Remove Mold and Mildew from a Tent

No matter how you consider it, the outdoors is rugged. Mother Nature is no exception when it comes to throwing harsh conditions at the interior and exterior of camping equipment, particularly a tent. Mold and mildew stains and odor can certainly become camping trip guests that you don't want or need hanging around.

The first step in battling unwanted mold and mildew stains is to prevent them from becoming a problem, through proper care of your camping gear, equipment, and tent. Mold and mildew can only grow where there is moisture. While you might not be able to avoid a camping weekend in the rain, you can make sure your tent is thoroughly dried before you pack it away.

Never pack a tent away wet. Packing a tent away wet is perhaps the single most surefire way that you can bet you'll have mold and mildew waiting for you the next time you unpack it.

Also, give your tent room to breathe and store it in a fashion, which allows air to circulate. If a tent has some slight moisture, but is then stored in an airtight fashion, then mold and mildew can still form. Adequate ventilation ensures that the tent is thoroughly dry, and it also helps prevent musty odors.

Despite your best efforts, you notice some dark funky smelling residue on your tent. The dark residue that you see is left behind by mold, and you can easily remove it. It is important to keep in mind that in order to get rid of mildew, you must first kill the mold. Otherwise, the mold will keep growing and you'll have more mildew stains.

To clean a tent, do not try to launder it in your washer and dryer. These methods can cause irreparable damage to the canvas.

You can wash your tent with a simple solution of Lysol and water. To one gallon of water, add half a cup of Lysol. If you do not have Lysol on hand, you can try substituting 1 cup of lemon juice and 1 cup of salt into one gallon of water. Either solution will kill the mold and help clean up the mildew. Be sure to wash the affected area thoroughly, and rinse it thoroughly as well. After washing and rinsing, allow the tent to dry completely. It's best to wash your tent outside and then let it dry completely in the sun. This also lets the tent air out completely in the process.

For very stubborn mildew stains, simply repeat the cleaning process, gently scrubbing, until the stain comes out. You can also try using a colorsafe bleach, but do so carefully so as not to stain the tent or the tent canvas.

If you know that you will be camping and the weather is predicting rain, plan to take some additional preventive measures. Your tent seams might be waterproof, but doublecheck if they still need to be sealed. Sealing the seams ahead of time can help keep you dryer in the long run, and can be done quickly and inexpensively.
Enjoying the great outdoors should be a lot of fun. With proper care and a few preventive measures, your tent can be a home away from home for a very long time.