How to Clean Your Camper Awning
Your camper awning is probably one of the dirtiest parts of your camping equipment. It’s exposed to all kinds of things like dust, pollen, and even animal droppings. But cleaning it doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming if you follow these easy steps!
First, get an old towel and wet it in the bathtub with warm water. Next, use this damp towel to wipe down both sides of your camper awning. Then grab another clean towel and dry off any areas that are still wet for best results.
And voila! Your camper awning should look nice and clean for all your upcoming trips! If you want to see more helpful tips on how to keep up
Table of Contents
What is Camper Awning?
A camper awning is a portable covering usually made of canvas that attaches to the side of your RV. It can be rolled down in hot weather and raised for protection during cold or rainy weather. Some camper awnings are completely permanent, but most people just use them when they’re camping.
How to Clean Your Camper Awning?
Cleaning your camper awning might seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually not as hard as you think! The first thing you’ll want to do before cleaning is make sure the dirt has had some time to dry; this makes it much easier to clean (and will lessen streaking).
Get an old rag and dampen it with warm water. Using this damp cloth, wipe down both sides of your awning. Finally, dry off any areas that are still wet with another clean towel and pull the awning back down to prevent further dirt from accumulating.
Best Ways to Clean your Camper Awning
The best way to get your camper awning clean is by wiping it down with water and dish soap. The dish soap cuts through the grime so you can wipe off all your cruddy, dirty buildup in one swoop. This is definitely the easiest method for cleaning your camper awning!
You may be tempted to use harsh chemicals to get rid of any dirt on your camper awning – but don’t! Chemicals are rough on fabrics, especially ones that are made from canvas or nylon rather than cotton or polyester. You could end up damaging or degrading the materials in your camper awning thereby reducing its lifespan.
Spot-cleaning might seem like an easy solution when you’re camping – and it is! However, the only way to properly clean your camper awning is by using soap and water. The chemicals in cleaners can degrade the materials in your canvas awning over time, so be sure to keep it as natural as possible when you’re camping.
Camper Awning Cleaning Tips
If you have dirt that’s been baked on, then you’ll want to wet down the area first before cleaning. This will help remove some of the dirt without damaging your awning fabric too much. Try this method if there are especially tough stains on your camper awning or lots of little pieces of debris stuck here and there!
You should also make sure never to pour any water directly onto your awning. It might seem like a good idea – but this will just cause streaks to form instead of removing dirt or grime from your camper awning. And nobody wants that!
When it comes to cleaning your camper awning, you’ll get the best results if you clean one side at a time rather than both sides together. The reason for this is because the other half is going to dry and may cause streaks in the fabric when water dries on it.
Having an extra hand can make things much easier when trying to clean your camper awning by yourself!
If you’re in a dusty environment like desert camping (or near any kind of construction sites), then you need to be especially careful when cleaning your awning.
Dust is incredibly difficult to get rid of and definitely isn’t a welcome guest on any awning! Make sure to take the proper precautions so you don’t accidentally ruin your fabric with dust or debris from wind storms.
A dirty camper awning can be frustrating – but it’s easy to clean once you know how! Following these tips will help you keep your camper awning as good as new, no matter how long it may have been since you last cleaned it. Happy camping!
Here are simple tips you can follow to clean your camper awning
- Clean the awning with soap and water
- Brush off any dirt or debris that is on top of the awning
- Use an outdoor hose to spray down the surface of your camper’s awning, starting at one end and working your way across until you reach the other side
- If there are stains, use bleach diluted in warm water to clean them away
- Rinse off your camper’s awning with fresh water from an outdoor hose
- Allow it to dry before storing it for winter
There are several reasons why you need to regularly clean your camper’s awning
- Prevents skin allergies caused by dust
- Prevents fungi and microbes from growing
- Reduces the risk of damage to your awning by cleaning it before any mold or mildew starts to grow.
The process is pretty simple, there are many ways in which you can do that, but we recommend this step-by-step guide:
First off, remove any dirt from your camper with a broom. If there’s stubborn grime on the fabric then use a water hose to clean it up – just be sure not to get too rough with the fabric! Then mix dish detergent with warm water in a bucket and begin washing down your awning – make sure you don’t use too much soap though! Once you’ve scrubbed all of the dirt from the awning, rinse it off with a water hose and leave it to air dry in the open.
Sometimes, if there’s especially tough stains on your camper awning or lots of little pieces of debris stuck here and there, you can use a pressure washer! Use only gentle sprays of water when cleaning up any tough spots.
You should always avoid spraying chemicals directly onto your canvas fabric – that’ll just cause damage over time if you continue doing so. When it comes to cleaning your camper’s awning , remember: Do not pour water directly onto the fabric.
Always clean one side at a time Don’t use too much soap when scrubbing at tough stains If you’ve been camping in dusty conditions, be sure to use a damp cloth with soapy water to wipe the dust off Once you’ve finished cleaning your camper’s awning, leave it out in the sun for 20 minutes or more.
When to Use Soap vs Chemicals?
If there are only small spots on dirt that cannot be removed with plain soap and water then applying some chemicals will definitely remove these stains – but make sure you test them first on an inconspicuous part of your camper’s canvas! And if using any form of chemicals, avoid painting the entire fabric at once instead of spot clean.
Washing Advice
Try to avoid washing the entire canvas at once. Always clean small spots and get rid of any dirt before it becomes a problem! Make sure that when cleaning your tent, you always keep one side wet while you scrub the other – this way, if there’s anything which pulls or tears up your camper awning , it’ll be easier to notice and fix!
If there are some stubborn stains on your fabric and no amount of scrubbing will remove these tough marks, we recommend using a professional company for hire who can get rid of the dirt professionally.
And lastly: remember not to leave your camper’s awning out in bad weather conditions such as strong winds or heavy rain because this may cause damage to your material!
Final Reminders
Do not use chemicals on the entire fabric because this will cause color-fading to your tent. Always test your canvas for color-fastness using a small inconspicuous part of the tent before cleaning it with anything. Spray smaller spots at a time and make sure you don’t overdo it with the pressure washer!
Never leave your awning out during bad weather conditions such as strong winds or heavy rain!
And remember, always keep one side wet when scrubbing to prevent any future damage from occurring. That’s all there is to know about how to clean your camper’s awning!
Final Thought
If you are looking for additional information on how to clean your camper awning, we have more tips in our blog post. Have any of these techniques worked well for you? Let us know!
We’d love to hear from you and share the knowledge with others who might be experiencing difficulty or frustration.
In addition to what is written here, if there’s anything else that has been helpful for you please feel free to leave it in the comments section below.
I`m a current Law Enforcement Officer working within the Counterterrorism Bureau in New York State. I have been Camping for over 20 years. My styles of camping include tent, car, truck, van, and RV travel trailer. I have a YouTube channel where I teach all types of camping with an entertaining method: https://youtube.com/@TheSmallsRVAdventures