Patio Spaces: Using Them Year Round

Your aluminum awning is durable, weather-resistant, and insulated. However, like most things, it requires a little maintenance. If you want to keep it working for you, and looking its best, you need to take care of it. Here's how you do just that.

1. Keep Your Aluminum Awning in the Clear

You should not let anything encroach on your aluminum awning. Trim any branches, leaves, plants, or anything else that grows or stretches towards your awning. Creeping plants, like vines, pose the most danger, as they can pull your awning down over time.

The caveat to this is if you purposefully have plants or other foliage growing around your awning for aesthetic purposes or extra shade. Even in these cases, make sure nothing is dragging at your awning, or pushing it.

2. Keep Your Aluminum Awning Free of Debris

Using a hose or a power washer is typically enough to keep dirt and debris from building up on your awning. If using a power washer, show care. Use the lightest setting you have. Powerful, concentrated blasts can bend the aluminum.

3. Keep Your Aluminum Awning Clean

The occasional rinse can only go so far.  You need also need to wash your awning from time to time. There are other things that can build up on your awning, such as mildew, or pests. An occasional wash can prevent these types of things from taking hold.

There's also the visual inspection. If your awning just looks like it needs cleaning, then do so. The longer you wait, the more likely you'll go from removable stain to semi-permanent stain.

Normal cleaning – You can easily clean your aluminum awning with water and a soft bristled brush.

Moderate cleaning – If you find normal cleaning isn't doing the job, use a solution of mild detergent and water.

Heavy cleaning – If you need to get a deep clean going, then you should use solvents or other products specifically for cleaning aluminum. When using solvents to clean your aluminum, follow the directions on the bottle very carefully.

In most cases, you should rinse your awning after cleaning it with a solvent. It's typically not a good idea to let the solvent and water solution dry while on the awning. This can create streaks, stains, or leave behind residues.

That's All There is To It

Aluminum awnings are low maintenance, but they do require a little upkeep. If you start with a new awning, and keep it clean and free of debris, it can last you for many decades. Keeping it clean from the start will also keep you from needing to deep clean it too often.