Top Tips for Maintaining Your Awning

The team here at Le Fong Contractor have put together some top tips for maintaining your awning over winter and spring to ensure that when summer arrives, your awning is in good condition and ready to use.

Check for rips or damage

Firstly, you should ensure to check on the condition of your awning after long periods of disuse or bad weather to make certain that the material is intact and that the poles and mechanisms of the awning are still functioning properly. Patch up or sew up any rips as neatly as you can, and tighten any loose screws. You can also add a little oil to the metal structures to ensure they don’t rust or corrode, and adding a sealant to the frame will prevent this from being a problem in future.

Light cleaning

If your awning needs a little sprucing up, you can perform a light fabric clean while keeping the awning in its frame:

Use a soft bristled sweeping brush to remove any loose dirt

Hose down the material

Use a sweeping brush and a cleaning solution of warm water and a very mild soap to tackle any embedded grime

Allow the cleaning solution to soak into the material for a while before rinsing completely

Air dry the awning – never apply heat to speed up the process as it can fade the fabric.

Cleaning stubborn stains or mildew

If light cleaning isn’t sufficient for your neglected awning, or if you have mildew stains that you can’t shift, you can use a deeper cleaning method to eradicate the problem:

Prepare a cleaning solution of 1 cup of bleach and ¼ cup of mild soap for every gallon of warm water

Soak the fabric in the cleaning solution for up to 15 minutes

Using the same method as above, scrub the fabric

Rinse the soap residue off the awning

Allow to air dry.

This method of stain removal can be repeated to ensure all stains and mildew growth are completely eradicated. If your awning has a coated underside, take care to avoid this area with the cleaning solution as it can cause damage to the coating.

Waterproofing

While your awning will most certainly have a waterproof coating, this protective layer can become weakened with age or after a serious cleaning, so ensure to re-treat your fabric before you put your awning to use this summer.

Le Fong Contractor have a wide selection of beautiful, high-quality awnings and canopies to improve any outside space. Our products are made from the finest materials and installed by industry experts to ensure a long lasting, sturdy and aesthetically pleasing final result. With over 18 years’ experience, you can rely on Le Fong Contractor to deliver first rate products at fantastic prices. We supply and install our blinds, awnings and canopies across Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. Contact us today for more information on our products and services, we’ll be happy to help.