Canvas Tent Maintenance

How to Clean, Waterproof, and Store a Canvas Tent

Want to keep your tent in top shape for years to come? Learn essential tips for caring for your tent from the moment you purchase it, along with best practices for storage and routine maintenance every 3-6 months.

Cleaning Your Tent

Mold, mice, and mites pose the biggest risks to tents in storage. Follow these guidelines to ensure your tent stays clean and protected when not in use.

• Never pack a wet tent!
  Your tent, groundsheet, and guy lines must be completely dry before storage. If you must pack up while damp, loosely fold the tent for transport and dry it within 24 hours. If outdoor drying isn’t possible, spread it out indoors before packing.
• Pack your tent clean.
  Dirt and vegetation trap moisture, leading to mold growth. Sweep or wipe down the tent inside and out before packing it. Need a folding method? Check out our video on packing a Sibley tent using the “taco, pizza, french fry, roll” technique.
• Store it high and dry.
  Keep your tent in a cool, dry place. Avoid damp basements, and never store it directly on the floor of garages or storage units that might flood or collect moisture.

Long-Term Storage Tips

If you’re storing your tent for an extended period, especially in areas prone to mice or insects, consider placing it inside a clean plastic garbage can with a secure lid for extra protection.

Cleaning a Tent

Cleaning and re-treating your tent regularly improves the life of your tent and is a necessary component of maintenance. Environmental factors such as humidity, UV exposure, airborne particles from vegetation and mold spores can vary drastically in different locations. CanvasCamp recommends cleaning and retreating your tent after 3-6 months of use, however, depending on your environment you may need to clean it more or less often. Always spot clean and retreat problem areas as needed.

It is important to address any mold and mildew immediately to kill the spores and prevent it from spreading. Once canvas has mold, it is almost impossible to remove the stains. Check out our blog on How to Clean Mold from Canvas Tents for mold specific information.

How to Clean a Canvas Tent

Cleaning prepares your tent for retreatment. Dry mud or dirt can be brushed off with a soft brush. You will need a hose, bucket, soft brush or sponge, cleaning solution and retreatment solution.

• Mix a 4 part water 1 part vinegar solution to kill mold and/or use a canvas specific cleaning product of your choice.
• Unroll your tent, peg down the groundsheet and remove all dust, dirt, and particulate with a clean broom or a vacuum with a brush attachment.
  Hose down the tent.
• Use a soft brush or sponge to gently clean the fabric with the appropriate solution, rinsing as you go. Start at the peak and work your way down to the floor. It may be helpful to pitch the tent after you’ve cleaned the hard to reach areas around the top.
• Rinse. Then rinse again. Making sure to remove any residual cleaning solution.
• Let the tent dry completely prior to retreating.

(Re) Waterproofing

You must retreat the canvas after a cleaning to maintain water, mold, and UV resistance. Most solutions are marketed as a waterproofing treatment, however, they provide protection against sun and dirt as well, which can degrade fabric and limit the natural waterproofing ability of a quality canvas weave. You can use a variety of different treatments depending on your personal preference. Explore our favorite tent care products for recommendations.

How to Retreat a Canvas Tent

• Make sure the canvas is dry and clean.
• Apply the retreatment product liberally using a spray, plant sprayer, or paint roller. Follow the recommended application instructions from the manufacturer of the product you are using.
• Let dry completely prior to storage. Repeat if necessary.

Pre-Shrinking a New Canvas Tent

Canvas tents are like a pair of denim jeans; they shrink a little when you wash them. Shrinkage is beneficial for new tents. When the cotton fibers shrink, the weave tightens which increases its water resistance capabilities. A brand new canvas tent when taken into the rain for the first time may “mist” in a driving rain; this is normal. When you first receive your tent – set it up in the backyard and hose it down, (or leave it up until it gets rained on) to pre-shrink your tent before your first adventure!