Cleaning Canvas Awnings?

Bob Keenan

New member
Anyone have the magic formula? I cleaned some black canvas awnings on a night job last night.... Went back today and they looked horrible.... All streaky. I down streamed a mix of laundry detergent and sodium percarbonate (oxy clean), used no bleach, brushed with with a brush on a pole, and rinsed with a low pressure tip....

It was dark as the place was not completely lit up at night, so could not see results until today....

Any suggestions?
 
There are a lot of threads about awning cleaning and a lot of good suggestions. With that being said....I would not necessarily recommend doing it the way I do it, BUT I have never had an issue using bleach. I ALWAYS do a test spot. My mix is not as strong as a roof mix but typically stronger than a house wash mix. The canvas awnings generally hold pretty well to bleach.

There are probably a lot better ways to do it than the way I do it, but I have had pretty good luck. Do some reading the answers are in the old threads.

good luck
 
Thanks Craig.... Do you see any issue with the laundry detergent and percarbonate mix that I ds on? I brushed, and thought I rinsed really well......
 
Thanks Craig.... Do you see any issue with the laundry detergent and percarbonate mix that I ds on? I brushed, and thought I rinsed really well......

I don't know, never tried it. I'd think it would be ok.
 
I've used these in the past. They work. Just wet the awning, xjet the product on, brush in small areas normally 4'x4' with a split hair 10" Truck brush and rinse after you've done about a 10x10 area. Don't let the product dry and rinse well.


That's good to know Craig I'm thinking of getting some I see a lot of these boat covers and the ones i bleached it left streaks..


 
Rinse, Rinse, Rinse... and then rinse again. Get some fabric softener on them when you are done to reduce drying out and shrinking of fibers.

Best Tip, If you do not rinse well and use softener the Job will not Turn out well. No Solid Laundry Soap all Liquid. Linda At soap Warehouse who is Close has a Great Awning Cleaner as well
 
The Problem with Bleach is it will destroy the UV and Ruin Threads in a Fabric Awning. You will not See the Damage right away!!! They will call the manufacture out for Warrantee, Test the Awning and discover you used something that Voided the Warrantee. Don't ask me why I know
 
The Problem with Bleach is it will destroy the UV and Ruin Threads in a Fabric Awning. You will not See the Damage right away!!! They will call the manufacture out for Warrantee, Test the Awning and discover you used something that Voided the Warrantee. Don't ask me why I know

So Ron if the bleach damages the awning, what do you think recommend cleaning it with?

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
Best Tip, If you do not rinse well and use softener the Job will not Turn out well. No Solid Laundry Soap all Liquid. Linda At soap Warehouse who is Close has a Great Awning Cleaner as well

Linda is a valuable resource....she can help with just about any cleaning challenge
 
All the very top sail and awning companies use bleach to clean the material. They also sell non bleach products at the same time and tell you not o use bleach. One of the biggest companies is by me . They clean huge tents ,sails, awnings all with bleach and fix them to. I talked to few guys after watching them clean . They don't use the non bleach products.
 
All the very top sail and awning companies use bleach to clean the material. They also sell non bleach products at the same time and tell you not o use bleach. One of the biggest companies is by me . They clean huge tents ,sails, awnings all with bleach and fix them to. I talked to few guys after watching them clean . They don't use the non bleach products.

The Thread in a Tent is Nylon because it more Course and no one cares. The Thread Awning are from ( Organic) Material.

I never Said you couldn't use Bleach...I said it will extract the UV. If you Rinse Well and Apply the Protectants Back on in rinse Process your Doing the customer Justice.

I have washed Awning for 30 Years. They even Have color Back Products for Faded awning that have Been Damaged. I never recommend them because they do not Last.
 
Make sure you treat the materiel after cleaning none of you will since I'm a Greaser yet I do know what i'm talking about.
 
So Ron if the bleach damages the awning, what do you think recommend cleaning it with?

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Color Safe Bleach is the Best Liquid form always.

Many folks Read to Much into things, the right amount is the Key.

Anyone ever used a Cap full of Bleach in Colored Towel? In won't hurt or fade them, just gives the Laundry Soap a Punch!!! Throw a Cup in and Towels Ruined. GET THE POINT?????

Hot Water will Effect the Process also, to cold of water Same results. Agitation is the KEY, anyone who Thinks a Hot Mix is the way will get it done Fast but you will have a Problem sooner than Later.
 
Have to put in a bid today to wash this. So how should I do it? Liquid laundry detergent with color safe bleach? Maybe some kind of detergent that contains oxy clean? How much should I mix with water to DS?

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