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Do you want to clean your awning yourself? There will come a time when you cannot avoid it. The awning is dirty and needs to be cleaned.
That could soon be the case. Place your new awning under a tree and there is a good chance that after a few days dirt will fall from the tree onto your tent. Or maybe your awning has been stored in a dark damp room, causing algae and mold to develop.
Is the tent even so heavily soiled that you consider throwing it away and buying a new one? Wait a little longer with that! With the right method, you can easily clean a heavily soiled awning yourself.
Cleaning your awning extends its life
A damp and dirty tent is very susceptible to mold and green deposits. The dirt on your tent retains moisture. And that moisture is perfect for fungi and algae. The more dirt, mold and algae… the longer the tent can stay moist. This way you end up in a vicious circle that makes your tent worse and worse. Fungi and algae affect the coating of the fabric. Regular cleaning of your awning is therefore not something you do alone, because it looks nice and fresh. A clean awning also guarantees a longer life.
Cleaning the awning with green soap? Do not!
Chances are you've done it too. Or at least someone said it to you: "Just clean your tent with green soap. That's safe!" Even the caravan dealer and employee in the camping shop still says it in 2017. And that is SO wrong!
Green soap is made from vegetable oils. And that is also the main culprit. Those oils are almost impossible to remove from the canvas. They leave a greasy layer on the canvas...AND in the canvas. That is good to feel in your hands. If you have used green soap and you rinse your hands afterwards, your hands will remain greasy. So it is with your awning! The tent cloth remains greasy. And that greasy layer is the perfect breeding ground for fungi and algae. That is why tents and boat covers turn green faster after they have been cleaned with green soap.
Another important disadvantage: The greasy layer clashes with impregnating agents. If you want to impregnate your awning after using green soap, there is a very good chance that the impregnation agent will do almost nothing. It strikes, as it were, "death" on the canvas.
Why does my new awning get dirty so quickly?
We often get that question. The tent cloth has been treated with a protective coating by the manufacturer. This coating provides excellent protection against fungi, algae, dirt and water. But that coating is poorly resistant to UV rays. Within a few months, the protective coating has largely disappeared. The UV rays affect that coating. That is also the reason that a new awning, awning or boat cover can become so dirty after a few months that this dirt can no longer be removed with just water.
You may think…"But the canvas doesn't leak, does it? Then there is still a coating on it, right?" Those are 2 different things. The tent cloth is in most cases made of 1 or more layers of woven plastic (Polyester) and 1 or more layers of coating. Together this ensures the watertightness. This tent cloth has also been given an extra protective treatment with an impregnating agent or coating. And that extra protection is gone in no time due to UV rays. That is why we have been saying for years: protect a new tent with a good impregnating agent. And keep doing that (at least once a year).
Regularly clean your awning
Don't give dirt a chance. You don't actually need any cleaning agents. If you are on time and regularly wash the tent canvas with lukewarm water and a soft brush, dirt will not have a chance to adhere to the canvas. By impregnating the cloth once or twice a year, you make it completely difficult to get rid of dirt, mold and algae.
THREE STEP PLAN: Cleaning & Impregnation Awning
We have developed the following products for cleaning your awning. We have been using these products for years to clean and impregnate these types of tents. With these products you are assured of safe cleaning and a professional result.
STEP 1: How to use Ultramar Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo?
- First clean the tent cloth with lukewarm water and a soft brush. All the dirt that can be removed in this way has been taken away.
- Bring Ultramar Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo to the still wet tent and brush off the dirt well. Use a plant sprayer and a firm soft brush.
- Let the shampoo act for about 20 minutes
- Remove the shampoo and dirt with a brush and plenty of water.
- Rinse well.
- Now let the tent dry.
STEP 2: Use in heavy soiling Ultramar Power Cleaner
- Bring Ultramar Power Cleaner on the dry tent cloth and rub in with a firm, soft brush . Use a spray, plant spray or soft brush for application.
- Leave to act for about 1 hour. Don't see any change? Spray a little extra Power Cleaner and brush again. Let retract again. Repeat until the stains are gone. This can take several hours.
- Rinse well with a brush and plenty of water
- Let the cloth dry.
STEP 3: Impregnate the awning with Sprayhood & Tent Protector
- Make sure the awning is clean and dry.
- Bring Sprayhood & Tent Protector widely and evenly. Make sure the cloth is saturated. Use a plant sprayer for this.
- Mold or weather spots can easily form on the inside of the awning. That is why it is important that you also treat the inside of the tent.
- Sprayhood & Tent Protector not on windows or the caravan etc. allow to dry, but remove immediately with a damp cloth.
- Let the tent cloth dry thoroughly.
- If necessary, you can repeat the treatment.
Tip!
Are there drops of impregnating agent on the windows? You can wipe this off with a little bit of benzene. Then clean the windows with Ultramar Sprayhood & Tent Shampoo. In this way you can get even very heavily soiled awnings perfectly clean.
There are many people who do not know how to clean and protect an awning. Maybe you know some of them? Then share this article. They will thank you! † And me too :-)