Like most outdoor furniture and supplies, regular maintenance of your Van Nuys awning is important for its longevity. Proper upkeep of your awning will ensure that it keeps providing shade and aesthetics for many years to come. However, regular soap and water may not be enough to keep your awning and all of its components looking bright, shiny, and new. Luckily, the Van Nuys Awning Co.® has the experience and knowhow to help you clean your custom awning or sunshade so that it stays as beautiful as the day it was installed. Keep reading to find instructions on how to clean your retractable awning, sun shade sail, patio shade, or any of our other great products from Van Nuys. Depending on which fabric you chose when you first designed your custom awning, your cleaning instructions may be different than another type of fabric, so be sure to find the right kind of fabric below before cleaning your Van Nuys custom awning. If you don’t know what specific fabric you purchased or have a question about cleaning your awning, feel free to contact our Van Nuys location to get answers from one of our highly knowledgeable team members.
Sunbrella®
Sunbrella makes some of the highest quality fabrics, and we’re proud to partner with them. Not only are their awning fabrics incredibly durable, they also offer high UV protection throughout the year and are environmentally friendly. Sunbrella has a zero landfill policy, meaning none of their waste is sent to landfills. Some Sunbrella fabrics are made with 50% post-industrial recycled Sunbrella fibers mixed with brand new fabric. Sunbrella fabrics last a long time, but if you need to replace your used fabrics, Sunbrella offers a recycling program that goes back to the company. See below for instructions on how to clean your Sunbrella fabrics.
See SUNBRELLA® AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
- Brush off any loose dirt before cleaning.
- For general cleaning, spray on a mixture of mild soap and water.
- Use a soft bristle brush to scrub.
- Allow solution to soak into the fabric.
- Rinse thoroughly until all soap residue is removed.
- Let air dry.
- See here for a more specific stain chart.
FIRESIST
Firesist is another high-grade fabric we use at Van Nuys. Like some of our other fabric partners, Firesist offers a recycling program, so you can send your worn out or broken fabrics back to the company to be turned into new products. Firesist fabrics are not only UV resistant, but they’re flame retardant as well, offering state-of-the-art performance for awnings and canopies. The strong fabrics are also weather resistant and hold their color for a long time, no matter how much sun they get. Cleaning Firesist fabrics is also incredibly easy with their engineered coatings and finishes that also maximize water repellency and sunlight resistance. See below for further instructions on how to clean your Firesist awning fabric.
- Brush off any loose debris or dirt.
- Add two ounces of mild soap to one gallon of water.
- Scrub fabric with solution and a soft-bristle brush.
- Let solution sit.
- Rinse thoroughly with water until all soap is gone.
- For stubborn stains, Firesist recommends using 303 High Tech Fabric Guard.
- A mixture of half (½) a cup of bleach and one gallon of water can also be used.
- Spray fabric lightly with bleach solution, do not soak, and rinse immediately.
- Warning: using harsh chemicals like bleach may require re-treatment for restoring water repellency.
AwnTex
AwnTex fabrics are made from vinyl-encapsulated polyester and are ideal for patio awnings, umbrellas, window covers, screens, and other shade structures. AwnTex awning fabrics provide excellent shading advantages and won’t trap heat, keeping you and your guests nice and cool even during the hottest parts of the year. Materials are translucent mesh that also utilize the design of shade cloth, giving this outdoor fabric UV, mildew, and water resistance. Infused with Microban® antimicrobial technology, AwnTex fabrics inhibit stains and odor-causing bacteria. The solutions are baked in, so it won’t wash out or wear away for the lifetime of the fabric. See below for further AwnTex cleaning instructions.
- Vacuum or brush to remove loose dirt or dust.
- Use a solution of one tablespoon of liquid dish detergent and two tablespoons of household bleach mixed with one gallon of water.
- Clean fabric with a sponge or cloth dipped in the solution.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- Let air dry.
- Avoid direct contact with oils and petroleum products. Clean promptly if contact occurs.
Phifertex
Phifertex outdoor furniture fabrics make up most of our cushions for your patio furniture. Phifertex fabrics are made from high-grade vinyl mesh that can be custom made for the size and color you want. Their sling fabrics are woven from durable, PVC-coated polyester yarns, meaning this material is super strong and flexible. It won’t stretch, sag, or tear under pressure and is also water at UV resistant. Phifertex’s cleaning instructions are very similar to AwnTex, but see below for further instructions on how to clean your Phifertex fabric.
- Remove loose dirt or dust with brush.
- Use a mixture of one tablespoon of liquid dish soap and two tablespoons of household bleach mixed with one gallon of water.
- Dip sponge or cloth into solution and scrub affected area.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- Let air dry.
- Avoid direct contact with petroleum-based products. Clean promptly if contact occurs.
For warranty information or if you need any questions answered contact the Van Nuys Awning Co. before cleaning your awning fabrics.
