wolfe10 wrote:
STOP. We have to know what material they are to give you good advice.
Use a strong detergent on Sunbrella, and you loose the waterproofing. You have to use a mild soap, not detergent. I know Zipp Dee sell it, as mild soaps like Ivory flakes are no longer available.
Vinyl is completely different and can stand a lot harsher treatment.
Absolutely right.
Here is some info I have collected that agrees with you:
From an email to me from A&E:
For your acrylic awing We recommend to use mild detergent and warm water. A 1/2 cup of non chlorine bleach can be used. Once a fabric is cleaned, you may need to retreat with Scotchguard.
From a A&E pdf file on their web site:
Awnings come with two types of fabric…acrylic, a cloth-type fabric, or vinyl. Is one better than the other? Not really. It’s a matter of taste and preference.
Acrylic awnings have the color woven right into the fabric. Acrylic also performs a little differently than vinyl in wet weather. It is water repellent, not waterproof. Because it’s a woven cloth, it breathes. Air circulates through the fabric so dew and rain can dry quickly. However, you should avoid touching the underside of an acrylic awning when it is wet. This will break the surface tension and allow seepage through the fabric. If your awning gets rolled up while wet, unroll it as soon as the weather allows. It should be completely dry before rolling it up again to avoid mildew.
To keep your acrylic awing clean, simply hose it off occasionally and let it dry. Do not scrub your acrylic awning as this could remove its water retardant finish. If you need to remove a grease spot, use K2R Spot Remover; this is different than how you would remove a similar spot from a vinyl awning.
While a vinyl awning is mildew resistant, mildew can still form on the dirt and dust that sticks to the awning. To avoid these problems you will need to keep your UV-protected vinyl awning clean. Use a mixture of 1/4 cup dish soap, 1/4 cup bleach and five gallons of fresh water. Soap the open awning with this mixture, then roll it up to soak for five minutes while you apply the mixture to the bottom of the awning. Next, open the awning and hose it off with fresh water top and bottom. Repeat this process if necessary.
After the awning is completely dry, roll it up. To remove a grease spot from a vinyl awning, use only soap and water.
Do not use household cleaners, mildew removers or hard bristle brushes!
