Question Awnings - do you do anything to maintain them?

[RobertE]

The only thing I've ever done is clean it.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

The only thing I've ever done is clean it.

I also give the hinges and moving parts a bit of dry silicone lub every once in a while. I have many burned out led bulbs on the roller strip and sometimes think they should be replaced........but not often.

 

[wiscampsin]

X2 on lubing the hinges and moving parts with a shot of dry silicone lube every once in a while, usually 3 - 4 times a year.

 

[Boat Bum]

I try and never roll them up wet and if I do I dry them out ASAP.

 

[michaelbrown]

Not rolling them up wet is the point I'd underline; letting moisture sit in the fabric seems like the quickest way to invite mildew. On the burned-out LEDs, do you find the strip is user-serviceable or is it a replace-the-whole-strip job? I'm in Boise where summers are dry but dust and pollen build up fast, so I'd guess a soft brush before washing matters as much as the wash itself. Curious how often you actually clean yours.

 

[isabellathomas]

Dry silicone lube a few times a year sounds like a sensible habit, and I'd second the point about never stowing the fabric damp, since mildew is far easier to prevent than remove. On the LED strip, it likely depends on the model: some are plug-and-play replacements, others are sealed into the housing. Since dust and pollen accumulate quickly before washing, brushing them off first is worth the extra minute. I don't have an awning myself, but the frequency question is the one I'd be most curious about too.

 

[Rosy]

Not rolling them up wet is the point I'd underline; letting moisture sit in the fabric seems like the quickest way to invite mildew. On the burned-out LEDs, do you find the strip is user-serviceable or is it a replace-the-whole-strip job? I'm in Boise where summers are dry but dust and pollen build up fast, so I'd guess a soft brush before washing matters as much as the wash itself. Curious how often you actually clean yours.

All I do during the season is sweep off the top before I roll it up.

When I winterize my trailer, I clean the awning top and bottom with a spray-on cleaner and a long-handled brush.

 

[elfredaseward]

The seasonal routine makes sense — sweeping off the top before rolling it up sounds like it would save a lot of scrubbing later. Since you clean top and bottom at winterizing, does the underside need a different product than the top, or does one spray-on cleaner handle both? I don't own an awning, but in Portland the wet stretches seem like they'd make thorough drying before storage the tricky part.

 

[Rosy]

The seasonal routine makes sense — sweeping off the top before rolling it up sounds like it would save a lot of scrubbing later. Since you clean top and bottom at winterizing, does the underside need a different product than the top, or does one spray-on cleaner handle both? I don't own an awning, but in Portland the wet stretches seem like they'd make thorough drying before storage the tricky part.

I use the same product for both top and bottom. Bottom is easier to really scrub but it takes a lot of elbow grease. Mine seems to get a lot of black streaks on the bottom so that's what needs the most cleaning anyway so it works out. If the top was that dirty, I'm not sure I'd be able to get it clean.