Living off the crushed path is exhilarating, however it may well additionally take a toll in your Class B camper van or different RV, together with your awning. From solar and moisture safety to including additional sq. footage of dwelling area, your RV awning is small however mighty! However, for a lot of RV homeowners, it may be an ignored space relating to routine upkeep. Help maintain your RV awning clear and correctly maintained with the following pointers from RVT.
Why Awning Maintenance is so Crucial
The last item you need whereas exploring the nice outdoor is for a broken awning to go away you susceptible. If you assume your awning doesn’t make an enormous distinction, take into account the next eventualities:
- By blocking direct daylight, your Class A motorhome or different RV can keep cooler throughout these scorching scorching summer time days.
- If a pop-up storm leaves you scrambling to shut your RV home windows, your awning will assist maintain the rain out.
- If you want additional privateness from nosy neighbors, you may merely decrease the awning sufficient to cowl your home windows.
Functionality apart, there’s additionally the monetary facet. Replacing your RV awning can price wherever from a couple of hundred {dollars} to a couple thousand {dollars}. Proactive upkeep can extend the lifetime of your awning and your RV, saving you money and time.
3 Steps of Proactive Awning Maintenance
You ought to deep clear your awning a minimum of annually, however extra often in case your RV spends vital time parked below timber or in areas of excessive humidity. In between cleanings, follow these three upkeep suggestions:
1. Use a Protector and Some Protectant
If you don’t have one already, you would possibly wish to take into account investing in (or, constructing your individual RV awning protector!) a slipcover which inserts over prime of the case that holds your awning when it’s not in use. These helpful protectors assist maintain particles out and moisture from seeping into your awning.
In addition to a helpful slipcover-type protector on your rolled up awning, you also needs to take into account making use of a cloth protectant spray to your awning itself – after every cleansing – as properly. This will assist defend it towards dangerous UV rays whereas it repels water and different particles too.
2. Keep Your Awning Angled Down
A easy trick to maintain your awning clear is to angle it barely downward. Not solely does this assist stop particles from accumulating, it additionally helps stop water from pooling in your cloth, which might result in stretching or tearing.
3. Be Mindful of Wind
Once winds blow sustainably at about 15mph, retract your awning so it doesn’t turn out to be a windsail. This additionally helps stop joints from getting broken from an excessive amount of stress and helps decrease the danger of harm to the material as properly.
Step By Step: How to Deep Clean Your RV Awning
1. Gather Your Supplies
Change into garments you don’t thoughts getting soiled (belief us on this one) and collect all the things you want, together with:
- Ladder or step stool
- Bristle brush with a deal with attachment
- Water hose with spray nozzle
- Cleaning resolution
- Bucket or spray bottle
- Protective eyewear like sun shades or goggles
- Optional: a buffing sponge like a Magic Eraser
You should purchase a cleansing resolution, or you may make your individual by mixing up some dish cleaning soap or laundry detergent and water.
2. Prep and Examine Your Awning
- Unroll your awning and angle it down so you might have clear entry to the highest and backside.
- Brush away any free particles.
- Check for tears or any free attachments. If you might have a cloth tear, cleansing might make it worse—by which case, you’re probably higher off having it repaired or changed.
3. Spray and Brush
- Soak each side of the awning along with your cleansing resolution till it’s completely soaped up.
- Optional: Roll your awning again up and let it sit for as much as an hour, relying on how stained or soiled it’s. Tip: If your awning is severely stained, you may let it sit a little bit longer.
- Unroll the awning and spray each side once more.
- Take your brush and gently scrub a piece to loosen any grime, mildew or mildew.
- If you’ve obtained cussed stains, attempt utilizing a Magic Eraser sponge.
- Rinse that part, and repeat the method for every further part till your whole awning is clear.
- Spray the complete awning once more, together with the facet of your RV, to do away with any lingering cleaning soap.
- Leave your awning to air dry.
Important Tip: Let your awning air dry fully earlier than rolling it up once more, as residual moisture could cause mildew or mildew.
Check out the RVT weblog for ongoing suggestions & methods about DIY RV upkeep, prime RV vacation spot spotlights, shopping for & promoting an RV, and way more. And should you’re seeking to purchase your first RV, or improve out of your present motorhome, browse all of the stock obtainable for-sale on RVT.com.
By Audrey Somero
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