Your tent is your home away from home. Being cautious with cleanliness is a great way to stay healthy and maintain your tent. The outdoor home will need perfect attention if you need long service. Your tent will serve you for years if you mind maintenance and cleaning.
The article will deliberate on the tips on how to clean the tent. It will instill you with the relevant facts that will keep your tent shining. Every tent has specific cleaning instructions, and it will be advantageous for you if you stick to the instruction manual. You will have to be gentle with the zippers and the poles while you are cleaning. After cleaning, you need to fly your tent until it dries out. Never store the tent while it is wet because that will a setback that can damage your tent.
What you need to clean a dirty tent
You need a thorough cleaning for your tent, and there are things you must have for effective cleaning. You are aware that the tent has zippers. Be gentle with the zippers because you will still need them once your tent is clean. Always be gentle with the zippers.
Being gentle with zippers
You will need to hold the zipper track in a way that will protect it. The best way to handle the zip is by zipping the track with one hand as you gently backslide with another hand. You will then wiggle it to release the stuck fabric. In some instances, the zipper might slit. When it happens, you gently back it up as you squeeze it gently until it re-engages. Your zipper needs a tighter hold, and you can do this adjustment using the pliers. Be gentle when using the plies because it can easily overtighten them.
Your boots should stay in the vestibule!
You are staying in a tent, not a stone house! Getting right in there with boots implies that you will be carrying chaff, pebbles and other forms of pebbles to the floor of your tent. The dirt is responsible for the abrasion and may cause abrasion and puncture the tent.
You will have food in your tent, but it does not necessarily imply that it should be all your tent. Get a secure container where you will keep all the food contents. If you leave the food contents all over your tent, I will attract little creatures that will start chewing your tent.
Finally, if you are a pet lover, it does not mean that your dog should stay right in with you in the tent. Your dog has teeth and sharp claws that will damage your tent. Ensure that your pet has its housing arrangement and must never come closer to your tent.
Steps to follow when cleaning a dirty tent
Now, it is time to clean your tent after eventful camping. Your tent will be dusty after a weekend camping in the woods. At this point, you will be experiencing the odors and the molds along with the zippers.
Supplies you will need for cleaning
- Water preferably cold water
- A fragrance-free soap
- An outdoor cleaner gear
- Nonabrasive sponge
- Bathtub
Cleaning will entail the following steps
- You will need to gather the equipment that will help you while cleaning. They include water, soap, tent gear cleaner, a sponge and a tub.
- You will start by spot cleaning and then you immerse it in water. It entails spot in the dirty areas, doing a cleaning before soaking the whole of it in water. If the dirt is in excess, you will need to follow the deep cleaning steps.
- After cleaning, your tent will need a place to dry out. You will rinse your tent thoroughly before flying it to allow it to dry completely.
Cleaning the dirty tent
- The first step is to spot clean the tent. You should identify the areas with spots then apply small amounts of dish soap on the areas with the dirt. You will be spot cleaning the dirty areas.
- You will do this by filling the tub with cool water and add a sufficient amount of tent cleaner. It will be better to stick to the instructions that the tent cleaner has in its manual.
- After cleaning, you will then unzip the tent. Here you will unzip the doors as you slowly turn the tent inside out.
- After unzipping the doors, you will then immerse your tent in the tub. Every cleaner bottle has the cleaning instructions that you will follow to help you know the time needed for the tent to soak.
- After allowing for a sufficient amount of time, you will then drain your tub, fill it with a clean water rinse it thoroughly as you prepare to dry it.
- Dry it now after rinsing. You can set it up for it to dry. Some can hang it in a place that will allow faster drying. You will place it in a cool shaded area.
Deep Cleaning Your Tent
You will need to do a deep cleaning. Some tents will grow molds, mildew and foul odors. If your tent is experiencing this challenge, it implies that you are a perfect candidate for deep cleaning.
The tents with mildew, molds and foul odors will need an enzyme cleaner. Every enzyme cleaner has specific instructions that you will follow. You need to know how long you will need to soak your tent in an enzyme cleaner. Excessive soaking will cause hydrolysis that is harmful to your tent. It will break down the waterproof coatings, hence hurting your tent.
Your tent will need a deep cleaning if it has pine sap. You can do a thorough spot cleaning using mineral oil. The precaution you will e taking here is to reduce scrubbing. Alcohol-based sanitizers can also be effective. Rinse your tent immediately after using the alcohol-based sanitizers.
Zippers may not run smoothly in some instances. You will need a deep cleaning for this purpose. You can get a toothbrush and use it to brush and scrub the sand and dirt along the zip line. Ensure that the toothbrush or any utility that you will use can remove any form of stubborn dirt.
Finally, when cleaning the dusty, dirty and salty poles, you will need a rag which you will use to wipe them down.
Waterproofing Tent Seams and Coatings
Do you wish to extend the life of your tent? Of course, you do, and you should consider the steps for waterproofing the tent. When you re-waterproof your tent, you will need at least 24 hours to allow it to dry out. When you waterproof the tent, allow it to dry in an open place free from any debris.
The tents seams get loose with time, and you should be checking them periodically. At some point in time, the seal tape fails, and you will need to remove the sections where the seams are peeling. You will need to reseal the seams. You will apply a new seam sealer in the area that is beginning to peel. You can also use the seam sealer to meant any holes.
When the waterproof coating in the fabric begins falling, you can decide to reapply the coating or even wholly replace the tent. Replacing the tent will be expensive, and it will better to reapply the coating. You can recoat worn out areas when it begins peeling. You can do this by gently removing the flakes, before applying the thin paint of polyurethane sealant.
Every tent fabric has specific products and coating requirements. You will be choosing from polyester or a nylon coating. You only need to be sure that you are using the right kind of coating when sealing the seams or coating the tent.
Final thoughts
To conclude, your tent will need thorough cleaning if you need it to last longer. It is also best for comfort while you are having a good time in a tent. If you won’t care about your tent, you will be a victim of foul odors and molds. You will be living with crawling insects. Keeping it clean means that you are careful with comfort and health. Follow the steps above to guide you do thorough cleaning for your tent after camping.
