question on mildew on tent

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I've got a canvas tent that mildewed. Right now I'd say it isn't sever, but it is widespread so hand scrubbing A) didn't work, and if it did work B) it would be a LOT of work. The tent is a 12x16 and the mildew lightly covers the entire roof.

I soaked it for 48 hours in Oxiclean and it did nothing.

My questions: Can mildew be dead/inactive but the stains remain? Or if I can see the mildew spots do I assume it is still there and I need to keep working before re-waterproofing?

If I need to restore the canvas to lily white, what the heck works? I called RK lodges and the guy there said to scrub it. Well I did and the scrub brush did absolutely nothing, I mean I could scrub vigorously in a small spot and afterwards, there was no noticeable change in the darkness of the mildew stains.

 

[kje54]

I've got a canvas tent that mildewed. Right now I'd say it isn't sever, but it is widespread so hand scrubbing A) didn't work, and if it did work B) it would be a LOT of work. The tent is a 12x16 and the mildew lightly covers the entire roof.

I soaked it for 48 hours in Oxiclean and it did nothing.

My questions: Can mildew be dead/inactive but the stains remain? Or if I can see the mildew spots do I assume it is still there and I need to keep working before re-waterproofing?

If I need to restore the canvas to lily white, what the heck works? I called RK lodges and the guy there said to scrub it. Well I did and the scrub brush did absolutely nothing, I mean I could scrub vigorously in a small spot and afterwards, there was no noticeable change in the darkness of the mildew stains.

Try this:

Cleaning Mildew from Canvas | DoItYourself.com

 

[kje54]

I've got a canvas tent that mildewed. Right now I'd say it isn't sever, but it is widespread so hand scrubbing A) didn't work, and if it did work B) it would be a LOT of work. The tent is a 12x16 and the mildew lightly covers the entire roof.

I soaked it for 48 hours in Oxiclean and it did nothing.

My questions: Can mildew be dead/inactive but the stains remain? Or if I can see the mildew spots do I assume it is still there and I need to keep working before re-waterproofing?

If I need to restore the canvas to lily white, what the heck works? I called RK lodges and the guy there said to scrub it. Well I did and the scrub brush did absolutely nothing, I mean I could scrub vigorously in a small spot and afterwards, there was no noticeable change in the darkness of the mildew stains.

And some more:

15 Ways on How to Remove Mold & Mildew From a Tent | Tryout Nature

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hope those tips work. My experience is once the mildew has set in you no longer have a tent. Start shopping for a replacement. Lesson learned: never-ever put a tent away unless it is absolutely bone dry.

 

[Carbon 6]

Power washer, widest nozzle, you want to clean it not tear it to shreds.
You could dip the whole thing into a trash can of water and some liquid Tide laundry detergent first. Then spray clean.
Lay it out on the driveway. Clean the driveway first.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

OK. So the message I'm getting is that mildew isn't dead until all the remaining stains are gone?

The frustrating thing is, I've been using canvas tents for 24 years and only now have had a problem this widespread. I don't recall ever putting it away wet.

 

[Ames]

Can mildew be dead/inactive but the stains remain?

Yes. Yes it can. Mildew and stains are two different things, even if the stain is caused by the mildew. Kill it with bleach.

 

[Zonie]

Since the tent was white, bleach should remove the stains.
Bleach also kills mold and mildew. The web page I found for killing mildew suggests using a 10 parts water to 1 part bleach and let it soak for at least 10 minutes.

If you use bleach, use a large plastic can or tub to do the job. Bleach attacks metal with a vengeance so using a metal garbage can isn't a good idea.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Ok. Bleach works. I hope the main reason bleach is not recommended is because it takes out the waterproofing. That was taken out when I soaked it in oxiclean. I didn't immerse it this time. Since I already have it set up, I just filled a garden sprayer with water (1 gallon) and put a good glug of laundry bleach in there. Sprayed it really good, came back in a couple hours and the stains are much reduced. Probably only need to go back and catch the spots I missed now.

 

[kje54]

Ok. Bleach works. I hope the main reason bleach is not recommended is because it takes out the waterproofing. That was taken out when I soaked it in oxiclean. I didn't immerse it this time. Since I already have it set up, I just filled a garden sprayer with water (1 gallon) and put a good glug of laundry bleach in there. Sprayed it really good, came back in a couple hours and the stains are much reduced. Probably only need to go back and catch the spots I missed now.

Bleach does one other thing that you have to be careful of, it destroys the fabric fibers weakening the entire tent. Too much for too long and you might as well buy a new tent as the heavily bleached one will probably tear easily.

 

[Carbon 6]

I would not bleach it.
If the bleach is strong enough to remove black staining it will stain the tent white, making it look blotchy. I've seen bad things happen with bleach.

 

[BallBoy]

Black Jaque Janaviac,
Is there a canvas cover repair company in your area? They maybe able to sell you some stuff to re-treat the canvas areas that have been cleaned off.
Sometimes army navy type store have military surplus treatment. In any case I would Re-treat your entire tent. Then leave it pitched so it can off gas because sometimes the stuff stinks until it cures so to speak.

 

[Britsmoothy]

White vinegar.

My wax cotton coats are kept out side. On a damp day after a cold night they get damp via condensation and mildew develops feeding on blood, guts and any other bio substance I have spattered on them. I keep a spray bottle of white vinegar to hand.

 

[Many Klatch]

A buddy of mine inherited an old mildewed and leaky Bakers tent. He set it up in a field and soaked it with Canvak that he got from Cabelas. A few weeks later we were both camping in it in the middle of the dangdest downpour and we stayed dry. Canvak is good stuff.

 

[Calum]

'morning,

I didn't realize that I had put a tent away slightly damp until the next time I needed it. Yup, mildew. I set it up and hosed the entire tent down (inside and out) with white vinegar, let it dry and did it again. Then I left it set up for the better part of two weeks in good weather, so it got lots of sun. The stains are still there, but I believe/hope that the mildew is dead. I haven't used the tent since, but I have opened the tote and there's no mildew smell.

Good luck!
Mike

 

[VADSLRAM]

Try Wet and Forget. It's not as spectacularly immediate as chlorine but it won't eat the fabric either. I've used it on everything from vinyl fences to concrete patios, to the interior of my jeep. Vaguely chemical smell for a while but it definitely knocks down the mold, mildew and algae that come from not bothering with doors or a top all summer. Best part is that it keeps working for a long time, a fence application lasted for 3 years so far and the jeep is going on 2 years mildew free. It won't take out the stains. But they add character.

 

[Flinty Scot]

Bright sunlight is effective at killing mildew. It won't fade the stains much, exccept over time.

Chlorine bleach, strong enough to kill the mold is too hard on the fabric, imho. If you use it, use a weak solution but use enough to soak the canvas thoroughly; what you need to kill are the micelia - near-microscopic "roots" of the mildew (a mold, by another name). They are buried in the fabric, slowly breaking it down, for the mildew to use to spread (grow).

A weak solution of bleach, combined with strong sunlight, is one of the gentlest and most reliable treatments.

The mildew didn't grow overnight; it grew slowly in the dark, moist folds. Be patient. Treat the mildew slowly, to protect the fabric.

 

[Oldhickory]

Once had this problem with a cotton A frame tent. Took 55 gal plastic barrel filled with 30 gal of water, then mixed bleech in as directed on bottle. I would now use hydrogen peroxide instead.

 

[Yewbender]

SUNLIGHT will kill mildew!

 

[tenngun]

Ayup. Paint it with white vinegar and dry in the sun