How To Clean A Tent?
Canvas camping tents are
very elastic and make exotic shelters for camping trips. Over the
time, you might see filth on your tent, your tent will show grime from
your camping adventures but a little care from your side will keep your
tent fresh and clean. The good news is
that canvas tents are easy to clean with the help of a few common household
tools. Follow the simple steps below.
Step 1 - Remove Dust from
Your Tent
You can easily clean dust
from your canvas camping tents, if your canvas camping tent has accumulated
lots of dust, dirt, and debris. Starting with unfolding your tent and aggressively shaking it to remove as much dust as
possible and then lay the unfurled tent on a clean surface. Attach the stick
brush with your vacuum cleaner and proceed to thoroughly vacuum the tent,
paying special attention to any exceptionally dust-laden areas, corners, and
storage pockets, as there are very high chances for Bugs
to be there. In case you don’t have vacuum cleaner or forgot to take it you can
use a Dust buster, or a broom and dustpan in its place.
Step 2 - Remove Mold and
Mildew from Your Tent
Once
you are done with cleaning dust from the tent, separate the canvas tent canopy
from the floor of the tent. You will wash the floor separately. You can leave
the guy-lines on if they are dirty, just remember they must also be retreated
in the end to prevent UV damage. If there are mold or mildew deposits on your
canvas tent, you can effectively clean it with an easy-to-make homemade cleaning
solution. (Read our blog
on how to clean mold or mildew from a tent). To make this solution,
combine ¼ cup of white wine vinegar and 1 cup of water. Combine the
elements inside an empty spray bottle and jiggle it thoroughly. Spray your
cleaning solution onto any mold or mildew-infested areas and allow it to sit
for few minutes. Then you can wipe away any mold and mildew deposits with a
sponge, paper towel, scrub brush, or washcloth. Continue to repeat this process until your canvas tent
has been completely purged of mold and mildew.
Once you are done with removing all the traces of growth from
the floor of tent, take a second empty spray bottle and fill it with warm water,
which is healthy for cleaning the tent, and use it to rinse off your cleaning
solution. Immediately use dry cloth or paper towel to dry the freshly cleaned
area.
Step 3 - Remove Stains from Your Tent
You need to give your
canvas camping tent a full wash, if it is exceptionally filthy and covered in
stains. To perform this, fill
a very large container with about 1 foot (30cm) of warm water. Add various cups
of Ox clean and use your best judgment on how much to use vs. how dirty the
tent is and reference the suggestions on the box. Stir thoroughly until the
solution is dissolved completely. Warm water dissolves the solution better than
cold water. Place the tent canvas (not the floor) in the container and fill it
with water until the tent is submerged. Stir and agitate thoroughly so the
solution is well mixed and the canvas is soaking evenly. Allow the tent to marinate
for 4-10 hours, stirring occasionally. It’s OK to leave it soaking overnight if
you need to. Place you tent on to clean surface to allow it to get dry and then
clean it like a kitchen floor. Sweep it, mop it and rinse it. Repeat the
process of soaking several times to make sure it’s completely clean then spread
the canvas out on top of your clean tent floor and pitch it. You can also pitch
the floor on top of your car, then place the canvas on top of that to assist
with run off. Don’t put the canvas directly on your car because Ox clean can
strip clear coat. Always allow your tent to dry completely after a camping trip
and any cleaning. If
you let the water stay for too long, the moisture could cause more mold and
mildew to form. The best way to dry every area of your canvas tent is to set it
up and allow it to air dry.
With a little TLC and a few
basic ingredients, your clean tent will allow you years of camping enjoyment.
