How to Clean and Look After Your Tent

When you buy a tent, you want it to last, as they generally are not cheap.  Not only that, when you are in the tent you want to be protected from rain or cold or possums!

  • No matter how hard you try to keep your tent clean – it will get dirty.
  • Cleaning your tent is not that hard.
  • Firstly - always follow the manufacturers guidelines for cleaning.
  • Never put your tent in a washing machine.  This is far too harsh!
  • Pitch the tent on a sunny day and grab a bucket of warm water and some mild soap to do the cleaning. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and let dry completely.

Never Put a Tent in a Washing Machine
 If this doesn’t work, Wet & Forget have 2 easier solutions.
      1. Choose a DRY day and when the tent is also dry.
      2. Spray with either Wet & Forget Mould Remover or Rapid Application Mould Remover.
      3. Leave it outside and watch it come clean with Mother Nature doing all the work for you ensuring that the biological growth can decompose & weather away. Because there is no bleach in either Wet & Forget or Rapid Application, you can be sure that the stitching will never rot and that there will be no damage to the fabric at all.
      Thanks to Alan and Linda from 'Living Lifestyles/Country Retreat Glamping' for these pictures. Amazing results after only 12 hours.  The algae has gone and no scrubbing or rain was required.  It will still get cleaner than this!Clean Mould and Mildew from a Tent with Wet & Forget or Rapid Application

      Moss Mould and Lichen Removal is Easy with Wet and Forget Products

      Some Helpful Tips (which may seem obvious but worth reviewing)

      Pitch the tent on a good site

      1. That means – pitch your tent in an area that doesn’t destroy the environment you and others are wanting to enjoy.  Check that nothing on the ground, like twigs or rocks, are going to damage your tent floor.
      2. Using an established camp site is usually a guarantee of more protection for your tent. 

      Take good care of your precious tent

        1. Taking off your shoes before you go in.
        2. Clean the inside of the tent before you pack it away (with a little dustpan and broom).
        3. Be decisively gentle with the poles ie handle with care. 

        Make sure you thoroughly dry it

          1. Mould is crazy in love with wet tents!
          2. Sometimes though, you may have to pack up a wet tent but NEVER leave it that way.  Put it over the clothes-line or use some other sort of drying arrangement.  NEVER leave it wet.  It must dry out! It is so easy to think – I’ll do it later!  Don’t put it on the ‘Can’t be Bothered’ list.

          Pacing your tent

          1. Folding your dry tent up, needs to be done a different way each time, so that the creases don’t wear through, as over time, these creases can become brittle.

          Caution: Care must be taken when treating canvas especially if the canvas is older, as the water-proofing compound in the original fabric may well have deteriorated and with the clean up, it could increase the possibility of the canvas to leak.  ‘Re-water-proofing’ can be done with our Bone Dry  waterproofing/sealant product.     
                              Bone Dry For Canvas Tents Seals Its Porosity
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