Remember the awesome awning we recommended to you last month? If you missed the awning recommendation, you can check it out here: Wonderful Outdoor Shade Ideas for Your Home.

Whether you've purchased an awning, or are considering buying one, you need to know how to take care of it to make it last longer. Regular maintenance and cleaning increase the shelf life of the awnings. Like all furniture in your home, you need to take good care of it and keep it in great shape.

If you want your awning to maintain their good condition and colors all year, follow these dos and don’ts of awning care.

1. Regular Cleaning
To maintain the quality of your awnings, we recommend that you clean it regularly at least once a month. Regular cleaning will keep it from being decimated by weathering and outside factors like animals or falling/moving debris, leaving the entire awning looking spic and span without a spec of dirt.
Here's a quick cleaning guide to help you:

• Brush off all loose debris with a brush, broom, or paper towel
• Rinse off dust, debris and cobwebs with a garden hose
• Clear up stains with a solution of dish soap and water

Take note that you should not use bleach or chemical cleaners with harsh formulations when cleaning your awning fabric. Such cleaning solutions can easily destroy the fabric’s integrity and degrade its resistance to certain elements like mold and mildew.

2. Clean The Stain Immediately
Things like oil, rust, paint, bird droppings and tree sap can damage the awnings in the long run. The last thing you want is an unsightly stain on your awning. So, clean up a stain as soon as you spot one. This stops it from setting in too deep and hence too stubborn to remove.

3. Allow To Dry Before Retracting Or Removing
One of the biggest awning care mistakes is not letting the awning dry after it has rained, snowed or cleaned. Because the wet conditions cause mildew growth that can reduce the shelf life drastically and you certainly don’t want that. If you can, allow the fabric and other pieces to become completely dry before retracting any part of your awning. Also be sure that there isn’t any pooled water on your awning’s fabrics to avoid hard water stains and other unsightly messes.

4. Watch Out For Bad Weather
Don't forget the destructive power of storms on retractable awnings. Retracting your awning from inclement weather in a timely manner will effectively protect your awning and make it last a really long time.

5. Don't Forget The Frame
Don't ignore your awning frame just because it still looks excellent and seems like it’s functioning well. The frame can get damaged without your knowledge. Therefore, you need to regularly inspect the frame of the awning. Doing this will make you aware of hidden or small damages that may need fixing, and it's important to avoid malfunctions and accidents.

Final Thoughts
Awnings are great providers of shade and can be used all year round. They are extremely beneficial, so it is great to invest in them for your home or for your business’s brick-and-mortar location. And you should know how to clean it properly. We here at the VINGLI hope you’ve found this blog to be helpful. 
If you want to install an awning on your property, then VINGLI is ready to help you. Click here to learn more about VINGLI Awnings now.

If you need further advice, please feel free to contact us.