Remove Mold and Mildew from a Tent

You are getting ready for a camping trip and haul the tent out of storage. But, what's that dank dungeon smell and that black stuff? You have mold and mildew to remove from your tent before you can sleep in it. Does my method work? I watched as a college kid used it to clean the tent he had loaned to a friend and stored without checking for damage. This method not only removed the mold and mildew even removed the barf stains from the frat party they had in the tent.

What we call "mold" and "mildew" are tiny fungi that grow on fabrics whenever they have a tiny bit of food and moisture. Then, just before they die, they make spores that will spring to life and keep growing as soon as there is more moisture and food. To remove mold and mildew from a tent, you have to kill these spores as well as remove the surface fungus and staining.

Spores can be killed by a cheap, easy to find chemical: household bleach. Although there are other mold and mildew removers, I prefer bleach because it not not only kills the spores it bleaches out any staining from food and beverage spills.

The Materials:

* A large, flat, waterproof surface
* Tent
* Laundry bleach
* Spray bottles, like those used for spraying household cleaners, or even a garden-size sprayer if you have a large or extremely moldy tent.
* One or more soft-bristled scrubbing brushes
* Hose with spray nozzle
* Seam sealant for tents
* Towels for you, because this is a very wet process

Dilute the laundry bleach by adding 2 cups of bleach to 1 gallon of water. This is a strong bleach, about the strength used in microbiology labs to kill germs. It's a good idea to wear dishwashing gloves and your weekend chore clothing or an old swimsuit.

The Patio or Driveway Method:

The ideal surface is a concrete driveway or patio, or even a wooden deck. You need enough room to spread out the tent and scrub it.

1 - Clean the concrete surface with a broom.
2 - Turn the tent inside out and vacuum, sweep, or shake all the dirt off.
3 - Spray any obvious mold or mildew spots with the bleach solution and scrub them off.
4 - Spray every bit of the exposed inside of the tent with the bleach solution, turning and unfolding to reach every surface.
5 - Rinse the tent throughly with the hose, making sure to rinse every part
6 - Turn the tent right side out and repeat the spraying, scrubbing and rinsing
8 - Set up the tent and let it air dry. In rainy areas, inside a garage is good. Under a patio roof also works. When the top of the tent is dry, turn it over to make sure the fabric on the bottom is dry.
9 - Seal the seams according to the directions on the package of seam sealer. You might need to renew the waterproofing too.
10 - After the seam sealant s dry, fold the tent and store it in a dry place.

The Carwash Method:

If you are an apartment dweller, with no handy patio or driveway to use, take the tent and the cleaning materials to a self-serve carwash. Scrub the tent in the washing bay, then use the high-pressure rinse setting to rinse it.

I don't know where you will set up the tent to dry. Maybe you can drape it over a balcony railing. Keep turning and refolding the tent until all of the surfaces and seams are dry.

Preventing mold and mildew:

When you come home from this summer's camping trip, don't immediately shove the gear into your garage or attic until next summer or you will be re-reading "How to Remove Mold and Mildew from a Tent" next year. All you have to do to prevent mold and mildew is to make sure the tent is absolutely clean and dry before you fold it up and store it.

The last task of a camping trip is to unpack the gear, set the tent up one more time, and clean it. Vacuum out the sand, wash out any food spills and stains, and let it become completely dry. Pack it into its bag and store it in a dry spot. Air out the sleeping bags, wash them if they need it, and pack them away.

Next summer, instead of tediously cleaning the tent, you can grab and go.