All About Awnings and Awning Cleaning

What is an Awning?

An awning is a roof-like architectural projection on the side of a building that provides weather protection, identity, and/or decoration. An awning is usually supported on at least one side by the building’s exterior wall. Awnings have a support structure over which fabric or vinyl is usually stretched. Awnings may also be covered with formed sheet metal. An awning may be either fixed or retractable.

Awning cleaning is one of the best ways to keep expensive awnings looking great and lasting for many years

America's Best has been cleaning awnings across America for nearly 3 decades.

Our Awning cleaning professionals have the experience and know-how necessary to keep your awnings clean by using the right cleaning materials and tools for every job

Why is Awning Cleaning Necessary?

Awning cleaning is one of the best ways to keep expensive awnings looking great for many years.

Whether awnings are used to shield the building from the elements, enhance the architectural theme of the building, or act as signage, awnings must be kept clean. A dirty awning is like having trash in your front yard. A dirty awning says, “We don’t care what our building looks like...and we really don’t care about you, either.”

Besides the esthetic aspect of awning cleaning, keeping an awning clean helps to prolong the useful life of the awning. Professional awning cleaning removes harmful bird droppings, airborne dirt and contaminants, mold, and mildew.

Professional awning cleaning will not remove paint, rust, or other permanent stains.

Depending primarily on the design and construction, awning cleaning can be done with the fabric in-place or removed.

It is important to note that regardless of the type of inner liner, the inside of the awning must also be cleaned. Interior awning cleaning over parking spaces sometimes requires strong detergents to loosen the oily dirt and grime.

How is Awning Cleaning Done?

Typically, awning cleaning is done with a pressure washer. Pressure is set to the lowest needed for the awning cleaning job, reducing the possibility of damage to the awning.

The water used in awning cleaning must always be clean.

Awning cleaning using detergents is usually performed low to high. The operator will start at the lowest point of the awning and work their way to the highest. Rinsing is always done in the opposite manner, high-to-low.

How Often Should Awning Cleaning be Done?

Awnings should be cleaned every 30 to 60 days to keep dirt and grime from being deeply embedded in the fabric, which requires far more aggressive awning cleaning to remove. Thorough awning cleaning should be done every 12 to 24 months.

Awning Cleaning Misconception

Misconception: Professional awning cleaning weakens the fabric and shortens the life of the awning.

Truth: Cotton and synthetic stitching break down from exposure to UV rays, sometimes in as little as 5 years. While awning cleaning is rarely the cause of loose stitching, awning cleaning may show that stitch rotting is present thus leading to the misconception that awning cleaning shortens awning life.

How to Choose an Awning Cleaning Contractor

Three awning cleaning quotes is generally a good minimum
Never pay for an estimate. And never hire a contractor whio tries to get you to pay for an estimate.
Get listed as “additionally insured” on the awning cleaning contractor’s liability, worker’s compensation, and vehicle liability insurance policies. This is for your protection. Don’t accept anything less than a certificate issued by the insurance carrier(s) specifically stating that you are “additionally insured” on that policy.

Make the contractor state in writing in the quotation and in the contract that they will not use “day labor” or uninsured labor on your job. Again, this is for your protection.

Ask for awning cleaning references, and check them out carefully.

Why Choose America' Best for Your Awning Cleaning Needs?

Let America’s Best keep your awnings spotless and looking like new all year round.

America's Best has been in the awning cleaning business for nearly 3 decades. Since 1982, we have been cleaning and maintaining residential and commercial awnings for clients throughout Southern California, New Jersey, and Florida.

Our trained professionals have years of experience in awning cleaning. We conduct background checks on each technician prior to their joining our team. They have a "customer first" approach and are professional at all times.

Our Process

We begin our process by inspecting the interior and exterior of your awnings for tar spots, stains, paint, and sunspots. We also inspect for worn, torn, weak, and rotted areas.

Next we provide you with a detailed report of our findings and explain the scope of your project. Upon your approval, we will start the awning cleaningproject.

Our awning cleaning methods are advance, efficient, and high quality. We use the finest cleaning materials while keeping the environment in mind. We use water-fed poles (Tucker Pole) to clean hard to reach spots and prevent damage to your awnings. By using our water-fed pole we are able to efficiently feed the appropriate cleaners directly through the pole to remove spider webs, cob webs, mildew spots, dirt, and stubborn stains.

When cleaning vinyl and fabric awnings that have been neglected for some time, we use Winsol Deep Clean to remove deeply embedded soils and restore the natural appearance of the awning.

Once the cleaning process is complete, we give you the option to protect your awnings with Winsol Awning Armor to penetrate and replace the important plasticizers that keep vinyl awnings soft, supple, and colorful. This will drastically improve the appearance of the awning as well as provide increased protection against sun rays, rain, and airborne pollutants.

For awnings that are not worn from the sun or rain or badly soiled, Winsol Awning Cleaner and Protectant can be used as a one step restoration process. When used with the Tucker Pole it removes light stains and dirt, leaving a protective finish.

If the awning you want to clean is acrylic fabric or canvas, we use Winsol Awning Guard 90 Plus to repel water and stains. With proper maintenance, Winsol Awning Guard 690 Plus will provide effective protection for up to one year.

Our awning cleaning estimates are always FREE.

We are fully insured.

Call us toll-free with any questions regarding awning cleaning. And don’t forget to ask about our gutter cleaning and window cleaning services (866) 946-2532.

Other services: pressure washing | gutter cleaning | screen repair | window cleaning | window tinting