Awning always wet and dirty inside. Solution?

[BobsYourUncle]

Darned awning!

Every spring I roll out the awning and check it out for the first time of the year.
And every time it is sopping wet, full of dirt and green gross filth.
Drives me nuts!

So I get out a bucket, soapy water and brush and spend a couple hours trying to make it look presentable and clean.

I don't get this. I always make sure it is clean and dry when I stow it for the winter.
How does the entire thing get soaking wet inside?

Is there a way to prevent this?

[BobsYourUncle]

Derick wrote:
Dont pressure wash it. Ask me how I know.

lol

Don't have to ask you how you know! :E
Tried that once myself! Only once! But at least the water drained better after power washing it.....

Brought the TT home yesterday, put the awning out and got out a ladder and a car wash brush that attaches to the hose. Scrubbed it as best as I could, got some of the crud off it but it still looks like an old rag. Didn't use any cleaners because of the grass below. Time for new fabric me thinks!

It's an electric awning and I hate the darned thing. There is NO provision to tilt one side. So if it fills with water it will collapse the nitrogen cylinders to dump the water. Don't have the RV door open when that happens! Ask me how I know that one....

Closer examination of the awning reveals that it appears to be mounted too high. When it's rolled up, the top of the roll sits higher than the roof, providing a pocket the full length for dirt and crud to collect in.

Some previous suggestions here are ineffective because being an electric awning, the ends are too big to cut out a plastic bottle to cover them. The plastic half pipe won't work either due to the pocket created by being mounted too high.

I'd have to pull the rails off the walls and drop them a couple inches so water runs off the roof properly.

Who designs this stuff anyways.....

I'd much rather have the manual awning. At least you can lower it in the front or tilt it to one side.

[Derick]

Dont pressure wash it. Ask me how I know.

lol

[BobsYourUncle]

N-Trouble wrote:
Have seen people use 2 litre soda bottles cutout to fit over the awning ends.

Another good idea!

Thanks.
🙂

[N-Trouble]

Have seen people use 2 litre soda bottles cutout to fit over the awning ends.

[pnichols]

Not considering the sun's UV damage to the first few inches along the length of a non-covered rolled up awning on an RV stored outside - but considering only rain water getting into the rolled up folds of the awning from it's ends:

Why do you have to cover the whole length of the awing? Why can't one just somehow seal up the open ends of the rolled up awning? There must be a way between RV trips to just climb up a step ladder a couple of times and clip some kind of a tight fitting cap on each end of the rolled up awning. :h

[BobsYourUncle]

Thanks for the input everyone. 🙂

[ScottG]

Dennis12 wrote:
wet it, spray with tilex, roll it back up for 20 minutes, unroll and spray off. like new ! That or garage it

X2
I have tried all kinds of bleach based products but there is something about Tilex that beats them all. It even removed years-old stains the others couldn't get.

As for keeping it clean, when it rains the water will flow down the closed awning and mold.
Either keep it inside of get a new awning with alumaguard.

[beemerphile1]

BobsYourUncle wrote:
...makes me wonder how it gets wet all the way through the roll when its put away dry....

Capillary action.

[Dennis12]

wet it, spray with tilex, roll it back up for 20 minutes, unroll and spray off. like new ! That or garage it

[SoundGuy]

downtheroad wrote:
Good suggestions above already...here is another idea...for storage only.

You can't post an image directly from just a link ... here's your pic.

[profdant139]

I also use a plastic rain gutter -- it keeps the sun off and reduces (but does not eliminate) moisture.

And on my pre-trip prep list, there is an item in bold type: "Remove awning shroud before towing." Don't ask why it is in bold type.

If I forget to remove it one more time, I'm hitting the caps lock key!

[downtheroad]

Good suggestions above already...here is another idea...for storage only.

[BobsYourUncle]

Artum Snowbird wrote:
Hi Bob, Mike in CR

I once saw a post about a fellow that took a plastic pipe and cut it to fit the awning closed with the appropriate cutouts at each end and caps.

I think it just comes in with the rains and the ends fill up and weep inside the windings.

Mike

Hi Mike!
That's an idea. Maybe a length of that white PVC pipe. I'll look into it. Still makes me wonder how it gets wet all the way through the roll when its put away dry....

On another note, we will be rolling through your back yard in 2 weeks. Family in CR and almost 3 weeks at a CG on the ocean north of you.

[guidry]

Spray a bleach and water solution as you roll it back up. Let it sit for an hour then Unroll and rinse. I’ve also used plastic gutters and they work good. After losing a pair I drilled a hole in one then tied a string to my RV handle so I wouldn’t forget again.