How to Clean Your Awning: A Cape Cod Homeowner's Guide
- Ocean Tailors
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Salt air. Sea breezes. Brilliant summer sun. Cape Cod is a beautiful place to live - but the coastal environment can be tough on your outdoor fabrics. Keeping your awning clean not only improves its appearance, it extends its life significantly. Here's everything you need to know to maintain your awning yourself between professional service visits.
Start With the Basics: Regular Maintenance
The simplest thing you can do for your awning is also the most important - don't let dirt build up.
Brush off loose dirt before anything else. Before applying any water or cleaning solution, always brush off dry dirt and debris with a soft brush. Wetting dirt first can push it deeper into the fabric fibers, making it harder to remove.
Hose your fabric down monthly. A simple rinse with clean water once a month goes a long way. It removes surface dust, pollen, and salt residue before they have a chance to settle in. This one habit alone can dramatically extend the time between deep cleans.
Deep Cleaning: Every 1–3 Years
Even with regular rinsing, your awning fabric will benefit from a thorough cleaning every one to three years. Here's how to do it right.
What You'll Need
Mild soap (Woolite or Dawn dish soap work well)
Clean water
A soft bristle brush
Access to a garden hose
Step-by-Step
Mix your cleaning solution. Combine mild soap with water — you don't need anything harsh or abrasive.
Apply and let it soak. Work the solution into the fabric and give it time to penetrate before scrubbing.
Scrub gently with a soft bristle brush. Never use a stiff or wire brush, which can damage the fabric weave.
Rinse thoroughly. Make sure all soap residue is completely washed out.
Let it air dry fully before retracting. Rolling up a damp awning is one of the most common causes of mildew.
Dealing With Stubborn Stains
Not all stains respond to soap and water alone. Here's how to tackle tougher situations:
Address spills promptly. The sooner you treat a spill, the easier it comes out. Blot — don't rub — and rinse with clean water right away.
For stubborn stains, a diluted bleach and soap mixture can be used on Sunbrella and other acrylic fabrics. If you do use bleach, rinse the fabric completely and thoroughly — leftover bleach residue can weaken fibers over time.
For roof runoff, grease, or similar deposits, a strong degreaser may be required. These stains typically come from gutters, tree sap, or nearby cooking areas, and regular soap won't cut through them.
Mold and Mildew: Don't Wait
Cape Cod's humidity makes mold and mildew a real concern for outdoor fabrics. Here's the important thing to understand: Sunbrella and quality acrylic awning fabrics don't promote mildew growth on their own — but mildew will grow on dirt and debris that hasn't been removed. This is exactly why regular cleaning matters so much.
Once mold or mildew appears, treat it immediately. Left unaddressed, it will break down fabric fibers and shorten the life of your awning significantly. For guidance on treating mildew specifically, Sunbrella provides detailed instructions at sunbrella.com/cleaningguide.
Retreating Your Fabric
After a deep clean — or every few years as part of routine maintenance — it's a good idea to reapply a water-repellent treatment to your awning fabric. Two reliable products for this:
303® Fabric Guard
APCO products — available at apcoproducts.com
Retreating helps maintain the fabric's water resistance and keeps it looking its best through New England's wet springs and stormy fall seasons.
When to Call the Pros
DIY maintenance keeps your awning in good shape between professional visits, but some situations call for expert attention — motors, tracking issues, fabric re-stitching, or damage from a heavy storm. Ocean Tailors offers a full range of awning services including seasonal put-up and takedown, repairs, cleaning, and retreatment as part of our Annual Awning Program.
Have questions about your awning? Give us a call at 508-255-5666. We're always glad to help.