Please follow these tips to extend the life of your awning fabric:
Hose down the awning regularly and allow to dry completely so dirt will not accumulate on the awning. Brush the underside of awning regularly with a household broom to remove any spider webs or insects.
Do not allow twigs, leaves or other organic debris to remain on awning fabric. Keep shrubs, vines and trees trimmed to avoid matter getting onto fabric.
Do not over spray fabric with insect repellants, as some insecticides will stain.
Do not pressure clean the awning fabric. It will invalidate our fabric warranty. It may or will damage the cover, heat sealed or sewn seams and stitching.
If you are going to clean your awning fabric, wet ropes and binding first with plain water, then use a soapy solution and a light abrasive brush. You will need to add a small amount of laundry bleach to the solution if there is mildew. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air-dry. It is critical to make sure you rinse it thoroughly to remove all bleach and solution as ropes absorb cleaning solutions, which can lead to frame corrosion.
An awning cleaning service is available thru our office. Call 561-276-
Sunbrella Cleaning Tips
For products with Sunbrella® fabric please follow their cleaning tips below.
One of the best ways to keep Sunbrella fabrics looking good and to delay deep or vigorous cleaning is to maintain the fabrics correctly. This can be accomplished by simply brushing off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabrics, wiping up spills as soon as they occur or spot cleaning soon after stains occur.
General or Light Cleaning
To clean Sunbrella fabric while still on an awning frame:
- Brush off loose dirt.
- Hose down.
- Prepare a cleaning solution of water and mild soap such as Woolite or Dawn dishwashing liquid.
- Use a soft bristle brush to clean.
- Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
- Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
- Air dry.
- May not require re-treatment depending on the age of the fabric.
If stubborn stains persist, you can use a diluted bleach/soap mixture for spot cleaning of mildew. For roof run-off or other similar stains a strong degreaser may be required.
Heavy Cleaning for Stubborn Stains and Mildew
Sunbrella fabrics do not promote mildew growth. However, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric.
To clean stubborn stains:
- Prepare a solution of 1 cup of bleach and 1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of clean water.
- Allow mixture to soak into fabric for up to 15 minutes.
- Clean with soft bristle brush. (Note: This step should be avoided when cleaning the coated side (Back side) of Sunbrella Plus, Supreme, or Clarity.
- Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
- Air dry.
- Repeat if necessary.
- Re-treatment of fabric for water and stain resistance will be necessary after using bleach solution.
Note: Use caution when cleaning the coated (underside) of Sunbrella Plus, Supreme, or Clarity with the recommended bleach solution. The coated side of the fabric should only be sprayed with the recommended bleach solution and rinsed thoroughly.
Remember to protect the area around your Sunbrella if using a bleach solution. Carpet or other fabrics that are not Sunbrella may have an adverse reaction to the bleach.
Re-treating the Fabric
As part of the finishing process, Sunbrella 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® recommends 303® Fabric Guard™ as the preferred re-treatment product for Sunbrella fabrics.
Fabrics should be re-treated after thorough cleaning or as needed.
For more information on re-treatment products, please visit www.303products.com.
Applying 303 Fabric Guard
303 should be applied to Sunbrella fabrics after each thorough cleaning, which typically removes the original finish and reduces the fabric’s water repellency.
- Clean Sunbrella fabric, using one of the cleaning methods.
- Allow Sunbrella to completely air dry.
- Apply 303 Fabric Guard in a well ventilated area following instructions on the container.
- Apply 303 in a thin, even coat and allow fabric to dry completely.
- Apply a second thin, even coating of 303. (Two light coatings are more effective in restoring fabric water resistance than a single heavy coating.)
- Note: A 16-ounce bottle provides coverage of up to 75-100 square feet of fabric depending on material and application method.
Additional Cleaning Instructions
Helpful Hints
Protect the area around the Sunbrella fabric when using a bleach solution
– bleach may discolor non-Sunbrella fabrics. Always rinse Sunbrella thoroughly to remove bleach completely.
Please be aware of the environment when cleaning with bleach. Bleach can have harmful effects on the natural environment around you. We do not advise using bleach if you are surrounded by a body of water or other environments that could be affected.
Sunbrella should only be allowed to air dry.
If the fabric has some wrinkling, use an iron, if necessary, but only on the synthetic setting. As some irons exceed the recommended temperature on the synthetic setting, test a small inconspicuous area before ironing entire piece. DO NOT use a steamer or iron set to steam setting!
Use of bleach on advanced aged fabric applications may impact the deterioration of the sewing thread and other non-Sunbrella components.
For more information, call Sunbrella at 336.221.2211
