fabric.

8. After Clean Protection

After you have cleaned the awning, there are many products that offer from the elements. We encourage you to invest in a UV-ray protectant, a waterproofing agent or just a general sealer. All of these can make it difficult for the fabric to stain as well as extend the life of your awning.

If you would like to inquire about our great range of awnings contact us.

Back To Top