Caring for Your Tent

Cleaning

Clean the tent by setting it up and wiping it down with a mild soap (liquid hand soap) and lukewarm water solution. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. Never use detergent, washing machines or dryers because they can damage the tent's protective coating and seams. After cleaning, be sure the tent is completely dry, especially the heavier, double-stitched areas such as the seams, before storing or mold and mildew are likely to grow.
Clean the tent poles with a soft, dry cloth. This is especially necessary after oceanside camping trips to remove salt spray so the poles don't corrode or stay gritty.
Clean the zippers with a quick dip in water and then dry them off. This is especially important if you've been camping in a location with sand/dirt. If you don't clean the zippers, the sliders will wear out and eventually the teeth will become inoperable.

Seam Sealing

We recommend use of a sealer such as Kenyon Seam Sealer 3 or McNett Outdoor SeamGrip. Be sure to check directions on the side of container for specifics before beginning the seam sealing process.
Seam sealing should be done in a fully ventilated area. Set the tent up or lay the tent out flat. Taut seams allow for even application and penetration of the sealer.
Decide which seams need to be sealed. For example, seams that will be exposed to rain, runoff, or ground level water are a must for sealing, while seams on uncoated nylon or mesh panels won't need treatment. You won't need to seal the seams in the roof or the factory taped seams either. We recommend sealing both floor & fly seams and reinforcements.
Apply sealant to the inside and outside of all exposed seams. Draw or brush the sealant along the seam, spreading it evenly and liberally into all of the needle holes. Several thin layers will work better than one thick layer. Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour for the sealant to completely dry before storing the tent. Twelve hours for SeamGrip®.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet damage to tent fabric is caused by excessive exposure to sunlight. While our fabrics are UV resistant, any synthetic fabric is susceptible to ultraviolet degradation. UV damage will cause nylon and polyester to become brittle and tear easily. Once your tent has UV damage, it is non-repairable, but damage can be minimized by erecting tents on sites where exposure to direct sunlight can be avoided. We also recommend that you use the rain fly even on clear days. It acts as a sunscreen to the tent. A rain fly is both easier and less expensive to replace if damaged.

Color Transfer

Due to the nature of tent fabrics, color can transfer from darker fabric to lighter fabric if two colors are in contact over time when wet, damp, or exposed to the combination of moisture and high heat. This does not effect a tent’s performance. To prevent/minimize color transfer from occurring, always make sure that your tent is completely dry prior to packing and storage.

Storage

Make sure the tent is completely dry, then store loosely rolled, in a dry, cool place. To prevent dust from collecting on the tent, cover it with a cloth. This allows the nylon/polyester fabric to breathe.
Ideally, the tent poles should be stored in their fully assembled state. This reduces the tension on the shock cord, prolonging its life. We recommend that the tent bag be used only as a carry sack and not for storage.

General Tips:

Use a ground cloth under the tent whenever possible. If you choose, Eureka! has pre-cut sizes. If not, trace the tent on the ground cloth and cut smaller than the tent footprint to avoid having it act as a water collector. Ground cloths are easier and less expensive to replace than torn tent floors.
Try not to wear shoes inside your tent.
Bring a small rug or mat to put inside the tent door to wipe off mud and catch sand.
Sweep the tent floor daily to prevent damage from stones.
Do not keep food inside the tent. Hungry critters will chew through the tent fabric in search of a snack.

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<h1 class="page_title">Caring for Your Tent</h1>      <h2>Cleaning</h2>
<ul>
        
  <li> Clean the <a href="http://www.camping-gear-outlet.com/camping-tents/">tent</a> by setting it up and wiping it down with a mild soap (liquid hand soap) 
          and lukewarm water solution. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. Never 
          use detergent, washing machines or dryers because they can damage the 
          tent's protective coating and seams. After cleaning, be sure the tent 
          is completely dry, especially the heavier, double-stitched areas such 
  as the seams, before storing or mold and mildew are likely to grow.</li>
  <li>Clean the tent 
          poles with a soft, dry cloth. This is especially necessary after oceanside 
          camping trips to remove salt spray so the poles don't corrode or stay 
          gritty.</li>
  <li> Clean the zippers 
          with a quick dip in water and then dry them off. This is especially 
          important if you've been camping in a location with sand/dirt. If you 
          don't clean the zippers, the sliders will wear out and eventually the 
          teeth will become inoperable.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Seam 
        Sealing </h2>
<ul>

<li>We recommend use 
          of a sealer such as Kenyon Seam Sealer 3 or McNett Outdoor SeamGrip. 
          Be sure to check directions on the side of container for specifics before 
  beginning the seam sealing process.</li>
  <li>Seam sealing should 
          be done in a fully ventilated area. Set the tent up or lay the tent 
          out flat. Taut seams allow for even application and penetration of the 
          sealer. </li>
  <li>Decide which seams 
          need to be sealed. For example, seams that will be exposed to rain, 
          runoff, or ground level water are a must for sealing, while seams on 
          uncoated nylon or mesh panels won't need treatment. You won't need to 
          seal the seams in the roof or the factory taped seams either. We recommend 
          sealing both floor & fly seams and reinforcements. </li>
  <li>Apply sealant to 
          the inside and outside of all exposed seams. Draw or brush the sealant 
          along the seam, spreading it evenly and liberally into all of the needle 
          holes. Several thin layers will work better than one thick layer. Allow 
          30 minutes to 1 hour for the sealant to completely dry before storing 
          the tent. Twelve hours for SeamGrip®.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Ultraviolet        </h2>
<ul>
        
  <li>Ultraviolet damage 
          to tent fabric is caused by excessive exposure to sunlight. While our 
          fabrics are UV resistant, any synthetic fabric is susceptible to ultraviolet 
          degradation. UV damage will cause nylon and polyester to become brittle 
          and tear easily. Once your tent has UV damage, it is non-repairable, 
          but damage can be minimized by erecting tents on sites where exposure 
          to direct sunlight can be avoided. We also recommend that you use the 
          rain fly even on clear days. It acts as a sunscreen to the tent. A rain 
  fly is both easier and less expensive to replace if damaged.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Color 
        Transfer</h2>
<ul>
        
  <li>Due to the nature 
          of tent fabrics, color can transfer from darker fabric to lighter fabric 
          if two colors are in contact over time when wet, damp, or exposed to 
          the combination of moisture and high heat. This does not effect a tent’s 
          performance. To prevent/minimize color transfer from occurring, always 
  make sure that your tent is completely dry prior to packing and storage.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Storage        </h2>
<ul>

<li> Make sure the 
          <a href="http://www.camping-gear-outlet.com/camping-tents/">tent</a> is completely dry, then store loosely rolled, in a dry, cool place. 
          To prevent dust from collecting on the tent, cover it with a cloth. 
          This allows the nylon/polyester fabric to breathe.  </li>
  <li> Ideally, the tent 
          poles should be stored in their fully assembled state. This reduces 
          the tension on the shock cord, prolonging its life. We recommend 
          that the tent bag be used only as a carry sack and not for storage.</li>
</ul>
<h2>General Tips:</h2>
<ul>
        
  <li>Use a ground cloth 
          under the tent whenever possible. If you choose, Eureka! has pre-cut 
          sizes. If not, trace the tent on the ground cloth and cut smaller than 
          the tent footprint to avoid having it act as a water collector. Ground 
  cloths are easier and less expensive to replace than torn tent floors.</li>
  <li>Try not to wear 
          shoes inside your tent.</li>
  <li>Bring a small rug 
          or mat to put inside the tent door to wipe off mud and catch sand.</li>
  <li>Sweep the tent 
          floor daily to prevent damage from stones.</li>
  <li>Do not keep food 
          inside the tent. Hungry critters will chew through the tent fabric in 
          search of a snack.</li>
</ul>
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