Our premium awnings are a beautiful addition to your vintage trailer. To keep them looking their best and repelling water like new, just do a little periodic cleaning.
Regular Maintenance
One of the best ways to keep your premium awning fabric looking good and to delay the need for deep or vigorous cleanings is to hose fabrics off with clear water on a monthly basis when in heavy use. This practice will help prevent dirt from becoming deeply imbedded in the fabric and eliminate the need for more frequent vigorous cleanings. In most environments, a thorough cleaning will be needed only once every two to three years.
Deep Cleaning
When it's time for a thorough cleaning, Dickson® and Sunbrella® fabric awnings can be cleaned while installed on your awning rail.
When cleaning premium awning fabrics, it is important to observe the following:
- Always use a mild soap i.e. Ivory Snow, Dreft or Woolite. Never detergent.
- Water should be cold to lukewarm. Never more than 100 degrees.
- Air dry only. Never apply heat to premium awning fabrics.
If you are cleaning the fabric while set up on an awning rail, follow these simple steps:
- Brush off loose dirt
- Hose down the awning
- Prepare a cleaning mixture of water and mild soap (avoid detergents).
- Use a soft bristle brush to clean
- Allow mixture to soak into fabric for up to 20 minutes
- Rinse thoroughly
- Repeat as necessary
- Air dry
If stubborn stains persist, you can use a diluted chlorine bleach/soap mixture for spot cleaning of mildew, roof run-off or other similar stains. The recommended special mixture is made up of:
- Eight ounces (one cup) of chlorine bleach.
- Two ounces (one-fourth cup) of mild soap.
- One gallon of water.
Re-treating the Fabric
As part of the finishing process, Dickson® and Sunbrella® awning fabrics are treated with a fluorocarbon finish, which enhances water repellency. This finish is designed to last for several years, but must be replenished after a thorough cleaning. Based on test results, Glen Raven Mills (producer of Dickson® and Sunbrella® fabrics) recommends 303 Fabric Guard® (available here) as the preferred re-treatment product for their awning fabrics. Fabrics should be retreated after thorough cleaning or after five years of use.
Applying 303 Fabric Guard®
303 Fabric Guard® should be applied to fabrics after each thorough cleaning, which typically removes the original fluorocarbon finish and reduces the fabric's water repellency. After cleaning the fabric, allow it to air dry completely and then apply 303 Fabric Guard® in a thin, even coat. After allowing the first coat of 303 Fabric Guard® to air dry, apply a second thin, even coating. Two light coatings are more effective in restoring fabric water resistance than a single heavy coating. A 32-ounce bottle provides coverage of up to 150 square feet of awning fabric. Always apply 303 Fabric Guard® to clean fabric.
See our premium custom order awnings here.
And if you are in a hurry, we keep a few popular sizes and colors in stock here.