Since it has been several months since everyone has used their tent, we wanted to give you some tips and reminders about how to clean and dry out your tent after a camp. We already sent this information in a separate email to the Ultimate Amigos who joined us at camp, but felt that it was important to share with all of our scouts.
First, it is important to take your tent out of the tent bag and set up or hung up to dry as soon as possible. Storing it wet will cause mildew to grow, and can ruin the fabric. Clean off any mud from the tent/fly, poles, stakes, and storage bags; as well as making sure the inside of the tent is cleaned out and free of trash, dirt, grass, etc. To clean the mud off the tent and fly, just use some warm water with a little bit of soap, and a cloth towel or rag to wipe it down with. And then make sure to let everything dry completely before packing it back into the storage bags. It is best to roll up the tent on a smooth surface, as rolling it up on a driveway or other more rough surface can cause little pin-sized holes to occur in the fabric, thus making it less waterproof.
If you spend just a little bit of time taking care of your tent, it will last you for many camps and years to come! The same holds true for all of your gear. Remember, a Scout is Thrifty and Clean, so please treat your gear well.
