Tent Care
A tent is your home away from home when you are camping, and while you will need to give it some care and attention, it will not take as much time as you think. If you take good care of your tent, it will last for quite some time and give you lots of opportunities to camp in the great outdoors.
There are many things that you should do for your tent, but here are four things that you must always do with it:
- Read the directions.
- Be gentle with your poles and zippers.
- Clean your tent and the fly occasionally.
- Never put your tent away when it is wet.
Caring for Your Tent During Setup
You may want to setup your tent once before you head out for your first trip with it, because it will allow you to know that you have all the pieces that you need, and it will make it easier the next time you put it up.
Follow these next guidelines when you are camping to keep your tent working well long into the future:
Find an established campsite – This is necessary as you want a clean spot, so debris, sticks, rocks, and pine cones do not make holes in your tent.
Use a footprint underneath – Placing a footprint underneath your tent will keep the bottom clean and prevent it from getting stuck from any debris that you may have missed. You can use a tarp instead, but it may collect rainwater if it extends past the sides of your tent.
Do not set your tent up in direct sunlight – While a little sun on your tent can heat it up and get the moisture out, you will not want it in the direct sun for any extended periods of time. The UV rays can degrade the material and cause it to break down easily. The rain flys are more resistant to the sun’s rays, but they still shouldn’t be left in the sun too long.
Put the poles in place slowly – Tent poles should never be swung around and snapped together, and you should take your time as you are putting the sections together. Quick movements can cause the poles to snap and break, which is something you do not want to happen at any time of your campout.
Caring for Your Tent While You Are Using It
Use caution with your zippers – Tent zippers should never be forced to open or close, because the fabric can be torn. Instead, you will want to carefully move the zipper, wiggling it to the sides, until the fabric is free, or the zipper gets uncaught. Split zippers can be re-engaged, but caution will need to be taken to ensure that it does not get jammed if you decide to tighten it.
Leave shoes outside your tent – The bottoms of shoes collect dirt, debris, and small stones and these materials can put holes in your tent’s bottom.
Leave food and toiletries outside your tent – Food and toiletries should be stored in a safe and secure place outside of your tent, so that they do not attract any wild animals.
Keep unsupervised pets outside your tent – Pets can be very unpredictable, especially when they are left alone inside a tent. If your pet wants to get out, they can chew or claw at the material until they create a hole that they can escape from.
Caring for Your Tent as You are Taking It Down
Shake out your tent – This will remove any dirt, debris, and bugs so that you do not take anything home with you.
Push shockcorded poles instead of pulling them – The elastic in these poles can break if they do not move all as one as you are pulling them.
Start in the middle when folding poles – The tension of the poles will be distributed evenly if you begin in the middle and work your way to the ends.
Dry your tent before you pack it away in its bag – Every tent gets damp from early morning moisture and that moisture can cause a lot of damage. Therefore, it is necessary to dry it completely before packing it in its bag. You can hang it up carefully before you leave or hang it up once you get home.
Roll your tent instead of stuffing it like a sleeping bag – Rolling it will cause less stress on the fabric.
Caring for Your Tent Once You Arrive Home
Air dry your tent – Tents need to spend a lot of time drying before they are ready to be packed away. The best thing to do is set it up but hanging it up will work if necessary.
Make sure your tent is completely dry before storing it – Fabric that is damp will grow mildew and that will give the tent a nasty odour.
Store your tent in a cool, dry location – You will want to place your tent in a larger bag for storage, so the material does not deteriorate or break apart. Damp and hot locations are not good options as they promote moisture, but if that is all you have available you can simply place it in a sealed plastic container.
Cleaning Your Tent
You shouldn’t need to clean your tent that often, but it will be necessary after long trips or when it is exposed to tree sap, bird droppings, sand, and dirt. Other than that, one cleaning per season is sufficient.
Never use a washing machine or dryer for tents – Washing machines can stretch the fabric of a tent and tear the seams, and while a dryer can do the same, the heat will also do damage.
Perform a basic cleaning – All you need is a sponge, cold water, and a little non-detergent soap to clean your tent. You can gently scrub the dirty areas with the sponge. You will want to avoid most household cleaners as they can be abrasive and most contain perfumes that can attract animals and insects.
Waterproof Your Tent Seams and Coatings
An easy way to extend the life of your tent is to re-waterproof it. It can take at least twenty-four hours for the waterproofing to dry, so make sure you do it a few days before your next trip and that you have a spot to keep it open for that long.
Reseal all leaky seams – Leaky seams can introduce water to your tent. Most tents are sold with their seams sealed, but you may need to reapply it after a while.
Reapply waterproofing or replace the tent when the waterproof coating fails – If it is only the rain fly that needs waterproofing, you can simply reapply. However, if your tent has a gooey coating, a bad odour, or the floor is damaged, it may be time to replace your tent.
Use the proper products – Every type of material will need a specific product and you will need to make sure that you are using the proper one. If you don’t, you may cause more damage to your tent.