How to Remove Mold From Tents

camping image by Colin Buckland from Fotolia.com

While mildew is the more common malady striking tent interiors, mold is also a potentially problematic ailment. Mold is also considered a greater risk to people because of the allergies it can affect. It frequently develops in tents in which the interior is stored away while water or humidity is still trapped inside. Mold occurs more often among less expensive tents because the ventilation quality is not very good and the materials trap water inside. But if you have a mold problem, a simple washing can clear it up.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Bucket
Soap or detergent
Hydrogen peroxide
Sponge
Cloth
Hose

Step 1

Set up your tent in the backyard or anywhere else you can reach inside and clean off the mold.

Step 2

Pour 1/2 cup of soap or detergent into a 1-gallon bucket of water and mix the contents with a sponge. Use the sponge to scrub the tent inside and out, getting into the corners and crevices where mold will be most abundant.

Step 3

Dab a cloth in hydrogen peroxide and scrub any areas affected with mold. This will help kill the mold and remove it from the tent.

Step 4

Spray down the tent with a garden hose, both inside and out.

Step 5

Tip the tent on its side and let any water accumulated on the inside run out of the tent.

Step 6

Unzip the tent door and any other windows and/or vents and leave them open while the tent dries. Put the tent in a dry, warm place to dry, preferably outside under the sun. Let the tent dry for two to three days to ensure the interior is dry and the mold has been killed off.

Tips & Warnings

Prevent future mold growths by keeping the tent door open when it is humid inside and letting the tent fully dry inside and out before packing it away. The majority of mold growths develop while the tent is in storage.

Article Written By Jonathan Croswell

Jonathan Croswell has spent more than five years writing and editing for a number of newspapers and online publications, including the "Omaha World-Herald" and "New York Newsday." Croswell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nebraska and is currently pursuing a Master's of Health and Exercise Science at Portland State University.

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