Canvas tents are costly as they deliver optimal comfort to campers. But your experience goes downhill when you bring out your tent and find mold on it. Usually storing the tent while it is still damp is the main reason. Mold is always present in the environment and a damp, humid environment is able to form, outgrow and spread their spores. The mold destroys the waterproofing and goes all the way through the tent cover. It Leaves tears and stains. So, it is crucial to get rid of it as soon as possible. So, without delay, let us get into how to remove mold from canvas tent.
Easy Process to Remove Mold from Canvas Tent
Here is the process of eliminating mold. You can always follow your own method. Here we have found the one that seemed to be easiest. Continue reading to find if it is convenient for you.
Identifying mold spots: The first step of mold removal is to identify the mold affected areas. Mold spots look like polka specks. It can be black, blue or green. It will cover the surface of the canvas like cloudy ashes. But if there are holes around the mold formed area, then it is passed the saving phase. You can still clean up the mold and use the tent as recycling material. Otherwise, you are good to go to the next step.
Primary Cleaning: the primary cleaning process is to clear out dust, dirt and dampness from the tent. Thoroughly clean it and leave alone the mold spots for now. After you are done dusting, you should dry it in the sun for a while. When it is completely dry, wipe off the mold spots with a clean rag. Do not use the rag again. It’s best if you throw it away to prevent any more fungal spread.
Mold cleaner: The best mold remover for tents would be lemon water and salt solution. Many would suggest vinegar or rubbing alcohol to remove the mold. It is more effective and easier. But for the canvas tent, it is not the ideal choice after all. These tents are well known for their water protective layer. The mold formation already would have caused alarming damage to the waterproofing. And vinegar/bleach or rubbing alcohol will kill the mold but will damage waterproofing even more. In this case, it is highly recommended to use lukewarm salted water with lemon. This may sound DIY home remedy, but it is actually way better for tents. The acid in lemon and salt substances help to kill the mold spores and remove the stains. It is a must to use lukewarm water. Too hot water is harmful to the tent. Do use rubber gloves, a face mask and safety goggles for personal safety.
Conditioning: using a pH neutral lubricant will help the tent material to preserve the quality and last longer. Canvas tents are very much known for their longevity. Commercial generators can keep your basement and big trucks nice and fresh. But as the tents work their way out in the open, the generators are of minimal help. While camping, tents should be the least of your worry and conditioning it after mold cleaning would take care of it for you in the field time. Keep in mind that You have to dry out the tent before conditioning but it is better to avoid direct sunlight if you used vinegar or other toxic chemicals to clean. The natural sunlight will cause unrepairable damage.
Waterproofing spray: even if the damage is minimal, the mold and cleaning process leaves the waterproofing damaged. So, it would help if you considered using the waterproofing spray. It will reinstate the tent’s condition and it will be good to use during rain, snowfall and foggy nights. It will work like a new tent.
Disinfect inside: When you are done cleaning the mold off the tent and conditioning it, you have to work a bit more to be on the safe side. For this, you have to open and set up the tent and go inside. Now use a disinfectant spray, or you can also use an air purifier for mold to any mold spore exposed in the inside air. This step is optional. But you can never be too careful when it comes to health.
Storing: For a freshly cleaned tent, you need to store it in a dry safe environment. If you decide to store it in the basement, make sure it is completely mold-free. If there is an alarmingly mold growing situation as well, you must conduct a basement mold removal process. Usually, garages and basements with an ozone generator or humidifier for mold are safe for storing tents and leather accessories.
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the process of cleaning mold off canvas-tent is more or less the same as removing mildew from other surfaces. But for skipping the part of future inconvenience, you should store the tents somewhere safe or install the best ozone generator in the storeroom. This way, your tents will always stay safe. You can also check out the easiest way to get rid of mold in a mobile home on our website. So, this is how to remove mold from canvas tent.