Tips On How To Clean An Awning ?? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 08-20-2010, 01:09 PM   #1
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Tips On How To Clean An Awning ??

Okay Folks ! I'd like your tips and advice on how to properly clean an awning.
We've noticed a lot of black mold on ours and some tree sap. Too bad the previous owners put it away like that...Now I want to clean it the right way. I've done some research and want to hear how do you clean yours ??

So, I know the basics, not in hot sunny weather and no products that cause fading. Let it dry before rolling it up .....

Any enviromentally friendly products that you use ??

Thanks ! Mitch
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Old 08-20-2010, 03:04 PM   #2
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I'm wondering what kind of awning you have Mitach, a bag or a box awning. We have a bag awning and usually remove it from the track (seasonally). While its down, we try n find a good sized area that we can open it up to clean (one side at a time) usually just with a commercial grade awning cleaner. That seems to work well enough for our usage(s).
We have also found that no matter how dry n clean it is when we roll it up, when we open it up next time, its usually moist and slightly dirty. Moisture from condensation and dirt/dust amassed from highway milage.
Never ending circle....
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Old 08-20-2010, 04:13 PM   #3
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Hey Doug ! thanks for the quick response. We have a box awning on our new to us Bigfoot Fifth Wheel. The kind that is permanently secured to the trailer with arms on each side. We have had an awning before but it was the big heavy canvas ones that you fed through the awning rail and used guy ropes to keep 'em up.

Kindest regards, Mitch
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Old 08-20-2010, 04:22 PM   #4
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I'm not familiar with box awnings so I don't know IF the material in a box awning is removeable from the box. THAT would make it much easier to do a good cleanup of the awning. MY 'bag' awning slides into an attached rail and as such makes for (IMHO) a more water resistant connection. The fabric (mine is only 2 feet wide) is NOT that heavy and is supported when open via expandable (self contained) aluminum tubing.
To get back to your question then, IF it is not removeable, I'd just open it up laying the fabric against the trailer body and scrub at the material using the trailer wall as a backstop!!! Hope that might work for you!!!
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Old 08-20-2010, 05:18 PM   #5
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I have a box awning and I just recently took it off the trailer to redo the seals on the roof mounts and while I had it down I layed it out on the carport floor and gave it a good scrubbing using a vinyl cleaner I purchased at a auto parts store. Most of the marks came off. Once I had it cleaned up and dry I put some vinyl protector on it - again from the auto parts store.

When its mounted on the trailer I will pull it out and wash it down using car wash and my car wash brush on a pole. Leave it up to dry for a day or two before rolling back up. If I have packed it at a camp while its wet I usually set it up again once home and wipe it off and leave it out until its dry to avoid the mold. If you set it up with the legs set at their lowest point and use a small ladder you should be able to reach most of it without taking it off the trailer.
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Old 08-20-2010, 05:37 PM   #6
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I bought a spray bottle especially to clean awning at Canadian tire (Mildew Stain Remover from B.E.S.T.), unrolled the awning, spray it all over, roll it, and leave it for an hour, then unroll and wash with the water hose, no need to brush or anything, it is coming back like a new one.

I do it once or twice a year.
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Old 08-20-2010, 08:20 PM   #7
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The easiest way to clean a box type roll up awning is to get yourself a spray bottle, fill about half of the bottle with clorox bleach or what ever type of bleach you use, then add a squirt of dish soap or car wash soap and fill the rest up with water then set aside. Open your awning fully, hose it off then take a soft bristled brush and remove any loose soil, then spray the bleach solution onto the awning heavy on both the top side and the bottom side. After you have both side saturated with the bleach solution, roll it up for about 20 minutes to a half hour. After the time is up, open the awning and you will notice a drastic difference, but hose all of the bleach solution off of the awning and be sure to spray the camper body off as well to ensure that any solution on the camper has been washed off. When you rinse off the awning, you should be done. Let it dry, then roll it up. If the awning is heavilly stained, you may have to do this procedure twice. I do this to every used camper I get in stock, and no matter how dirty the awning is, they all come as clean as a new awning. This method was recommended to me by a technician from A&E awning, and it works great. No need to buy expensive mildew remover or awning cleaner. And don't get me started on that useless black streak remover either.

Good Luck, Mark
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Old 08-22-2010, 08:22 PM   #8
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How To Clean An Awning ??

Hey All ! Thanks for all of your responses and for taking the time to write back. Some great solutions there. Please stop the rain, Mother Nature. I've got work to do !
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Old 08-26-2010, 12:40 PM   #9
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A spray of 303 Aerospace Protectant after cleaning will help your awning look great longer. Sort of like Armor All, but not, and it has a sunscreen built in. I used it on the entire outside of my 17' and just got the exposed part of the rolled up awning and it looks great, so I plan on doing the whole awning with it once I have it cleaned. I had trouble finding it here, but maybe more places in your city carry it.
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