Cleaning is probably one of the last things on your mind while you’re out camping.
But it can actually help a ton to be a little conscious of what gets tracked into (and onto) your tent.
You’ve probably stumbled upon this article looking for tent cleaning tips.
So, what is the best way to clean a tent? The best way to clean your tent is to spot clean the outside with some mild dish soap, then soak the tent in a water/gear cleaner solution. Finally, rinse and dry your tent in a cool, dry area before storing it.
Review some of the points below for a more detailed look at how to properly clean your tent as well as a few tips for cleaning sap, mold, and more.
If you don’t mind having a dirty tent while out camping, skip ahead to the at-home cleaning solutions by clicking here!
How Do You Keep A Tent Floor Clean?
First, let’s talk about keeping your tent reasonably clean while you’re out.
Having a ton of mud and debris on your tent floor can dirty pretty much everything inside of your tent, making it more of a pain to clean up once you get home.
You don’t have to do anything crazy to do this.
The easiest way to keep your tent floor clean is to just brush off any dirt that gets on your gear that you’ll be bringing inside.
Cleaning your shoes or taking them off before you get in your tent is also an easy way to prevent a dirty tent.
Bringing along a mat or some sort of surface to separate you from the dirt (a spare towel would also work here) can help keep dirt out.
Similar to a doormat.
Finally, bringing along a small brush with a dustpan can help if things get extra messy inside.
Just sweep up the dirt and throw it outside.
You can also use the brush to gently clean your gear.
Cleaning Your Tent At Home
You won’t have the same resources out camping as you would once your back home.
Once you’ve returned from your trip the real cleaning can begin.
Below are some tips for maintaining the structural integrity of your tent while cleaning it as well as some niche tips to help in case your tent gets extra dirty or moldy.
Can You Wash A Tent In A Washing Machine?
Your first instinct might be to throw your dirty tent into the wash when you get home.
However, doing this can severely damage your tent and cause you to need a new one.
When you put your tent through a wash cycle, it is subjected to the harshness of the washer machine and could potentially stretch or tear the fabric, mesh, and/or seams.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to rely on hand washing a tent to clean it while properly maintaining the integrity of the material.
Washing A Tent In A Front-Loading Washing Machine
The agitator in washing machines is one of the reasons why it’s not recommended to wash your tent in one.
But, front-loading washing machines don’t have agitators, so they should be okay to use, right?
I still wouldn’t recommend using one, but for those braver than I, you can use a front-loading washing machine to clean your tent.
You will still have to worry about the material potentially melting or delaminating, ruining the waterproofing.
But if you wash on a gentle cycle in cold water, you should be fine.
However, why would you want to wash your tent in a machine anyway?
You can use the method below to clean your tent much more efficiently and with much less risk of ruining your material.
The Best Way To Clean A Tent
The best way to clean a tent is by hand.
Most of the supplies needed to give your tent a solid wash can be found in your home, with the exception of a gear cleaner.
Cleaning your tent is a very simple process so let’s get started!
Supplies
- A sponge or rag
- Dish soap
- An extra-large container or bathtub
- Gear cleaner (Such as Nikwax Tech Wash)
Instructions
- First, apply some water and a tiny dab of dish soap to spot clean the outside of your tent. This will remove the excess dirt and other debris.
- Unzip your tent and flip it inside out.
- Fill up your bathtub (or large container) with lukewarm water, then add your gear cleaner. The amount of cleaner you add will depend on the brand you’re using.
- Fully submerge your tent in the water/cleaner solution and allow it to soak. Again, the brand of cleaner will determine how long you should let it soak.
- Drain your tub and refill with fresh water several times until the cleaner is removed from the tent. Gently shaking the tent material can help remove the cleaner faster.
- Set your tent up to dry. A cool, shaded area will yield the best results.
Note: while cleaning, DO NOT scrub the underside of your rainfly. This is what usually contains the waterproof coating.
Removing Pine Sap From Your Tent
If you’re like me, you’d prefer to camp in the shade of some trees to keep your tent from getting too hot.
Doing this might mean getting some sap on your tent though.
While this may seem like a pain, I’d much rather have the shade and deal with a little extra cleaning afterward.
Removing sap from your tent is as simple as grabbing a rag and some mineral oil and gently scrubbing the sap off of your tent.
Once you’ve got the sap off you can then rinse it off with some water and continue with the normal tent cleaning process mentioned above.
You might have an easier time using alcohol-based products rather than mineral oil.
The key thing is to not scrub too hard or you’ll start to remove the waterproofing from your tent.
How To Clean Tent Zippers
There’s an easy way to clean your zippers if they are sticking or not working as well as they used to.
First, inspect your zippers for any damage.
Cleaning them won’t do any good if you’ve got a damaged zipper!
Once you’ve done that, simply take a toothbrush and brush out the dirt and grime from between the zipper.
If you’ve got some stubborn debris, try adding water before to make it easier.
How To Remove Mold From A Tent
If your tent has mold on it, you’ll need to clean it slightly differently to remove it.
Basically, instead of using a typical gear cleaner, you’ll want to use an enzyme cleaner instead.
GearAid’s Revivex Pro Cleaner is a great choice.
You’ll follow the same instructions above, with the exception of how long to leave your tent submerged in the cleaner.
Use the instructions on the bottle for that step.
You can also check out our post ‘Why Do Tents Smell?‘ for natural mold cleaning tips as well.
What About Stubborn Smells?
If your tent has foul odors, you’ll want to try a few different things to help.
First, you can simply lay your tent out to air dry and spray it with a fabric refresher such as Febreeze.
If that doesn’t remove the smell, washing your tent with an enzyme cleaner like the one mentioned above should help eliminate any odors.
If you’ve got tough odors that are still lingering after washing with a gear cleaner, you can use GearAid’s Revivex Odor Eliminator to finish the job.
Be sure to wash your tent with an enzyme cleaner first if it is mold because the enzyme cleaner will kill the source of the mold.
Rest Easy In Your Clean Tent
There are quite a few gear cleaners on the market that can help keep your tent super clean.
Just be sure to avoid washing in the washing machine and try to keep things decently clean while out on the trails.
Gently cleaning your tent when it gets dirty can help preserve the life of your tent and ensure that it works just as good as the day you got it!