How to Clean a Moldy Tent

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Understanding how to effectively remove mold from your canvas tent is not just about maintenance; it’s about ensuring the health and safety of every camper under its shelter.In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore tried-and-true methods alongside natural solutions and expert tips to restore your canvas tent to its former glory.

Whether you’re facing a minor mold issue or battling a tent-wide infestation, this article will arm you with the knowledge to reclaim your tent from the clutches of mold, ensuring many more memorable camping experiences to come.Canvas tents can last for a lifetime if properly cared for. But just like maintaining a healthy diet, tent maintenance requires dedication, proactive measures, and obsessive anxiety over mortality.

10 Tips to Maintaining a Bell Tent

Prevention is the key to elongating the life of your bell tent. Below are important steps to take before, during, and after using your bell tent to ensure that it stays in tippy-top condition.

Do Not Pitch Your Tent Directly Under a Tree Or Against Foliage

Yes, shade is amazing during the summer time, but trees tend to attract birds, and branches are their outhouse, and your tent is below their outhouse. Trees also can secrete sap, and for some reason canvas is an amazing attractant for this stuff.

Full shade also blocks the sun, which helps to dry any moisture off of your tent walls, ceiling and from around your floor – thus preventing mold.You can get away with pitching your tent wall snug against tall grass and plants for a couple of days, but avoid doing so for weeks at a time. This foliage will trap moisture against your tent and is the perfect incubator for fungus growth.

Vent Your Bell Tent

Canvas is one of the most breathable fabrics for camping, but certain humidity can still create condensation on the inside of your tent. Open screened windows and doors periodically to allow a breeze to relieve any condensation.

If your canvas tent is in a high humid environment, then venting your tent might not be enough. Also consider running a fan of a dehumidifier. For and even stronger defense, you could benefit from regularly running a wood burning stove or propane heater inside the tent every week to help drive out any moisture, regardless of the heat index outside.

Use a Ground Tarp

Condensation will get trapped between the floor of your tent and the ground no matter where you pitch your tent. Using a ground cloth under your tent will not only minimize condensation, it will also protect your floor from sticks and stones – not to mention reduce the amount of wiping when you pack up. Check out our bell tent ground tarps on our online shop if you are in the market for one.

Do Not Pack Your Tent Up Wet or Covered With Leaves or Grass

A wet, packed up tent creates the best conditions for mold to grow. If you must pack it up damp, dry your tent out within a few days so that you don’t need to read further down in this article.

Organic material left on your tent, such as leaves or grass, can also lead to mold growth. So do your best to clear debris off before rolling up your tent.

Sweep & Wipe Your Tent Floor Before Packing It Up.

Any dirt, hair, and mud on the floor of your tent will end up on your ceiling when you fold up your tent. We suggest laying down some rugs in your tent and bring along a broom or cordless vacuum to help avoid the annoying task of cleaning your ceiling during your next adventure.

Keep Mud Off of Your Guy Lines

Muddy guy lines get folded up with your tent. Guess what happens to that mud? Yep, it creates lovely mud splatter designs on your canvas. The best way to avoid this is to carefully pull dirty tent pegs out of the ground and avoid contact with the guy line ropes during removal. Better yet, attached your guy line ropes to your tent with carabiners. Not only are these easy to remove, they also protect your tent from rope burn.

Wipe Moisture From The Bottom of Your Tent Floor

The bottom of your tent will likely have some condensation or water on it. Bring along a towel to dry off this water as you fold up your tent to avoid the possibility of mold growth while your tent is in storage.

Store Your Bell Tent In a Cool and Dry Location

Right next to your wine, street bike, or photo albums should do just fine. Just make sure that the sun or rodents won’t bathe on it. As added security, store your tent in a rubber or plastic container, off the ground - but again, make sure that the location chosen won't be hot or humid.

Clean Your Bell Tent

Use a mild soap, hot water, a soft brush, some elbow grease and patience. Using your garden hose with a powerful spray nozzle most likely will be necessary as well. Our favorite tool to spray off a canvas tent is this high pressure garden hose wand.

Retreat Your Canvas Regularly

Your canvas likely comes with an extra waterproofing treatment that helps repel water and mildew. This treatment will wear off the more your tent is used. You'll know it is time to retreat your canvas when water no longer beads up and rolls down the canvas. Likely this will occur after about 60 days of use.

What is Mold?

Mold is a fungus. Unlike plants which require energy from the sun to grow, mold derives energy from degrading organic matter. Without getting too sciencey for a blog about tents: mold excretes enzymes that cause organic materials to decompose (aka “rot”), which it eats to create energy to reproduce, and creates waste, and so the circle of life moves us all. Mold is nature's recycling center, a fascinating and essential component of the natural world that makes our planet livable.

Where does Mold come from?

Mold is everywhere in nature. It clings to clothes, skin, fur, leaves, bugs…you name it, it’s probably got mold on it. Mold can grow just about anywhere that is above freezing. Although mold can grow in a range of environments, it is particularly virulent in damp, dark environments, where there is lots of organic material to feast upon. Think rainforest. Think upcountry Hawaii.

Mold spreads and reproduces by releasing large numbers spores which can easily spread through air or water and colonize new locations. In the right conditions, mold can grow in as little as 24 hours, which is why it’s important to deal with it immediately as soon as you see evidence of it.

Won’t the sun prevent mold?

Lots of moisture and sunshine provide an excellent environment for plants to grow, and dead plants and moisture provide the ideal environment for mold growth. Over millions of years many types of mold have adapted defenses to damaging effects of sunlight. Additionally, UV light degrades the treatment on the tents, exposing the canvas to the elements, making it more susceptible to mold penetration.Don’t rely on the sun. Keep your tent clean and retreat it as often as needed.

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Chemicals Used To Remove Mold from Canvas Tents

While removing mold from the surface of the canvas tents may be tricky, the various chemicals available can help in making the task easy. Some of the popularly used chemicals to remove the molds include:

Concrobium

Concrobium works like magic in cleaning molds from the canvas tents popularly used by the campers. It penetrates to the root of the molds and helps in removing them effectively. Without the use of ammonia, bleach, or other harsh products, Concrobium effectively eliminates the molds. Simply spraying the mixture of concrobium and warm water can help in Chemicals for Removing Mold from Canvas Tents getting rid of the molds and prevent further molds from forming on the tent’s surface.

Mirazyme

Mirazyme has active enzymes that help in eliminating the fungi spores/molds and getting rid of the smell easily. Soaking the tent in a solution of mirazyme and lukewarm water and leaving it for a few minutes can help in eliminating the molds fast. Without having to rinse multiple times, you can conveniently clean your tent in no time.

Vinegar

Being readily available in every kitchen, vinegar is one of the most commonly used chemicals for removing the molds from such a canvas tent. It serves as a mild acidic disinfectant and helps in cleaning approximately 80% of the molds. It also aids in preventing the mold from occurring again in the future.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is one of the most effective chemicals for the removal of molds from your camping tents. Having both antibacterial as well as antifungal properties, tea tree oil aids in cleaning the molds and preventing them from occurring again. Made of natural ingredients, this chemical is also considered safe for use. You can directly pour this oil on the mold-afflicted area and leave it for some time in order to remove them completely.

Fabric Guards

When it comes to dealing with molds on your canvas tent, the fabric guard solutions are a popularly used chemical. Fabric guards not only help in cleaning the molds but also protect the fabric and prevent the molds from recurring in the future. With this easily accessible solution, removing molds no longer remains a difficult task for you.

Following the above-mentioned methods and using the right chemicals can help you in smoothly cleaning the molds from canvas tents. With the right solution, you can even prevent their further growth and use the tents conveniently for your upcoming camping trips.

Soaking to Clean a Tent with Mold

The last thing you can try if all else fails is to go hard at that mold with a deep cleaning. Once you’ve cleaned as much as you can, if there is still residue, you may want to do a full soak. Fill a tub with warm water and dilute a solution of an enzymatic cleaner in the water. Again, follow the directions to get this done right. Different cleaners work at different concentrations.

Unzip all the flaps and flies on your tent, turn it inside out, and then dunk it in the tub. Make sure the material gets fully saturated and then you’re going to have to wait. Your cleaner of choice should let you know how long. You don’t want to over soak as that could damage the material. It’d be awful to go through all this effort only to ruin the tent yourself.

Scrub any of those difficult spots at the beginning and then again at the end. Make sure you thoroughly rinse the tent when done and allow it to dry fully.

FAQs

What causes mold on canvas tents?

Mold thrives in moist environments, often due to improper drying or storage of canvas tents.

Can vinegar remove mold from canvas tents?

Yes, vinegar is effective against mold on canvas, acting as a natural mold killer.

How often should I clean my canvas tent?

Clean your canvas tent after each use to prevent mold and extend its lifespan.

Is it safe to sleep in a moldy tent?

No, sleeping in a moldy tent poses health risks, including respiratory issues.

How can I prevent mold in my canvas tent?

Prevent mold by ensuring your tent is dry before storage and keeping it in a dry place.

How do you get mildew off of a tent canvas?

To clean tent mildew, you can use a solution of bleach and water, or you can use vinegar. Simply mix the solution of your choice and apply it to the affected areas. Let the solution sit for about ten minutes, then rinse it off with clean water.

What is the best way to prevent mould in a tent?

The best way to prevent mould in a tent is to regularly check for any signs of mould, and to take steps to clean a tent with mould as soon as you notice it. You can also help prevent mould by ensuring that your tent is properly ventilated and by keeping it dry.

What’s the best way to clean a tent with mould?

The best way to clean a tent with mould is to use a solution of bleach and water, or vinegar. Simply mix the solution of your choice and apply it to the affected areas. Let the solution sit for about ten minutes, then rinse it off with clean water.

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