I've been lurking a while and decided to join in on the fun here seeing as I have a query I noted has been asked a lot previously but, I'm still undecided.
I've recently acquired a SoulPad 400 Hybrid second hand, it's hasn't been stored correctly over winter and some mildew has built up. If I knew this before collecting I probably would have stayed clear!
The glamping site vendor said it had been well looked after and treat with waterproofing regularly!
Now knowing this I know I'll have to re-proof with my own (fabsil branded proofing) but, to remove the mildew stains would a milton solution suffice with soft brush or should I source the Fabsil universal cleaner and soak?
I've hoovered the canvas to hopefully remove the remaining spores until better weather arrives and I can errect the tent and start the maintenance job.
Thanks
------------- SoulPad 4000 Hybrid
Gelert Corona 6
Quechua 2 Seconds XL Air III
Mildew is a bitch to get rid of especially on canvas but both lemon juice or Milton will suffice, you can get a good mildew killer and cleaner from Wilkos that has chlorine bleach in it - really good stuff but be careful with it.
Thanks for the info, I was in the understanding that anything like a detergent will damage the canvas so will be trying Milton and elbow grease. Will lemon juice help with stain removal or just there to kill the mildew?
Yes I bought this from eBay, they have 3 more to sell and no mention of the mildew issue - "well looked after on a professional glamping site" needless to say I've accepted a partial refund for the maintenance products and accepted I've got a lot of work to do to get it back into good condidition. So far I've only hoovered it to prevent further spores from spreading until I can get it up and get some elbow grease on it...
------------- SoulPad 4000 Hybrid
Gelert Corona 6
Quechua 2 Seconds XL Air III
yes lemon will lighten the stain and wont cause any damage i.e. rot, Milton tho unless used with extreme care could do, esp if you didn't rinse well enough
once you have done all that, you might find you need to fasil it, only do that once you have checked for any leaks, put the tent up and use a hose pipe on it for a good amount of time and then leave to dry out fully, if leaks have appeared after letting it dry out, repeat the soaking again, it may just have swollen the fibres up enough on the second soaking and save you a lot of cash on buying fabsil,
under no circumstances do you use any detergent on the tent, the lemon juice will also help breakdown any grease marks too
Brilliant news, I was intending on using the Fabsil Universal Cleaner product and then using the paint on Fabsil Proofer as I'd have cleaned the original protection off but, I've read mixed reviews on the Universal Cleaner not living up to expectations and stains not shifting.
Is it a water/lemon solution you're suggesting? And should I just put the tent up and try that before doing anything drastic with Milton bath type sterilising, I don't really want the mildew to come back with a vengance once packed away again.
Suppose I've got a long time to plan my attack as it seems like forever until we'll be getting nicer weather.
I may even try doing a pannel of canvas a day in the house just to get a head start on it.. Would it be sufficient just to wipe off the lemon with a wet cloth or will it need rinsing off thoroughly also?
Super eager to take the tent for a test run, bit of an upgrade from my old Gelert Corona I had previously
Also looking at a massive tarp groundsheet, the footprints are very expensive as are the inner tents! May have to try use the inner from the Gelert until I can afford a proper belltent one!
------------- SoulPad 4000 Hybrid
Gelert Corona 6
Quechua 2 Seconds XL Air III
If the canvas has been treated with Fabsil (or similar) you're going to have to re-treat at regular intervals.
If it was mine, I'd pitch it - regardless of it not being sunny and warm - to check it all out properly and assess. Clean as much as you can with plain warm water and a new, clean sponge, then wipe it over with old towels (which have no trace of soap on, or in them). A good airing and a bit of sunlight - however feeble - will help.
I'm not sure I'd be rushing to put lemon juice on any canvas I own, and I'd definitely not be applying it over an entire panel. If the mildew is really bad, I'd be insisting on a refund.
Just the odd patch that's still got a fair bit and not half as bad now I've hoovered the canvas thoroughly. I'd post a picture but, the forum seems a bit limited and can only link one... it's mainly now the edging that 'floats' around the roof section of the tent with the offending staining.
I was highly annoyed as I believe they may have been selling them thinking people weren't going to be getting it out until better weather so wouldn't notice.
Weather dependant I'll try pop it up over the weekend!
------------- SoulPad 4000 Hybrid
Gelert Corona 6
Quechua 2 Seconds XL Air III
There will always be lots of different advice when it comes to cleaning or waterproofing a tent and I have to admit that I know little about canvas tents. Many moons ago when canvas tents were all you could get we didn't bother too much about how clean it was. They all had a distinctive smell which in it's own way was exciting because it was the smell of camping. Looking back, it could well have been mildew but once erected on a hot day the sun took care of all that and the smell mostly disappeared...until you next got it out of it's bag!
So...my take on canvas tents such as it is. The reason canvas doesn't leak is because when it rains the fibres swell with water which closes the microscopic pores within the canvas. The pores don't close up completely but the water then forms a seal over them, like a bubble, which prevents further water penetration. If you touch the inside of a canvas tent it breaks this water seal and water leaks through until it has dried out and then the process starts again.
As far as I understand it, if you spray a canvas tent with Fabsil, which is a silicon, it covers the fibres and stops water soaking into them, thus preventing the natural waterproofing process of the canvas. It will also fill the microscopic pores and prevent water penetration but not for long as it easily wears off...hence the need to keep spraying it with Fabsil once started. Chemical detergents may well have the same affect of clogging the fibres and will probably wash off any Fabsil.
My advice would be to clean the stained area with ordinary water and a bit of elbow grease and let the sun do the rest when we get some. A few stains, marks and scars on a tent might show the owner has been around the block a few times.
I don't know what the pros and cons would be regarding lemon juice (an acid) or Milton (mild bleach) or mould and mildew cleaner (strong bleach) but before doing anything I would take the advice already given...erect it, spray with a hose or leave the rain to do that for you, then look for any leaks. Let it dry then repeat the process and you may find it doesn't need treating at all.
The same applies to brand new polyester tent which leaks at the seams. Quite often that is because the stitching has dried out due to it being stored in a warehouse somewhere for a long time. Once the stitching has been 'watered' and fills the stitch holes the leaks never happen again.
But, after all that, perhaps the best people to ask are the canvas tent manufacturers who should be able to tell you everything you need to know if you give them a ring or email.
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Topic: Canvas Bell, Milton or Fabsil?
