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Apart from the look of the tent, and the possibility of triggering asthma in those susceptible, is there a serious problem with mould?  Will it cause the tent to rot, or once it's 'killed', will the canvas still be waterproof?  Others here will know the answer better than me.

If it's just the appearance, I would keep it and use it until it starts to leak.

I tend to agree about joint responsibility for large items like cars and tents.  When you're partners, you take the rough with the smooth, and you take it all on together.  We do tend to split the chores and responsibilities a little, but something like a tent is everyone's worry, and this was a mistake you both made, not just you alone.

Good luck with the restoration!

FoO

Quote: Originally posted by FriendOfOwls on 30/5/2010

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Apart from the look of the tent, and the possibility of triggering asthma in those susceptible, is there a serious problem with mould?  Will it cause the tent to rot, or once it's 'killed', will the canvas still be waterproof?  Others here will know the answer better than me.

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Once mould gets into a synthetic flysheet it can get between the lamination layers and start splitting them open. It can also rot the threads holding the seams together and affect the glue that seals the seams plus cause any seam taping to fail, as the OP found.

As to mould only being a problem to asthma sufferers, no.  It can affect even healthy people if its present in sufficient quantities. And given that a tent is a pretty closed and moist environment, I wouldn't be happy to  let any of my family sleep in a mouldy tent if the mould was extensive.

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 30/5/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by FriendOfOwls on 30/5/2010

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Apart from the look of the tent, and the possibility of triggering asthma in those susceptible, is there a serious problem with mould?  Will it cause the tent to rot, or once it's 'killed', will the canvas still be waterproof?  Others here will know the answer better than me.

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Once mould gets into a synthetic flysheet it can get between the lamination layers and start splitting them open. It can also rot the threads holding the seams together and affect the glue that seals the seams plus cause any seam taping to fail, as the OP found.

As to mould only being a problem to asthma sufferers, no.  It can affect even healthy people if its present in sufficient quantities. And given that a tent is a pretty closed and moist environment, I wouldn't be happy to  let any of my family sleep in a mouldy tent if the mould was extensive.

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I suppose the spores can actually trigger allergies in people who haven't had trouble before.  Once you get sensitive to things like that, you're snookered...

I take your point about the seam damage too.  Oh dear...

Hope you can kill the mould and save the tent, W88chy, but it doesn't sound hopeful.

FoO

Soak the pods in either a weak household bleach solution or milton fluid in a bucket, then wash them in your washing machine - they'll come out like new and won't be affected by the washing process.

whilst you've got your bleach solution out paint it onto the seams / mouldy areas and leave for quarter of an hour, then get a hose pipe and liberally rinse all the tent inside & out - leave tent erected to dry thoroughly.

Go to your local builders merchants, or even wickes / b&q and purchase a 5lt can of waterprooofing fluid. paint this onto the seams directly & spray (garden sprayer) the rest of the tent. obviously you need a dry, windless day.

Job done. With modern tents being made from polyester fabrics they're far more durable than the older tents & don't 'rot' like cotton does when they are treated with bleach..

When you are living in the 'great outdoors' you are probably breathing in all sorts of mould and mildew spores not to mention pollen and other airborne pollutants.

I would be inclined to give it a good washing off with Milton which should kill the spores and carry on regardless. Reseal the seams if necessary.

Does it really matter what a tent looks like? I can't say I have ever bothered to walk around a campsite examining other people's tents for marks and blemishes. It's usually only the owners can see the marks anyway because they know they are there.

Quote: Originally posted by Bob61 on 31/5/2010

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When you are living in the 'great outdoors' you are probably breathing in all sorts of mould and mildew spores not to mention pollen and other airborne pollutants.

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Yes, but they're outdoors, not sealed up inside a tent with you (at high concentrations) all night. I'm all for exposing my kids to a bit of dirt etc to help their immune systems but I'd be less keen to expose them to this sort of potentially long term dangerous muck.