Awning Cleaning & Sealing

Awning Cleaning Milwaukee, WisconsinThere are a lot of benefits from having your awnings cleaned by a professional .It protects your image, whether your awnings were installed to attract attention to your business or just add shade and comfort, you want them to look good and last. When you have your awnings cleaned and sealed it extends the life of your awnings plus it gives a great first impressions. The last thing you want is to give off a shabbiness or neglected look to your business which could ultimately cause lost sales. Keeping your exterior clean is much more inviting than having a dirty or run down look. Another reason is a lot of manufactures warranties state the owners have to have some proof of cleaning in order to uphold on their part of the warranty. The manufactures know that weather, pollution, bird droppings and mildew will cause your awnings to age prematurely.

A regular Maintenance program is more effective than haphazard cleanings. You wouldn’t drive your car for a year and not change the oil, and you shouldn’t go without cleaning your awnings either. Preventive maintenance is a vital point in keeping your awnings in top shape. If you let the Midwest weather get to your awnings year after year without being cleaned and sealed your awnings are prone to sun damage, pollution and other contaminants that will shorten the life span of your awnings

You also have the choice of coating and coloring your awning which provides an alternative to a replacement. This can add strength to the material and return the original color to the awning.

In many cases our service will provide drastic improvements, so before you decide to replace your awning give us a call .We  joined with the NRPAC (National register of professional awning cleaners) to provide or customers with the highest quality cleaners and sealers to protect and extend the life of their awnings.

We have scheduled maintenance plans available at a discounted rate.

Here are some cleaning and care requirements to keep your  fabrics under warranty  by the most popular awning brand Sunbrella.

Sunbrella Cleaning

Sunbrella Fabric should be cleaned regulatory before substances such as dirt, roof particles ect.. are allowed to become embedded in the fabric. The fabric can be cleaned without removing it from the installation  The fabric can be cleaned with a hose and a soft brush. Mix a mild soap solution and clean with water under 100 F°. Rinse thoroughly to remove soap. Do not use detergents!

Sunbrella fabrics are made off 100% acrylic fiber and is thermoplastic and heat sensitive. Do not subject your Sunbrella awning to excessive heat.

If you take your sunbrella awning down for storage over the winter months it should be cleaned the allowed to air dry. Make sure that your Sunbrella  fabric is stored in a dry area.

Sunbrella  Limited warranty

The Sunbrella warranty is only valid if  a copy of the invoice is present.

What is covered in your Sunbrella warranty?

The limited warranty covers the fabric becoming serviceable because of loss of color or strength from normal exposure conditions including sunlight, mildew and atmospheric chemicals. Consumer is responsible for normal care and cleaning of the fabric.This warranty only covers the fabric

How long is the Sunbrella coverage?

The Sunbrella warranty runs for five years from the date of installation.
So that’s that, if you want your awnings to last or even if you want your warranty to be valid a regular maintenance schedule is needed. If you have your awnings cleaned on a regular basis they will last a lot longer and look great.

Professional awning cleaners
When it’s time for a thorough cleaning, Sunbrella fabrics can be cleaned while still on an awning frame or, size permitting, they can be removed for cleaning in a washing machine.

When cleaning Sunbrella fabrics, it is important to observe the following:

  1. Always use a mild soap such as Ivory Snow, Dreft or Woolite.
  2. Water should be cold to lukewarm. (Never more than 100°F/38°C.)
  3. Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
  4. Air dry only. Never apply heat to Sunbrella fabrics.

General or light cleaning
To clean Sunbrella fabric while still on an awning frame, follow these simple steps:

  1. Brush off loose dirt.
  2. Hose down.
  3. Prepare a cleaning solution of water and mild soap such as Ivory Snow, Dreft or Woolite (no detergents).
  4. Use a soft bristle brush to clean.
  5. Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
  6. Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
  7. Air dry.
  8. May not require re-treatment depending on the age of the fabric.

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 (see our Stain Chart for specific recommendations).

Heavy cleaning for stubborn stains and mildew
View the Sunbrella fabric Stain chart.

Sunbrella fabric does not promote mildew growth, however, mildew may grow on dirt and other foreign substances that are not removed from the fabric. To clean mildew, or other stubborn stains:

  1. Eight ounces (1 cup) of chlorine bleach.
  2. Two ounces (1/4 cup) of mild soap and/or detergent.
  3. One gallon of water.
  4. Clean with soft bristle brush.
  5. Allow mixture to soak into fabric for up to 15 minutes.
  6. Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
  7. Air dry.
  8. Repeat if necessary.
  9. Re-treatment of fabric for water and stain resistance will be necessary.

Remember to protect the area around your Sunbrella fabric if using a bleach solution. Carpet or other fabrics that are not Sunbrella may have an adverse reaction to the bleach. If an awning is suitable in size for a washing machine, these steps should be followed:

  1. Use mild soap and/or detergent.
  2. For heavier stains add 1 cup of bleach to wash.
  3. Wash and rinse in cold water.
  4. Air dry. Never apply heat to Sunbrella.
  5. Re-treatment for water and stain resistance will be necessary after machine washing.

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 High Tech Fabric Guard™ as the preferred re-treatment product for Sunbrella fabrics.

Fabrics should be re-treated after thorough cleaning or after five years of use. For more information on re-treatment products, please visit www.303products.com.

Applying 303 High Tech 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.

  1. Clean Sunbrella fabric, using one of the cleaning methods.
  2. Allow Sunbrella to completely air dry.
  3. Apply 303 Fabric Guard in a well ventilated area following instructions on the container.
  4. Apply 303 in a thin, even coat and allow fabric to dry completely.
  5. Apply a second thin, even coating of 303. (Two light coatings are more effective in restoring fabric water resistance than a single heavy coating. A 15-ounce bottle provides coverage of up to 50 square feet of fabric.)

For more information, please visit www.303products.com.

Professional awning cleaners
You may have access to professional awning cleaning firms. In evaluating the services of a professional firm, you should inquire about a firm’s experience in working with Sunbrella fabrics and knowledge of cleaning and re-treatment requirements. DO NOT dry clean Sunbrella fabrics.

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 completely remove bleach.

Sunbrella air dries very quickly. Machine drying is not necessary.

If fabric has some wrinkling, use an iron, if necessary, but only on the synthetic* setting. As some irons exceed the recommended 100°F/38°C 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 and/or advanced age of the fabric application may impact the deterioration of the sewing thread and other non-Sunbrella components.

* Synthetic fabric heat settings normally do not exceed 150°F/66°C.

You may have access to professional awning cleaning firms. In evaluating the services of a professional firm, you should inquire about a firm’s experience in working with Sunbrella fabrics and knowledge of cleaning and re-treatment requirements. DO NOT dry clean Sunbrella fabrics.

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