Maintaining your awning is not always the easiest of tasks. For some, it comes as a routine habit, for others, the struggle of finding the right way to clean and maintain your awnings effectively is a difficult task. We have decided to identify tips on when to maintain your awnings; how to do so effectively as well as what products and methods you should be using.
First and foremost, how often should you be cleaning your awning?
Well this all depends on where your awning is situated and what sort of elements it is exposed to on a daily basis. Weather plays an important role in the state of your awning and can sometimes have extremely negative effects on its “health” and lifespan. With this in mind it is important to monitor your awning in order to best decide how often you should be cleaning and inspecting it. Having said this, research suggests that professional services advise cleaning your awnings at least once a week.
There are two ways in which you can clean your awning, firstly you can DIY as many people do. Alternatively you can employ a professional cleaning services to do so for you. But this is entirely up to your own personal preference and obviously the size and placing of your awning.
With these points in mind, we move on to how you should be cleaning your awning.
This again will vary depending on the type of awning you have. Cleaning your awning once a month should essentially be a light clean (again depending on the location of the awning). This would mean you should utilise a soft bristled brush with warm water and a mild, natural cleaning agent or soap If, however, your Awning is exposed to harsh weather conditions or situated in an area that is exposed to debris, leaves, sticks and dust from overlying trees, a high pressure cleaner, a leaf blower, a medium bristled brush and a mild and natural cleaning agent or soap make for the perfect cleaning combination. For Ceiling Structures with sheets use a hose pipe with a light mist to not over spray the structure and be sure to use a soft brush to wipe of debris, for the fascia boards and underside of the ceiling use a damp cloth and wipe down to ensure longer lasting colour.
In the instance of awnings stretching over large areas or hard to reach places we advise hiring a professional cleaning services to do the cleaning for you. These cleaning services will utilise the correct safety equipment, cleaning equipment and products to ensure that your Awnings are well-cleaned and protected and that you are not putting your life or anyone else’s life in danger trying to clean areas that are difficult to reach. Utilising professional contractors is always beneficial as they are able to inspect your awning for any unwanted nesting creatures such as birds, wasps or insects of any kind.
REMEMBER!! Maintaining your awning also entails thorough inspections of the structure and assembly of the Awning. Strong winds and weather conditions can easily have a negative impact on your awning over time so it is important to regularly inspect it so as to prevent an accident from happening due to a structural malfunction.
Can you believe the awning above is 10 years old?! With the proper TLC your awning can look like this, too.
Awnmaster offer quality awnings across South Africa. Visit our website for more information about us.
