Top tips for patio awning maintenance

As a centrepiece of your garden it is vital that you keep your patio and all its features in prime condition to allow you to enjoy your garden and patio to the extent that you should. Therefore, we here at Denton Blinds have put together this article full of our top tips for maintaining your patio awnings.

Keeping it clean

To keep your awnings in the best possible condition you need to clean them thoroughly and regularly. Hosing down your awnings can suffice to get the grime and debris off of them that is likely to amount over time, along with a quick wipe down with a brush on both sides with a soft cleaner. However, you will need to consult your manufacturer’s instructions.

Spotting and fixing tears

As with a lot of things, if you catch signs of it early and act fast you can avoid catastrophe and difficulty further down the line. Just so with tears in your awnings. Giving your patio awnings a quick once over every so often to look for any areas where the fabric is weakening, or god forbid any tears have already formed, and seeing to them early can prevent larger, irreparable tears from forming. Patch any small tears you find in the fabric and be sure to trim back your plants and shrubberies so that they don’t pose a tear risk to your awnings.

Storage

Maintaining your awnings takes special care, and because they’re going to be exposed to the elements for the a large part of the year you’ll need to take care to protect them from the harsher conditions of winter, particularly so as you will be unlikely to use your patio in the colder months. If your awnings are retractable, rein them in to protect them, but if not you will have to slide out your awnings and fold them away. However, in storing your awnings you will have to keep an eye out for mildew forming.

Mildew Management

You should always check your patio awnings for the buildup of mildew hidden away in the folds. Because you’re probably going to store your awnings in the winter when there is more moisture in the air, and during this time your awnings will be folded up, it will make for the ideal habitat for mildew to grow. Be sure to check over your awnings regularly to nip any mildew growths in the bud. Moreover, you should avoid storing your awnings in plastic bags as these provide mildew with ideal conditions for mildew to grow because they trap moisture excellently.

Another good way to reduce the likelihood of mildew forming while in storage is to ensure that your awnings are completely dry and free from dirt and dust.  Nevertheless, there is always the possibility that mildew will form regardless, so a regular check up throughout the winter would not be amiss.

Denton Blinds offer a comprehensive service of designing, supplying and fitting quality blinds and canopies throughout the Burton Upon Trent area. Whether your needs are domestic or commercial, our experienced team will be sure to help you find the perfect design for you. For more information, contact our team today.