How To Clean a Tent

Introduction

A weekend of tent camping soothes the soul — and makes for a dirty, dusty, muddy tent, depending on your destination and the weather. You can't clean and dry tents out in the backcountry, so it's important to take care of that messy home-away-from-home when you come back to reality.

Cleaning a tent is easy, but can be unwieldy, especially for large tents. Unless your tent is really filthy, try spot cleaning when you can. (I have a four-person tent with a porch, and it's difficult to find a tub large enough.) For smaller tents, it's worth it to just toss it in the tub or laundry sink.

Here's how to clean yours so it will be ready to go the next time the outdoors calls.