Is your beloved balcony or terrace awning slowly becoming anything but beautiful to look at? Over time, the sun causes the colors to fade and stains to form. Mold stains are particularly unsightly and annoying and often arise from the fabric being rolled up while it is still damp. How to get rid of stubborn mold on the awning?
If you don't want to have the awning cleaned right away, but would like to try it out yourself with home remedies, you can choose one of our tips. It doesn't always have to be chemical or professional! You can do a lot of things alone.
Kill fungal spores and remove stains
Before you start scrubbing, it's worth first eliminating the cause. To prevent mold from spreading again on the awning after cleaning, you should remove it beforehand.
Mold on the awning: Denatured alcohol kills the spores
How do I clean an awning with alcohol? Of course, the amount you need depends on the size of the fabric. Please remember that you should not just spray the affected areas, but actually soak the awning fabric in alcohol. Then let the whole thing work for some time, during which time the alcohol will possibly dissolve on its own.
Danger!
- Since this creates fumes, you should definitely do this outdoors.
- Try not to inhale the fumes in large quantities.
- Any fire sources are at this timeabsolutely forbidden! They are extremely flammable, which is why even smoking is prohibited.
Then remove mold from the awning with dish soap
Then you have toClean awning fabric. Not only should the mold on the awning be removed, but also the denatured alcohol.
How to clean awnings – instructions:
- Rinse the fabric with clean water.
- Lather it with dish soap and a soft brush.
- Give it a little scrub.
- Rinse off the detergent with clean water.
Strong cleaning agents are usually not necessary to remove mold from awning fabric. If you are still dissatisfied with the result, do not immediately resort to aggressive measures that could ruin the fabric, but rather seek professional advice. Whatever agent you want to use, be sure to test it in an invisible area first.
Why the classics vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are not suitable
Molds prefer to live in acidic environments. Any type of vinegar would do exactly that to the spores, meaning that treatment will not kill the spores but, on the contrary, will actually help them to spread again.
Hydrogen peroxide is used as a disinfectant and can also neutralize odors at the same time. It is apopular home remedy. But although it has an antibacterial effect, it cannot work against the spores. It can even happen that the agent damages the fabric.
Can you use a high-pressure cleaner?
Brushing the awning fabric seems a bit tedious to you and that's why you thought of a high-pressure cleaner? It seems only logical that this additional pressure also removes the stains better, not to mention the time saved.
However, it is not recommended. The pressure in particular damages the fabric and causes it to wear out. It is not made for such a load.
How to prevent mold on your awning
To prevent mold from forming again or to delay it for as long as possible, you should follow a few care measures.
Mold develops under certain conditions that must be avoided:
- If the awning is not in use, it should always be retracted.
- Before rolling them up, make sure the fabric is completely dry. The moisture that otherwise builds up inside is optimal for spores to develop and spread.
Also interesting:Removing bird droppings from the awning: the right means
