When storing your tent, it’s important that the fabric is properly dried before being sealed.
A proper drying process will help prevent mold and mildew stains from forming on any of those crucial seams or buttons.
Packing away your wet tent is a bad idea because it can lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as accelerate the deterioration of fabric.
Store your tent in a dry area and keep it out of direct sunlight. This will help prevent mold growth, which can decrease the lifespan of both you and/or those fabrics.
Now that you know how to care for your canvas tent, it’s time to keep things in tip-top shape!
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Good Ways Dry Your Canvas Tent
When it’s time to dry your canvas tent, there are a few different options for how you can go about doing so.
The most important thing to consider when choosing a method is what works best for you.
Your needs may vary, so it’s worth taking time and considering all your options before making any decisions.
1. Dry Outdoors
The best way to dry your tent is by setting it up outdoors on a warm day, out of sunlight and with gentle winds hitting its surface. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can go from wet canvas to dry material!
To ensure that your tent dries completely, hang it up in order to get rid of any folds. Make sure there are no creases along the sides as you do so because they could cause problems when setting back down again.
So you’ve got your tent, rainfly, and ground tarp all set up. Now it’s time to make sure they’re as dry inside as possible! methodically lay out one side of each item on top of another so that any water can flow away from them instead towards more exposed areas like cracks between boards or crevices along seams (this will help prevent mold).
Flip over both sides with care if there are still wet spots underneath find some rocks/clay balls etc., place beneath the an elevated area where necessary, then let dry completely, before finally putting everything back together again.
2. Use Your Garage or Basement
One way to get your canvas tent dry is by setting it up indoors. For example, in the garage or basement where there’s an abundance of oxygen and sunlight which will help remove moisture from both fabric walls as well as any contents that may have gotten wet during rainstorms.
Hang your tent to dry and turn on a ceiling fan or place a box shaped ventilator with an oscillating function (the kind that looks like two boxes placed side by side) near it so they can help speed up the process.
Hanging or setting up your tent without the rainfly attached is an option if you don’t have enough space for hangings. Once it’s dried, clip on and stretch out all creases before adding secureness clips.
3. Hang in Shower
Drying a tent in the shower can be an excellent way to get your wet and sandy camping items back into shape, especially if you have small tents.
To avoid any wrinkles in the tent, stretch it out over your curtain rod as much as possible and warm up a space heater. Be careful not to point its flames at anything else because this could cause fabric distortion.
Next, the ground tarp and rainfly need to be placed on top of one another in order for them both to dry out. Repeat this process until your tent is completely sealed off from all moisture sources inside or outside its walls.
Ways To Avoid Drying Your Tent
The best way to ensure your canvas tent remains in good condition is by knowing what NOT to do.
Here are 3 creative ways that people have saved their canvas tents from being ruined by rain or moisture. One of these ideas could work for you too.
2. A Plastic Bag To Dry A Tent
But you want your tent to dry quickly, don’t you?
You may be tempted to place the canvas in its carrying bag and leave it inside so that it can air out.
I wouldn’t recommend it…
This is one of the worst ways to dry out your tent, and it will encourage mold growth. Only use this method if you plan on carrying a completely dried out bag with no moisture left in order for its best performance.
2. A Clothes Dryer To Dry A Tent
Putting a tent in the dryer is not only inefficient, but it could also cause more harm than good. The high temperatures will melt nylon and other synthetic fabrics which may lead to leaks or tears over time.
The heat from a clothes dryer can cause canvas tents to warp and shrink, making them less durable. They also get stretched out as they spin which could lead you into having more tears or a shorter lifespan of your tent fabric because of this constant stretching/warping process. So don’t bother using these types of appliances, when camping is involved even just for quick few minutes at most since any exposure (even brief), will result in damage.
3. A Hair Dryer To Dry A Tent
It’s not recommended to use a hairdryer on your canvas tent, even if it is relatively small.
The hot air from a hairdryer can cause damage to the material of your tent, shrinking and warping cotton or synthetic canvases. It’s best if you use cold settings when drying out wet tents in order for them not be damaged even more so than they already have been through this process.
What’s The Correct Way To Store A Canvas
When storing your canvas tent, make sure it’s stored in an area with low humidity and temperature fluctuations. You should also pack away from the edge so that any water can drain off without pooling at one point inside of its confines.
This article provides great information about caring for tents.
If you want to keep your tent safe while traveling, don’t store it in a tight bag. Instead put the canvas item inside something like pillowcases or even laundry baskets so that they can breathe and protect against harsh weather elements.
It is important to store your tent in a location where it will be dry, out of the sun and well ventilated. The garage or basement are typically good spots for this type of storage if you have them available but make sure that they’re not too humid either since high humidity can cause molding problems with canvas materials over time.
