Camping is real fun, a very exhilarating exercise refreshing both your mind and body. And if you often go on these camping excursions then you will get a seriously dirty tent.
Because during camping tents are prone to get dirty with mud and all sorts of vegetation.
Well, here you will be faced with this imminent question of how to clean a large tent. Cleaning your tent is quite possible but believe me, it is not something you will look forward to.
It’s a good practice to use a plastic sheet under the tent when you are setting it up or putting it away. Like this, the tent’s fabric will be safe from any stains as it will not come in contact with any grass or mud.
To further protect the tent from getting dirty you can also use this plastic sheet under any muddy footwear or near the doors.
However below we will discuss some steps that are required to become a DIY Tent Cleaner.
Contents
8 Best Tips How to Clean a Large Tent:
- Check The Weather Forecast Before Cleaning Your Tent.
- Collect the Supplies.
- During Cleaning Look For Other Problems.
- Washing Your Tent.
- Removing The Mold And Mildew.
- Removing Odours.
- Repairing Tears and Punctures.
- Mending Zips.
1. Check The Weather Forecast Before Cleaning Your Tent:
For scrubbing your tent clean you will obviously use some water which will take some time to dry up. So it’s always better to first check the weather forecast and ensure that you get a few sunny days for the tent to dry.
2. Collect the Supplies:
Before starting the washing it’s always preferable to have all the items that you will need, near you. There is no need to buy any expensive detergents and chemicals for the cleaning, though in the market you can find some special tent sprays to remove tough stains.
Mostly you can clean your tent with things around the house such as a bucket, sponge, water-hose, and soap and you are ready for tent cleaning service. Refrain from using the pressure water hose as this might loosen the seams.
3. During Cleaning Look For Other Problems:
It’s very practical to pitch your tent while you are cleaning it. This way you can keep an eye on any other damages done to the tent.
The seams and your tent flap should be paid special attention to as they play a vital role in the functionality of the tent. You should always keep your tent in good condition because anything ignored will only worsen with time.
4. Washing Your Tent:
It’s always better to work on your tent by cleaning one area at a time. Like this, there will be no chance of missing any spot and you will get to clean your tent thoroughly.
First, clean out all the dust and dirt with the help of a broom and then only use soap and water. Otherwise, if you apply water while there is still some dust in the fabric, you are sure to leave behind stains. Make sure you wash off all the soap before you leave the tent for drying.
5. Removing The Mold And Mildew:
With continuous exposure to water or dampness, there are chances that mold would appear on the fabric of your tent and among all the damages this is one of the worst things to happen.
You are faced with this immediate problem that how to clean a tent after camping. Mold not only makes your tent look dirty, giving it a nasty smell but in some severe cases, these tents can’t be used again. Sometimes it is so bad that left for a long period it might leave holes in the fabric.
6. Removing Odours:
Even after you have cleaned the tent of all the mold and mildew sometimes the odor is still there. This is really a very unpleasant thing to happen and you are wondering about how to clean a tent that smells.
But you don’t have to worry about it as here are some easy steps to deodorize your tent.
- Take a tub of water and soak the tent in it.
- You have to add an Odour Eliminator at the ratio of 1 fl oz. Odour Eliminator per 1 gallon of water.
- Open all the zippers and flap of the tent.
- Soak the tent for five minutes to saturate it thoroughly.
- Without rinsing it dry it in the air and keep it away from sunlight.
7. Repairing Tears and Punctures:
The adhesive tape always comes in handy when you have to mend some tears in your tent during camping. But It’s always better to keep some self-adhesive tent patches in your camping gear.
The correct method to repair these tents, either with tape or a self-adhesive patch, is to make the area around the tear clean and dry.
Then in order to give the surface to be patched, a firm base a solid flat object should be held against the fabric from inside the tent. This way no creases will come in the fabric while patching.
8. Mending Zips:
The zips should be used with great care. We should be careful not to step on them and if there’s any mud on them they should be cleaned immediately.
If left there for some time it may cause the zip to rust which would hinder its flexibility and may cause it to break. And if for any reason you find it difficult to work the zip there are some lubricants in the market for it.
But if you don’t have it then beeswax or candle wax can come in handy.
Conclusion:
I hope that through this article we have been able to answer your queries about how to clean a large tent. However, after cleaning the tent we have to store it away properly, taking care that it’s absolutely dry.
For this, we should shake off as much water as is possible or try to remove more with the help of a dry, clean cloth or towel. If we have to take it back and it’s still wet, don’t pack but spread it over the baggage.
You can hang it out where there is lots of air and sunshine. After the tent is completely dry you can spray it with protective lubricants. Now you should put it away after two-three days. We hope that this article will help you to keep your tent in good shape.
