A tent is one of the most essential pieces of gear that all campers need. It provides shelter, a place to sleep and the feeling of comfort, safety and security when you’re in the tough outdoors. It serves as your outdoor sanctuary, that’s why it deserves your TLC! If you want to enjoy your tent for many years to come, make maintenance a habit.
Follow these 3 tent care tips to help prolong the life of your tent:
Treat it as you would your home bedroom
Your tent serves as your “personal space” when you’re in the wilderness. Naturally, you would want your space to be clean and organized at all times. More importantly, you want it to be cozy and comfortable. To achieve this, treat the space as you would your personal space at home – your bedroom. You wouldn’t want dirty, muddy shoes inside, right? Or you wouldn’t want crumbs all over the floor because it might attract ants?
Enforce a “no-shoe” policy inside your tent to protect the flooring. You also shouldn’t eat inside as this would attract bugs that could damage the fabric.
Waterproof your tent
Many tents sold today are already waterproof but if yours isn’t, you can make it so yourself. All you need is a can of all-purpose waterproofing spray that is available in most home improvement retail stores. And even it is indeed waterproof, it’s advisable that you reapply a coating once in a while to the walls and floor of your tent to avoid leaks.
Repair quickly
You should always carry a small tent maintenance kit whenever you go camping. This way, if you see a stain or a tear, you’ll be able to act upon it quickly. If you see a rip or a stain, no matter how small, sew it or clean it up immediately while the damage is small. Taking action later will only cause a build up of problems and it might be too late to save your tent.
Apart from the abovementioned tent care tips, be sure to wash your tent every after use. Check for rips, stains, holes or mildew and do necessary the repairs right away. Let it dry completely (preferably in your backyard in a shaded area) before packing it up for storage. Store your tent it in a cool, dry place until ready for use again.
Following these 3 easy tent care tips will surely prolong the life of your tent!
