Tips and Hints

General information concerning the care and cleaning of your blinds to ensure that they give full satisfaction for years to come. Also information regarding Ultra Violet concerns and how to protect yourself from the damage of over exposure.

UV Protection.

It is so important that when you are looking for any type of awning that you ask about the UV protection rating of the materials that the company is going to us to create your awning. UV light is what causes carpets, furniture and even clothing to gradually fade in colour. For no matter how good the awning looks if it does not have a rating then you will not have any idea of the level of protection it offers you, guests and any children or babies who sit under it.

In the news there are frequently articles about how the ozone is being damaged by greenhouse gasses. This means that the strength of the UV light we are being exposed to is increasing and thus the amount of protection we will require to carry on enjoying our leisure time will also need to increase with time or we will have to change our life styles in how much sun exposure we have.

UV light is also required by the body to help promote the production of vitamin D, but too long an exposure can have undesirable consequences including sun burn, premature skin aging, skin cancer or even damage to the DNA. This is why the use sun block or sun tan lotion is recommended by doctors etc. The higher the rating the greater the amount of protection you have, but it works like this:

In the UK on a typical June day

•  Very pale skins, light coloured hair and never tans then your bare skin Personal Protection time is 5 ­ 10 minutes, the protection rating is then multiplied by this. Thus UV rating of 40 means that after your exposure time before you are starting to burn is 200 ­ 400 minutes.

•  Pale skin, light coloured hair, burns easily but only tans very slowly then your Personal Protection time is 10 ­ 20 minutes.

•  Dark hair, brown eyes and burns occasionally but tans then your Personal Protection time is 20 ­ 30 minutes.

•  Dark Skin, dark haired and always tans well then your Personal Protection time is 45 minutes.

•  Dark skin, Black hair and does not sunburn then your Personal Protection time is 60 minutes.

•  Black Skin, black hair and does not sunburn then your Personal Protection time is 90 minutes.

So you need to make sure that when deciding on an awning that you have adequate UV protection. Please ask for further details when we quote you for your awning.

Care of your blinds

Vaccuum with a soft brush attachment or dust with a feather duster or lamb's-wool duster or tool for blinds. If you have children, install blinds that meet safety criteria.

Vertical Blinds: Vacuum carefully with the brush attachment used for draperies, or clean with a lamb's-wool duster. If fabric-covered, spot-clean only; don't use soap and water.

Wooden Blinds: Dust with vacuum or lamb's-wool duster. For occasional deep cleaning, use a wood cleaner such as oil soap. Do not use soap and water on wooden blinds.