In this text, we will be looking at how you can clean your tent with vinegar and all the tips and techniques needed for the cleaning and maintenance of your tent.
Tents can be very expensive, and so, to make them stand the test of time and then, serve our needs, need be that we regularly clean them.
You may also need to clean your tent if you’d be camping any moment from now. Tents are great for protecting you from harsh weather conditions while you camp.
They also help create a warm and cozy atmosphere for you and your camping partner.
First, you need to know that the materials used for tents are synthetic and waterproof. They are used to protect you from the elements of nature within your camping site.
But then, if you fail to maintain them, they wouldn’t be as durable as you want them to be.
For example, moisture is one of the factors that reduce the lifespan of tents. If water or dew falls on its surface while it’s fully stretched, you have to make sure that it dries off before you pack it up.
Let’s see more ways by which you can care for your tent.
How to care for your tent
- Ensure that your campsite is well prepared for the tent.
The first thing that you need to do on arriving at your camping ground is to get rid of the unwanted materials—twigs, stones, objects with pointed tips, and other items that could create holes within the material of your tent.
After doing that, you would also need to prevent the effects that the ground moisture can have on the tent. Spreading a nylon sheath across the floor first would help solve that issue.
If the tent is going to remain erected for days, you should have it set under a shady area. That way, the tent material doesn’t have to stretch to another length after the rays of the sun hit the surface.
Most of the materials used for tent are also bad receptors for the ultraviolet rays that are released by the sun. Polyester can deal with sun rays better than nylon though.
- Protect the tent after it has been erected.
If the zipper of your tent gets destroyed while you are on your camping site, you may not find it a bit funny.
To prevent this from happening, ensure that you do not push the mouth of the zipper with too much force. If something is in the way, get it out first before continuing with the zip up process.
You should also keep pets away from your tents. The reason for this is that the teeth and claws can tear through the material of your tent and that can be very annoying when rain falls.
You also should keep your shoes, boots and other items that mud could have gotten trapped in. When sand falls on the floor of the tent, it creates a friction that weakens the material.
The last thing you shouldn’t bring into the tent is food. Store your foods and coolers outside your tents. That way, mice and other rodents with sharp canines don’t have to bite through the material of your tent.
- Store your tent carefully after camping
Before you bring your tent down, ensure that you take out everything that’s inside—your beddings, books, lamps, etc. If your tent isn’t too big, you could pick it up with its support poles.
This technique affords you the chance to shake off dust and other particles that could have settled on the surface of the tent.
You should also ensure that you dry your tents before storing them. When moisture cleaves to the surface of your tent, it promotes the formation of mildew.
Air-drying is a good way of drying your tents. After drying, carefully stack them within the tent sheath. That way, the material doesn’t have to come out squeezed the next time you have to use them.
How to clean a tent with vinegar
Now that you know how to maintain your tent, let’s see how you can clean it. Note that a washing machine or drying machine is incompatible with any tent material.
Tents have to be hand-washed! Follow the procedures below to get started;
1. Fill up a bucket with water (preferably warm water) and then, add some washing liquid.
Avoid detergents (They’d be too harsh on the tent’s material. They could also make the tent lose its water-proof feature) and other washing liquids with fragrances.
Fragrance attracts insects to your tent and you don’t want that.
2. Use a soft sponge to scrub the surface of the tent. Dip the sponge into the bucket of soapy water intermittently and then, wipe it across the surface of the tent’s material.
It’s better to have spotted the really messy areas before the washing. That way, you know the areas to apply much pressure and the areas to apply minimal pressure.
3. Do not exert too much pressure on the material that forms the tent’s floor. This technique will help protect the waterproof nature of such parts.
4. When you are done scrubbing the soiled areas, prepare a big bath of soapy water and then, immerse the entire tent within it.
5. Rinse the body of the tent with warm water when you are done. Do not store immediately. Have it air-dried first. This will help to prevent the formation of mildew or mold across the surface of your tent.
6. Carefully tuck the tent within its sheath.
In a scenario where the body of your tent has mildew or mold, you may have to take your cleaning game to the next level by using vinegar to clean your tent. Here’s how;
- Leave it under the sun for a while. The heat from the sun is enough to get rid of mildew or mold.
- Add some warm water to a bowl and then, add vinegar and the washing liquid you use for your tent.
- Dip a soft towel into the mixture and then, wring it slightly.
- Dab the dampened towel across the surface of the tent. If you come across a stubborn stain, work with a brush. The brush should have string thistles.
- Rinse the tent with water when you are done.
- Leave the tent under the sun to dry.