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Subject Topic: bubble mixture and leaky tents
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Persongnome1999
04/8/2015 at 9:32am
 Location: Sussex
 Outfit: Tent (Cabanon Pyrami View gnome1999's Profile View Profile   Reply to gnome1999 Reply   Quote gnome1999 Quote  
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oh

I have splashes of what I can only assume is bubble mix after a festival this weekend. I was hoping for a remedy - I see my Pyramid (recently painted) is doomed.

I will still hope for blasting it with the hose and fabsil I guess. It's my main tent and I can't afford a new one. there are tiny spots and splashes on both sides, as though kids were running round the tent with the bubble swords - of course I wasn't there at the time or I'd have stopped them.

Camp Bestival 2015 by Tattooed_Mummy, on Flickr

Post last edited on 04/08/2015 09:44:59

Post last edited on 04/08/2015 09:45:23

Post last edited on 04/08/2015 09:46:08


Persongnome1999
04/8/2015 at 9:54am
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http://www.belltent.co.uk/nikwax_tech_wash_and_cotton_proof

I think I might try this method to spot clean. I'll report back...


Personkate w
04/8/2015 at 4:31pm
 Location: Derbyshire
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Rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, (get the picture) should hopefully be alright on a canvas tent. If not when you've rinsed it and dried it and wet it to check some fabsil on the area will hopefully remedy it.

-------------
Kate

Trailer tent, caravan and too many tents!


Personchappers2341
04/8/2015 at 4:41pm
 Location: Oxford
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Wash it off with plenty of water it will eventually wash through in the rain.
Detergent won't wash waterproofing from your tent.
Tent fabric isn't a completely impervious sheet it is actually a tightly woven fabric, and surface tension prevents the water from passing through. Detergent reduces the surface tension which allows the water to wick through between the weave


PersonBob61
05/8/2015 at 1:25pm
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As above...the reason why a canvas tent is waterproof is because the holes in the weave are so small that a 'film' of water sits inside them preventing more water from leaking through. That is why it leaks if you touch the inside, because you will have broken the film (or bubble) within the weave allowing water to pour through. Detergent has the same effect, so if a bubble lands on your canvas tent the chemical breaks the water film in the weave and the tent leaks. It may continue to leak until all the detergent has been washed away.

Synthetic tents are different in that their waterproofing is built in during manufacture with an inner layer of polyurethane laminated onto the polyester fibres. On the outside of a tent is a silicon layer sprayed or painted on which causes rain water to bead. The rain water runs off quickly and easily thus aiding the waterproofing and preventing the outer layers of polyester from becoming waterlogged.

Over time this silicon layer can wear off a tent due to general wear and tear and weathering and you will then notice when it rains that the water is not beading and shedding off the tent and damp patches appear on the outside of the material, however, it will not leak. This will take many months of use and by this time the tent is probably on it's last legs anyway but a spray with Fabsil or similar may rejuvenate it for a little while longer.

Detergent can remove this silicon layer and therefore it is not wise to use detergent (in bubbles or for cleaning) on the outside of a synthetic tent. This will not cause it to leak but you may end up with damp patches on the outside which are not aesthetically pleasing and may not dry too easily when packing the tent away, thus promoting mildew etc.

Post last edited on 05/08/2015 13:33:36


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Personjeffersskate
06/8/2015 at 9:20pm
 Location: cornwall
 Outfit: vango maritsa 700 View jeffersskate's Profile View Profile   Reply to jeffersskate Reply   Quote jeffersskate Quote  
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we have a polyester tent, and can say for definite that washing up liquid does wreck the water proofing, as our autistic son is currently loving sponges - of which weve bee giving him clean dry ones and letting him go to the water tap and wet it to wash the car or the tent. He then picked up the one we had just used to wash the dishes - and what a pretty pattern of non-water proofness we had right by the hubbys sleeping area! nikwaxed it as soon as it was dry - but its definitely not the same :/

-------------
June 2015: seaview international 2 nights
July 2015: little winnick 2 nights
August 2015: lower polladras 5 nights
august 2015: tollgate farm 5 nights
august 2015: oakdown 3 nights
September 2015: tregarton park
family of 6 with young children


PersonBob61
07/8/2015 at 7:03pm
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I would suggest that was condensation forming on the inside of the tent at the location where the outer silicon protection had been washed off allowing a cold damp patch to form on the outer polyester layer. By treating it with nikwax you reinstated the silicon thus allowing water to bead and run off again...no damp patch thus no more condensation. However, if you only treat odd patches on your tent rather than the whole panel it may show up slightly differently to the existing finish.



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