Last year (2012) we obviously put our tent away slightly damp as when we put it up this year there were some scattered patches of mildew :( I wasn't able to clean it off whilst we were camping but did make sure the tent was completely dry before we packed it away this year.
What I need to know is a/ if I can leave it until I can put the tent up again (next year) before cleaning off the mildew without it spreading further
B/ the best way to clean it, all Blacks could offer me was wash in solutions!! The difficulty is that its far too big for me to put up in the garden and even too big to spread on the sitting room floor and I don't fancy crawling through it to spot clean anyhow..
I've got a horrible feeling that you should have done it THIS year, when you first noticed it. I'm under the impression that it grows/spreads until you kill it! Even if it was bone dry last time you packed it away.
The good news is, I don't really know what I'm talking about!
I'm sure someone will be along soon with something a little more constructive!
Mildew will spread until it is killed, most would advise Milton however if it is only a small patch I would advise laying it in the sun (I am aware it's winter) even on a cold day the UV rays should kill the spores and ensure the whole tent is dry before you pack it away.
The black spots can not be removed unless you want to ruin the waterproofing of the tent but they can be stopped from spreading.
Thanks, Milton over the whole area? Diluted as on packaging?
I have looked over the tent and its not as bad as I had feared, and certainly hasn't spread since August..phew
Quote: Originally posted by Tomsmum on 22/11/2013......I have looked over the tent and its not as bad as I had feared, and certainly hasn't spread since August..phew
Maybe then, Claire, going by Tynx's post, you may have already killed the spores, by blasting it with uv rays back in August?
If it hasn't spread, as you say, maybe the danger is now all in the past, and all that you are left with are a few small black spots?
If that's the case, it seems there is no need to do anything else, and it can stay packed away.
Quote: Originally posted by Tomsmum on 22/11/2013
Thanks, Milton over the whole area? Diluted as on packaging?
I have looked over the tent and its not as bad as I had feared, and certainly hasn't spread since August..phew
Does sound like it is not as bad as thought then.
The Milton should be diluted. 1 part Milton to 10 parts water (if my memory serves me correctly).
Yes, one part Milton to 10 parts water should do the trick. If you really have nowhere to pitch and can't borrow somebody's garden you could try and find a cheap, local site where you could take it for a night or two to sort it out. In the meantime, can you open it out in a loft/attic?
------------- Mar - Milarrochy Bay - 9 days
Apr - Drayton Manor - 1 day
May - Saxdale - 4 days
May - Nantcol - 9 days
July - Weymouth - 1 day
July - Rozel Bay - 14 days
Aug - Corfe Castle - 2 days
Aug - Saxdale - 4 days
Sep - Stratford - 2 days
Oct - Stainforth - 2 days
Dec - Saxdale - 5 days
To be continued.....
I wouldn't advise taking a tent up into a loft/attic if it is full of fibreglass insulation or you could be coughing and itching throughout the whole of your next trip.
As previously stated Milton would help but if the spores haven't spread since last year then it is likely they have been killed off by the sun. Just accept you have a few spots on the tent and ignore them. You can't really clean a tent anyway without a lot of hassle and possibly the need for re-proofing.
Thank all, I did haul it out and have a go with the Milton, but couldn't remove the black spots so I guess the sun did the trick and I have to learn to live with the spots.
Crawling through a 6 man tent in the sitting room is not an experience I am looking to repeat though, it was quite scary!
Did you use the Milton on the inside of the flysheet or the outside? The reason I ask is that if you used it on the outside you may have washed off the silicon waterproofing that tents have from new.
Silicon helps the rain to bead and run off the tent. All new polyester tents have this extra protection on the outside. After a few years of use this protective coating, which also has UV protection, will wear off due to weathering but by then the tent is usually reaching the end of it's life anyway.
If you have washed it off, the material will still be waterproof but you may get visible damp patches where the rain is soaking in to the outer layer of material rather than beading and running off.
This isn't a big problem but the tent will take longer to dry the next time you want to pack it away. You can cure it with a spray can of Fabsil or Nikwax but it is best to spray the whole panel rather than just patches to give an even covering.
I recently bought a 6 man tent which was an ex display model. As soon as it arrived I erected it in the garden and true to form it almost immediately started raining and continued for the next 3 days. This was a blessing in disguise since I could see the whole tent was looking like a wet rag although it wasn't leaking.
Obviously the months of being erected outdoors had worn off the outer silicon coating. Hence I had to do a bit of research and gained a little knowledge (which may be a dangerous thing). I managed to get it totally re-proofed with Fabsil (in between the rainy days) and I am hoping it is now as good as new and will last a few years more. Not bad since it only cost me £45 (plus about £22 for the fabsil...took 3 x 600ml cans) and a new tent would be £300-£400 depending where you buy it from.
Hopefully your tent will be fine...we all get specks and spots on the tent from time to time.
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Topic: Mildew :(
