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Camping under canvas - Tent talk. Advice, info and recommendations

Topic: Cloudy tent window or two.

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Howsthatcamper

08/9/2016 at 1:08pm
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A Vango Marisa 500 year 2011 (second hand) has one or two cloudy windows. We've had good expenience of Vango before so we know what a clear window should look like. Some restoration was achoeved using a so-called chemical free cleaner but still haven't achieved maximum clarity so I presume a residue of something still exists. We know wash-up detergent is considered bad for tent windows and yes we did try that first! Perhaps a protective coating (if one exists during manufacture) was been damaged. So far we've read suggestions of: Milton, white vinegar, and distilled water and would like to know if anyone else has achieved 100% success at tent window restoraton. Thanks in advance.

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spiritburner

08/9/2016 at 1:18pm
Location: N.E. England
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I believe the material can go cloudy permanently. I'm sending a flysheet to have 2 small windows replaced for this reason. I think it can happen with some materials if left tightly packed for years.This was the case with a 2nd hand tent I bought. Something to do with fumed given off my the material?
I

TimCESmith

08/9/2016 at 2:11pm
Location: London
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This came up in the trailer tent section recently. Here is the thread.

spiritburner

08/9/2016 at 4:09pm
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Interesting. Different issue to mine I think as one of the winows had deteriorated to the point I could push my finger through it.

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Rhj296

08/9/2016 at 6:33pm
Location: Sweet Home Inversneckie
Outfit: Swift Elegance 565 Volvo V70 2.4

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UV has a detrimental effect on most plastic materials. I think this is the root cause.

Howsthatcamper

08/9/2016 at 7:02pm
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Many thanks for quick reply. Spiritburner and Tim's link were a big help. I also like the bit about storage and chemical reaction over long periods and here's why... The Vango tent is 2011 but previous owners claimed it was rarely used and nothing to suggest more that 4 or 6 times with everything good except one or two cloudy windows, one broken footprint loop and a bit of rust inside metal poles where they fit together. The cloudiness in question isn't uniform but follows several crease marks all in the same diagonal direction so you get clear streaks and cloudy streaks in a zebora like pattern. Thus, a chemical or storage issue might well be the cause in my judgement and not one I'd considered before. Will have WD40 and liquid car wax ready and hopes of crystal clear horizons. Thanks for showing an interest.

Bob61

10/9/2016 at 3:00pm
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If you have tried different cleaners and it hasn't worked I would suggest the PVC itself has deteriorated. The only time I ended up with opaque windows they came clean with Fairy Liquid, but keep it away from the outside of the flysheet. I think it was a mild powdery mildew possibly caused by condensation trapped between window and curtain when packing tent away.

I rarely open my curtains...not much point as it is plenty light enough inside or I sit outside. So milky windows aren't a problem unless I happen to spot them

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navver

10/9/2016 at 8:44pm
Location: West country
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Our dandies can be put away wet as they are PVC not canvas. However that causes the windows to go a milky white colour. We open them up and leave for several hours and it clears.

Not sure what causes it other than being left wet for a few months. It seems as if the window is in layers and it's the space between which milks up.

Tent windows are probably the same material.

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