How to Clean Canvas Tent?

Canvas camping tents make an excellent shelter for camping trips. But it gets dirty over time. When your outdoor shelter becomes grimy, there will be funny odors, along with eye-soring stains. You can’t stop these from happening, but you can at least clean them.

So, let’s find out how to clean canvas tent.

How to Clean Canvas Tent: Clean Dust and Dirt in 4 Steps

You will be happy to know that you can perform cleaning procedures just by using the daily cleaning supplies we use at home. Also, note that the following instruction applies if you aim to clean dust and dirt. Now, check the steps below to clean a dirty tent.

Required cleaning supplies:

• Vacuum (Alternative: Dustbuster, Broom, and dustpan)
• Mild liquid soap
• Sponge or scrubber
• Shower head or garden hose

Step 1: Check for dust

The first thing you need to check is if there is dust accumulated on the tent. Well, you might be thinking now—just dust? I know there could be dirt and debris as well. So, you can examine if there is dirt and debris as well.

Step 2: Removing dust, and dirt

You need to start by unfurling the tent. When you are done with that—you have to shake the tent vigorously. And try to get rid of as much dust as possible. It will make it easier for you to take off the rest of the dust with a vacuum.

Step 3: Use the vacuum

Once you are done dusting, you can use a vacuum cleaner. For that, place the unfurled on a clean surface. You can use the floor if it’s well cleaned. Next, you need to attach a brush to the vacuum.

No, you can start with cleaning the tent thoroughly. There will be some areas on the tent, like—corners, laden with dust and dirt. You need to pay extra attention to those areas. Otherwise, the tent won’t be adequately cleaned.

Step 4: Washing it with water

When you are done removing loose dust and dirt, you can give the tent a simple wash. Don’t put the tent in the water already! First, apply some liquid soap all over the tent. Then scrub it with a sponge. You can utilize a scrubber if the sponge doesn’t seem to clean it well.

How much force to apply to scrub the tent? The dust and dirt will come off with a little force. After scrubbing, use the shower head or a garden hose to wash off the dirty soap water.

Know More: How to Secure a Tent in High Winds?

How to Clean Canvas Tent Mold: 4 Steps

Tents sometimes get mold or mildew. If your tent has molds along with dust and dirt, you can get rid of those by following the steps below. Remember that you are supposed to do the dusting first. After that, you take care of the molds. Let’s remove mold from your tent then.

Required Cleaning supplies:

• White wine vinegar
• A measurement cup for taking the necessary amount of vinegar and water
• Plastic spray bottle
• Sponge/ Scrubber/ Paper towel/ Washcloth

Cleaning Canvas Tent with Vinegar [DIY Method]

There are different kinds of products in the market for cleaning molds. If you don’t have any of those, you simply use some vinegar. Now, follow the instruction below to carry out the mold cleaning.

Step 1: Making a homemade solution

In terms of utilizing vinegar, you can’t use solid vinegar. In that case, you have to add some water. Add ¼ white wine vinegar with 1 cup of plain water to make the solution. You can put water and vinegar directly in a plastic spray bottle or use a different cup to add them.

After that, pour those into a plastic spray bottle. This will prevent spilling. So, I suggest you add water and vinegar to a different cup and then put it in a plastic bottle.

Once you have the water and vinegar in the spray bottle, you need to mix the two substances properly. So, shake the spray bottle thoroughly. The solution will be ready by this.

Step 2: Spraying on the mold/mildews

First, make sure the tent is laid on a clean surface. Now, you detect the mold and mildews-infected areas on the tent. After spraying, leave it for 7 to 10 minutes. Otherwise, you can’t remove the mold and mildews.

Step 3: Scrubbing the tent

After setting the solution for several minutes, scrub the areas. For that, you can use a sponge or scrubber. You can use paper towels or washcloths if there is no scrubber or sponge. Continue scrubbing until the canvas is free of all the molds and mildews.

Step 4: Cleaning with plain water

After scrubbing well, check to ensure the mold and mildew traces are gone. Next, you need to spray warm water on the area you scrubbed. That will wash the vinegar and water solution you just used on the tent.

Now dry off the newly cleaned area with some dry and clean cotton cloth. Or you can just use a paper towel to do it. Note that you need to dry off the infested area as soon as you are done with cleaning with the solution and plain water.

How to Clean Canvas Tent Trailers: 4 Steps

A pop-up camper canvas can capture grime and dirt as well. Also, it’s susceptible to mold and mildews. You will be alarmed by that knowing that it can cause health problems as well.

However, let’s see how you can return your camper canvas or canvas tent trailer in a clean state.

Required cleaning supplies:

• A container for water
• 2-3 gallons of water
• A measurement cup
• Sponge and scrubber
• Detergent
• Garden hose or shower head

Step 1: Make a cleaning solution

You can make a simple cleaning solution to clean a canvas tent trailer yourself. People use different kinds of cleaning supplies. Even there are cleaning supplies specially made for cleaning canvas tents.

However, a simple soap-water mixture will work satisfactorily. So, take 2- 3 gallons of water in a container. Generally, people use buckets. Regardless, you can ensure that any container will hold 2 to 3 gallons of water.

Now, mix a cup of detergent. Next, whisk the detergent so that it completely dissolves into the water.

Step 2: Scrubbing the inside and outside of a camper canvas

Once the cleaning solution is ready, you need to dampen an ordinary sponge. With that, scrub the inside and outside of your camper canvas. Gentle pressing with the sponge will be enough to scrub off the dirt and dust marks.

However, there will also be patches of tough dirt and dust marks. To handle that, you will need to put a little more force. Moreover, if the sponge doesn’t seem to do the job, you will need a scrub brush instead of a sponge.

Step 3: Rinse off the canvas

Once you scrub both inside and outside, you need to rinse both sides with another clean and regular sponge. Take a wet sponge, and rinse the cleaning solution off the canvas. If there is still dirty soapy water outside the tent, you can use a garden hose or a shower head.

Step 4: Removing mold and mildews from camper canvas

To remove mold and mildews, you can use the vinegar and water solution I suggested above. Or you can use sprays made for removing mold and mildews.

Mold and mildews removal is easy. First, spray a cleaning solution on the infested areas. Let it sit for a while. Finally, you clean off the tent with fresh water.

Once again, if there are mold, mildew, and dirt, you can clean the mold and mildews after dusting off the tent. Or you can wash the tent twice.

Bonus Tip: Confirm the Canvas is Waterproof

Cleaning is handled so far. But there is one more critical task to perform. After you are done washing the canvas tent, you need to check if the water is traveling through the canvas.

People often forget about this step and get wet on the next camping! If you don’t want that to happen to you, check the tent from the inside. You must check carefully if the water is passing through the upper surface.

The protective layer for water may tear off after vigorous cleaning. Also, there will be tears around the joints of your tent canvas. Anyway, confirm the tent is waterproof by following these steps—

• Step 1: Spray some plain water and check from the inside. Or you can check right after you finish cleaning the dust, mold, and mildews.
• Step 2: If the water is traveling inside, you need to seal the tear with canvas fixing glue, or you can utilize some strong tape.

Warping Up

Campers often face problems with their tents forming molds, mildew, and tears. If you clean routinely and properly, you will have a perfect tent, in other words, the perfect shelter for the outdoors.

Happy camping!