It’s not always necessary to give your tent a full clean after every trip, in fact in the case of a canvas bell tent it’s best to avoid putting cleaning chemicals on it as much as possible. Constant cleaning may have a negative impact on the waterproofing of the tent. However, there are a few things you should do after each camping trip.

Basic Canvas Tent Cleaning

• Tie the guy ropes up neatly so they don’t get tangled and fold the tent away as neatly as you can (this is an art in itself).
• If you have the time, energy, and dry enough weather, you may be able to tidy your tent away at the campsite, ready for next time. If it’s raining or you pack up in a hurry, you’ll need to put the tent up again when you get home to follow the next steps.
• The most important thing is to make sure your tent is dry before packing it away. If it is at all wet or damp it becomes the perfect environment for mould and mildew, which could ruin your tent or at the very least make it smell really bad. Once mould takes hold on the material, it’s a nightmare to get rid of. Remember the tent could be damp even if it hasn’t rained during your trip, you need to give time for morning dew to dry too.
• Open all the door and window flaps to allow your tent to air out. Nobody wants to smell the remnants of the last trip during the next adventure.
• Sweep out any mud, dirt, or leaves that have found their way into the tent. If it’s been wet and muddy you may need to wipe the ground sheet floor with a damp cloth to clean it.
• Brush off any fallen leaves from the outsides of the tent and check for any damage or badly stained patches that need further attention.

Stained Canvas Bell Tent Cleaning

• Put your tent up in an area where you can clean it over multiple days and not under trees, birds will poop on your tent whilst you’re cleaning it and this can change colour
• Ensure the material is tight and liberally apply any cleaning liquids or for bad stains using laundry whitener detergents
• Jet wash or hose down the whole tent to remove any stains
• Your tent is now clean but has ZERO protection from water or the elements
• Let your tent fully dry out
• Liberally apply a canvas waterproofer or sealent for tents. I recommend Fabsil Gold Super Concentrated Universal Protector (you might need quite alot for a large tent)
• Let the tent fully dry and pack away!

These tips should help keep your canvas bell tent clean, it does take alot of work but is well worth it and if you are just getting some leaks you can always just use a canvas protector.

Remember any cleaning liquids you use on a tent will REMOVE the waterproofing on the tent and need re-applying.