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How To Remove Mildew From Tents
Here’s a good cleaning tip I found for killing mildew in tents…
Source: (no longer available online)
Step 1: Mix ½- cup of Lysol in 1 gallon of hot water. Wash your tent with the solution (use a sponge) and let it air dry.
Step 2: Mix 1-cup salt and 1-cup concentrated lemon juice in 1 gallon of hot water. Wash your tent again with this solution and let it air dry.
Although it states that the visible stains won’t be removed, it does kill the mildew.
Taking care of your tent:
Remember, after use your tent should be thoroughly aired-out before being stored. Even if you camped in perfect weather, dampness from the ground, from condensation and from respiration will provide enough moisture for mildew to take hold. Your tent will also last longer if you avoid storing your tent in its stuff sack. Instead, hang up the tent or keep it in a large and breathable storage bag.
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Mildew usually is very sensitive to drying. So probably no need for any fancy products to get rid of it. Just follow the above tips above keeping the tent dry before and during storage.
I have read that either scrubbing with salt or dipping in live yoghurt also can help to kill off mildew.
Once dead any mild detergent should remove any remaining stains caused by the mildew.
If not there is always gall soap which basically is loaded with enzymes and usually works well on stains. But then old stains are tougher to remove…
I have long been searching for a solution to Boy Scouts tents which have gathered a mildew smell over the years. This advice is intriguing, but even if it works, I have a question. Lysol and lemon juice are smellables. After treatment with them, the tent is no longer safe to use in areas with bears or other wild animals. What can be done about that?