Maximize The Longevity of Your Camping Tent By Properly Cleaning & Storing It

    • When we’re at our chosen camping site, one of the first things we do is set up our tent. That’s particularly the case if nighttime is coming soon. As we expand the tent, we don’t want to suddenly realize that mold or a large tear has somehow made its way onto our tent. Use these tips to keep your shelter ready to go:

    Do Not Machine Wash Your Tent!

    A washing machine can rip the fabric to pieces and cause it to stretch beyond its limits.

    The best way to clean your tent is to roll up your sleeves and do it by hand.

    • Remove any dirt, rocks, or other debris from the tent
    • If you packed it up wet, make sure you set it up again as soon as you can in the sun so it can dry
    • When the time comes for you to clean your tent, leave it set up or set it up again in a place like your backyard because it will be much easier to clean when assembled

    Gather Your Tools And Begin Basic Cleaning

    Tools

    • Non-abrasive Scrubbing Pad
    • Soft Brush
    • Bucket
    • Cold Water
    • Soap (Not Detergent)

    Things You Should Avoid

    • Dishwashing Liquid
    • Bleach
    • Scented Soaps

    Fill your bucket with soap and cold water. Then take your scrubbing pad and start from the inside of the tent. Scrub down all surfaces softly.

    Take the soft brush and get into every nook and cranny within the tent. Apply this same process to the outside of the tent.

    Dealing with Pine Sap

    You can create your own solution with mineral oil and a sponge. Once you have scrubbed away the sap, wash the areas with warm water.

    Here is a list of some other household items that you can use if you do not have mineral oil handy:

    • Nail polish remover
    • Rubbing alcohol
    • Safe adhesive remover

    Before using anything on your tent, you should always test the product on a small, tucked away area that is not in direct line of sight.

    Eliminating Mold and Mildew

    Black mold can permanently damage the fabric and leave a stain.

    To eliminate these pesky tent clingers, you can enlist your trusty soft brush again to zap these areas with a specialized cleaning solution like ReviveX Pro Cleaner.

    In most cases, your warm water and soap will suffice. There are also other homemade methods, such as using white vinegar and water.

    After you have hit all of the affected areas, then, use your nose! If there are some lingering unsavory smells, you will probably need to soak the tent in an odor remover like MiraZyme.

    Keep in mind there are no real defined mixture ratios for this solution, but we would recommend you start with a half cup of vinegar to one cup of water.

    Eliminating Another Kind of Odor

    If it smells like vomit or urine in your tent, it is probably due to the polyurethane coating.

    What is happening is a chemical reaction where the urethane is being broken down. To solve this problem you will have to remove the old polyurethane coating and apply a new one.

    • Fill up your bathtub with warm water, adding a few drops of liquid soap
    • Submerge your tent for 3 hours
    • Remove the tent from the tub and begin scrubbing the polyurethane coating (located on the floor of the tent and on on the fly) with a mixture of isopropyl alcohol, water, and a little bit of soap (located on the floor of the tent and on on the fly)
    • Apply new polyurethane coating using a tent sealant
    • Let the new coat dry for a day

    Prepping Tent for Storage

    Do’s

    • Clean Out Your Tent Before Rolling It Up (You Can Turn Your Tent Inside Out)
    • Make Sure Tent Is Completely Dry (Pack It Last, Leaving It In The Sun)
    • Store It In A Cool Dry Place (Basements Are Great, Attics Not So Much)
    • Check To Make Sure Poles And Stakes Will Not Damage Tent
    • Store Tent In A Larger Bag If Necessary
    • Store Tent In Bag In A Way That Makes It Easier For You Next Time To Deploy

    Dont’s

    • Roll Up Tent With Dirt (This Can Cause Abrasions and Holes In The Fabric)
    • Storing A Wet Tent (Doesn’t Take Much Moisture To Cause Mold and Mildew)
    • Store It In A Hot Place (Heat Can Damage Your Waterproof Treatment)
    • Storing Poles And Stakes Where Their Ends Are Against The Tent
    • Cram Tent Into The Bag That Came With The Tent Though It Is A Bit Small
    • Shove Everything Into The Bag In A Disorganized Manner

    Do you have any other tips for taking care of a tent? Let us know in the comments below!

    Article Source: Survival Mastery



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