Awning care

[marshvegasmike]

No newbie to camping but first time owner of TT hybrid Jayco x23j. I have a question. Just returned from camping the past week. Had our awning out all week. We were camping under pines and some sap from the trees dripped on it. What I am looking for is suggestions on how to best clean the awning as well as the bunkend canopies? And is there a way to detached the awning for easier cleaning. Thanks.
Not knew to camping but this is our first TT.

[rugerguy]

I would ask your dealer or call the customer service for your brand of awning.Sap is going to require some type of oil based solvent and I'd want to know the right stuff to use on it.
As for the cleaning here is how I have done it on my last few awnings.
Asumming you have a manual awning,on a calm day,,get yourself a helper ,,,pull it out all the way,,,don't extend the arms,,leave the angle braces hanging,,now with you on one leg and your helper on the other,,,,,pull the bottom pins from the brackets on the trailer just as you would if you were puttting them out while camping but insted of standing them up carefully let them go back under the trailer,,,this will let the awning lay flat against the side of the trailer so you can scrub on it.
I've done this with CareFree and A&E awnings,it's one thing I going to miss with the electric one on my new rig, but since you can stop an electric any place you want I just stop the place I want to clean as it comes out of the roller.

[marshvegasmike]

Thanks for the input, have an electric one. Figured the same as you, stop and go all afternoon, top and bottom sides. Tried some Easy Green on the sap. Not much help. There has been other suggestions from other sites but most come with a warning. (Goo be gone, and such) Did the best I could with the Easy Green, still may have another trip over Labor day so not going to fret too much about it. Cleaned what I could, scraped what I could. May be more intensive once I begin to winterize. Thanks again.

[Diesel Donnie]

We mix 1/4 cup dish soap [original Dawn non-scented ] with 1/4 cup bleach in 5 gal of warm water- Unroll the awning and pour mixture over awning- Roll up for 5 minutes- Unroll awning and hose off both sides- Rinse sidewall of trailer as well- JMHO- DD

Originally Posted by marshvegasmike

No newbie to camping but first time owner of TT hybrid Jayco x23j. I have a question. Just returned from camping the past week. Had our awning out all week. We were camping under pines and some sap from the trees dripped on it. What I am looking for is suggestions on how to best clean the awning as well as the bunkend canopies? And is there a way to detached the awning for easier cleaning. Thanks.
Not knew to camping but this is our first TT.

[ktbarrentine]

Hmmm... was told never to use bleach on an awning as it shortens it's life. Will have to check back with you in a few years to see if that's true.

[rugerguy]

Originally Posted by marshvegasmike

Thanks for the input, have an electric one. Figured the same as you, stop and go all afternoon, top and bottom sides. Tried some Easy Green on the sap. Not much help. There has been other suggestions from other sites but most come with a warning. (Goo be gone, and such) Did the best I could with the Easy Green, still may have another trip over Labor day so not going to fret too much about it. Cleaned what I could, scraped what I could. May be more intensive once I begin to winterize. Thanks again.

I do know turpintine will cut sap( I'm a carpenter so I get sap on my hands all the time) I have also used Gojo or other hand cleaner but it takes longer.again I would check with Carefree first.

[hotrod51]

I used mean green the last time, slop as much on as you can, Roll it up, wash the rest of the trailer, unroll and rinse.