mildew on tent

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rambler

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Quess I did not thoroughly dry out my tent after its last use. Opened it up this week-end to find it spotted with mildew. Any tips on removing mildew friom the nylon?
 
McNett Mirazyme

I've heard this works from several people. Never tried it myself.
Look under outdoor products, then cleaners....

http://www.mcnett.com/

From SD website-

A musty odor, and/or small cross-shaped spots on the tent fabric indicate mildew formation. Mildew, a fungus spore, requires a dark, warm, moist environment to grow. Mildew uses the dirt and soil found on many tents as nutrients to grow and reproduce. This fungus actually penetrates the urethane coating of the tent fabric and grows between the tent fabric and coating, eventually lifting the coating from the fabric. Waterproofness is thus lost and the fabric is eventually destroyed.

Should mildew begin to form, immediate action can be taken to retard further growth. Wash the tent as instructed above. Next, sponge-wipe the tent with a dilute solution of McNett MiraZyme. Sponge over the affected areas and allow to air dry, out of direct sunlight, without rinsing. This will kill the mildew on the tent, and prevent it from getting worse, but it will not remove the mildew marks.

If your tent has developed a bad odor it is probably due to an advanced case of mildew, which can cause the urethane coating on tent fabric to break down and start to delaminate. Because of this, washing your tent can cause the deteriorated coating to peel off completely, so proceed with caution. Sponging the tent floor is likely to be the kindest way to clean your tent. If the mildew advances and the coating begins to peel, further measures can be taken to kill the fungus and retard the process. However, the damage that has already been done cannot be reversed. Prepare the following solution after washing the tent as previously instructed: 1 cup of salt, 1 cup lemon juice (concentrated) and 1 gallon hot water. Rub the solution into visible mildew. Set up the tent with the affected areas facing the sun. Allow to dry. Once dry, remove all peeling coating. Apply a coat of McNett Tent Sure to the areas where the coating has peeled. This will help restore water repellency. (For more information on McNett Mirazyme and McNett Tentsure visit www.mcnett.com)
 
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Thanks, Nybrad. Washing a tent by hand is no fun. The spots definitely do not disappear. I guess I will not know about the oder until it is dry. I've had this tent several years, but it only took two weeks for the mildew to appear. The tent was only damp from condensation and some snow on the bottom. I did not notice it still damp when I put it away. Readers, be warned. Dry out your tents.
 
One of the best things I did was to screw hooks into my basement ceiling to hang the tents from their stake loops. This way I don't have to wait for a dry/clear day to hang it outside.
 
Would a very very mild bleach solution be too strong? The standard mildew remover is something like 3 drops of bleach per quart of water or somthing like that. I guess the acidicy of lemon juice would work too. You can use those mildew cleaners that you can get for hydration bladders but I like your all natural solution.

Jay
 
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