Your tent is your home in nature, so take care of it accordingly. A well-loved and cared for tent is the difference between a night to remember and a night to forget.
Cleaning & Drying Your Tent
Regardless of whether you’ve had rain or sunshine, when you arrive home from an adventure you should clean and air your tent. Generally, brushing the inside to remove sand, twigs, leaves etc. and a rinse with lukewarm water on the outside are enough after short trips. But longer excursions might require a more thorough wash. Just never put your tent in the washing machine. Instead, use a sponge, gentle soap and some warm water to clean away dirty marks. Don’t forget to clean the poles and zips too, especially if you’ve been beach camping, as the sand and salt can be bad news for metal parts.
Leave your tent in a well-ventilated area, preferable outdoors, to dry fully.
Storing Your Tent
Never store your tent damp, this could lead to mould which will eventually destroy your tent. Always air it thoroughly before storing it away for the season.
It’s best to store your tent in a well-ventilated area. Don’t use the tent bag. Instead hang the tent in a cupboard. If that’s not possible loosely fold it and store it in a pillowcase, or cover it with a towel, and store it in your wardrobe.
Take your tent out of storage a day or two before heading into the great outdoors again, to give it a thorough airing, to check that no mould has formed and to make sure you have all the parts. Check your zips too. They might need a little oil or wax to ensure they open and close smoothly.