How to Clean a Tent from Mold?

How to Clean a Tent from Mold

Prevention of mold is crucial, but yes, you can’t always prevent them as they are everywhere. Here we are discussing the process step by step.

1. Identify Mold

Molds can come into different shapes as well as colors. But mostly intents it seems like small black, green or blue colored spots scattered in the tent.

2. Kill It

For killing, you can spray refined white vinegar. Then let it dry.

3. Clean It

For cleaning, you have to scrub it with a soft brush but be gentle. You can use a mixture of salt, lemon, and hot water as a cleanser. Let it dry again.

Be careful about using detergent and soap as they are harsh for a tent and challenging to wipe out.

Deep Cleaning for Extremely Dirty Tent

Prevention of mold is always the best option for maintaining your tent. But mold stains can be visible in your tent. But even if your canvas is very dirty with mold stain, still there is hope.

But before starting deep cleaning, you have to keep some things in your mind. They are-

• Mold stains are tough to remove, and after deep cleaning your tent won’t ever look like brand new again. But your hard work of deep cleaning can increase the lifetime of your tent.
• The process of deep cleaning is quite hard. You also have to repeat some steps.
• Don’t forget tents are massive and when they are wet, they are way too heavy. Take the help of some other people.

Materials for Deep Clean

• Oxyclean powder. You can make it at home, but they are also easy to buy from a super shop at a reasonable price.
• One large container in which the tent canopy will fit in and extra room for water.
• A strong stick for stirring. You can use boom handle, canoe paddle.
• One soft brush
• Continuous water source and pipe
• Two strong people
• One or two days favorable weather for completing all the work
• A mop and some soap will also be needed

The Process of Deep Cleaning

• With the help of soft brush remove all loose dirt from the tent
• From the floor of the tent separate the tent’s canopy
• Fill your large container with about 1-foot warm water
• Now add Oxiclean in the warm water and stir it until it dissolved fully in the water. For the amount of OxiClean, use your judgment.
• Without the tent’s floor place the canvas in the container
• Fill water until the shelter is inundated
• Stir thoroughly so that solution is mixed and canvas is soaking
• Leave the canvas for soaking 4-10 hours and even for a whole night. Stir it sometimes
• Just like your kitchen floor, you can clean the tent’s floor. Sweep, mop, and rinse it. But be sure your floor where you will place the tent’s floor is ready
• After soaking throw the dirty water from the container but leave the tent inside
• Now rinse and roll the tent and see how the tent is looking. If you think it needs to soak again, then do it and add some more water and OxiClean
• When you will see that canvas is quite clean add water and with your stick stir and dump it for removing soap
• Now spread the canvas on your clean tent floor and pitch it
• With the water pipe throw water on it and make sure no soap remains there
• Leave the tent for drying

By following these steps, you can clean your tent. But yes, these are hard to do. So be patient.

How to Prevent Mold

For avoiding mold, you have to make sure that you never pack your tent when it is dirty or damp. Let your tent dry wholly in the sun and also make sure that the floor, guylines, stakes, poles, and bags all are dry before rolling the tent for storing.

If before leaving the campsite, you are unable to dry it entirely then loosely roll it up and after arriving home, don’t forget to dry it before storage.

For preventing mold in your tent, you can follow these tips-

• Purchase tent which is designed for long-time use and suitable in extreme weather
• Check your tent regularly
• Clean all the leaves, grass, bird poop from your tent
• Well ventilation in your tent can also assist you to prevent mold
• Clean and retreat your tent time to time

Final Words

The most important thing for maintaining a tent is to clean it and store it in a dry place. It will prevent your tent from mold and also increase the durability.

Deep cleaning of a tent is hard work. So be prepared before doing it. Make sure after deep cleaning, you removed all the soap and dried it perfectly.

So, now you know how to clean a tent from mold and you can easily follow these steps. But our suggestion preventing mold is better than cleaning the mold. So be careful about using your tent and also in storing it.

Don’t forget to check your tent from time to time, even if you are not using it.

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