Your awning has to be sloped to one side and taunt,(down all the way). If it is fabric it will loose waterproofing with age. The way to keep it waterproof is washing it with Blue Coral wash and wax that has bees wax in it that fills the holes that occur in the fabric. If it has stains or is dirty add Clorox in same parts to your wash bucket and scrub the whole thing after wetting it then rinse well. The bees wax survives the Clorox even when you see the Clorox change the color from blue to white. That same formula works on the entire rig top to bottom. I use a bristle brush on the end of a long handle so you can reach the distance up the awning, which should be down as far as possible when you wash it.