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Subject Topic: Smelly canvas tent -Help! Post Reply Post New Topic
Personmoonmummy
09/5/2011 at 10:03am
 Location: Cornwall
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Hello

I got a little blue 2 man Racelet frame tent from fleabay that arrived today. Unfortunately he really reeks of fusty damp mouldy smells There are no signs of dark spotty mildew, just some faded pale blotchy marks up one side of the tent. Not a happy bunny, i will be contacting the seller to tell him so.
He is currently pitched in my living room, as I don't have a garden anymore
He needs a bit of tlc with regards to repairing a zip and mending a few ties, which I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting the mouldy smell.
What do I do?? I feel like taking him to the nearest laundrette (not easy without a car) but will washing him render him useless? I have a suspicion that he may need re proofing anyway? I'd like to sort him out because he's the perfect size for us.....what do I do????


PersonPigletandTigger
09/5/2011 at 10:15am
 Location: Dorset
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We have a canvas tent with mildew from where it was stored in a cellar, it doesn't look too bad when it's dry but when it's wet the mildew is very obvious.

I'd return it to the seller, I wouldn't try to cure it, what did the auction say about the condition of it?

We pitched ours and treated it with white vinegar and water which has killed the mildew but it hasn't got rid of the staining.


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Piglet


Personmoonmummy
09/5/2011 at 10:44am
 Location: Cornwall
 Outfit: HypercampDjakarta Vango omega 350 View moonmummy's Profile View Profile   Reply to moonmummy Reply   Quote moonmummy Quote  
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Thanks piglet, it doesn't seem to have mildew, I don't know what the pale blotches are? It's the fusty smell like it's been stored in damp conditions....


PersonPigletandTigger
09/5/2011 at 10:56am
 Location: Dorset
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It's difficult to know without seeing it but I'd imagine that it's mold or mildew if it smells fusty.

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Piglet


Personrochford6
09/5/2011 at 12:35pm
 Location: norfolk
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The fusty smell can be got rid of by giving it a good soaking with water and letting it air dry.

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Brian


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Personmoonmummy
09/5/2011 at 2:39pm
 Location: Cornwall
 Outfit: HypercampDjakarta Vango omega 350 View moonmummy's Profile View Profile   Reply to moonmummy Reply   Quote moonmummy Quote  
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Thanks Brian, I will see if I can find a campsite with a hosepipe that will let me pitch it without occupants for a few days. Not happy about having to pay for camping when I can't actually stay in it though
Hopefully that will work. I put the inner in the washer today, but it still smells!


Personrochford6
09/5/2011 at 3:15pm
 Location: norfolk
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We got given some old camping stuff, good quality sleeping bags etc, they also had a musty smell to them but after a couple of goes through the washing machine they turned out fine. As for the musty smell on tents, If the water and a good airing does not work then i have another solution that i was told to try but have not done so yet, fill a spray bottle with vodka and spray the tent, apparently it kills the spores that cause the musty smell.
Waste of vodka if you ask me thats why i have not tried it

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Brian


Personraf48
09/5/2011 at 4:15pm
 Location: E Yorkshire
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One of my canvas tents looks a bit as you describe, on mine, I think it is where it has been re proofed.

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Canvas tent, paraffin light, petrol stove. Heaven
I'd rather be kayaking.
Spent up, not pent up, just had my new tent up.


Personjoannehoward
09/5/2011 at 4:38pm
 Location: london
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Hi the smell will go as soon as you have pitched it and it gets a bit of fesh air blowing on it.  Dont wash it. You need to put it up outside or book a weekend away with it. My old Raclet  smelt terrible when I got it but the smell soon goes away.  

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carry on camping


PersonLadyluck
09/5/2011 at 8:56pm
 Location: oxfordshire
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Have you not got a friend or family member who would allow you to pitch it in their garden to give it an airing?

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Personmoonmummy
09/5/2011 at 9:22pm
 Location: Cornwall
 Outfit: HypercampDjakarta Vango omega 350 View moonmummy's Profile View Profile   Reply to moonmummy Reply   Quote moonmummy Quote  
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Thanks peeps

Just moved house, so don't know anyone with a garden yet. The seller has apologised and is apparently going to send me a cheque for the amount that I paid...that will be nice if it happens. At least there's a campsite close by, will ring them and see how long their hosepipe is!

Thanks again


Personvictoria1
10/5/2011 at 8:09am
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I opened up a little tent dated from the mid eighties recently, a two man ridge tent (nylon). It smelt really fusty, and does have some mildew damage on the inner and even a couple of holes (on inner also). The outer is a bit faded in patches due to fold marks and UV damage. I'm really getting into 'retro' now and think a few marks give it a bit of character - it's been a well used and well loved tent.

Anyway I few days pitched in the garden, a shower of rain on it, and it's no longer musty. If I were you I would go camping in it, and take a pop up tent or other small dome tent (begged or borrowed) as a back up. If you square it with the campsite owner first I'm sure they would let you pitch both small tents on the same plot.


PersonJax365
24/6/2012 at 10:43am
 Location: south cheshire
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Same problem here with a canvas sunshade type awning for the caravan. I put it through the washer on a hot wash, and put zoflora into the final rinse cycle, it seemed ok when it came out, but after drying on the washing line it still smelled musty!

It's in the tumble dryer this morning with some of those perfumy bits of tissue that look like wet wipes (can't remember what they are called!)

If that doesn't work, I heard that putting it in the freezer for approx a week would, so I'm going to try that next. I have nothing to lose here, so its a good experiment.

Edited to add - it just about fitted into the tumble dryer, but I didn't have any of those purpose made fabric softener/freshener things left, so I put a few spots of zoflora on a wet wipe and left it for half and hour on full heat... then turned it around, stuffed it back in and put some more zoflora on the wet wipe and repeated the process for another half hour. It seems to have worked, it's quite fresh smelling now!

Now I have to re-proof it, I think.

Post last edited on 24/06/2012 18:47:23

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PersonJax365
28/6/2012 at 6:37pm
 Location: south cheshire
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Ah another idea down the drain! The zoflora didn't work altogether, and I don't think that it killed the mould spores either! I have had a cough since the day I washed and dried it, don't know if it's zoflora, mould spores or both.

So I packed it away in a plasic bag and stuck it in the freezer - will report back if there is a good result. I'm going away for a fortnight so it will be in there for approx 14 days or more.

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Personbordercaz
28/6/2012 at 9:05pm
 Location: Shropshire North Wales borders
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Zoflora won't kill mould spores, you need a bleach of some sort. Sterilising fluid for baby's bottles is good.

But it also kills the waterproofing properties.

All old tents smell musty when they've been left for a couple of years in their bags. A good airing is all they need.

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Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.


Persongulliver7952
28/6/2012 at 9:49pm
 Location: Corinium in the Cotswolds
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Quote: Originally posted by rochford6 on 09/5/2011

We got given some old camping stuff, good quality sleeping bags etc, they also had a musty smell to them but after a couple of goes through the washing machine they turned out fine. As for the musty smell on tents, If the water and a good airing does not work then i have another solution that i was told to try but have not done so yet, fill a spray bottle with vodka and spray the tent, apparently it kills the spores that cause the musty smell.
Waste of vodka if you ask me thats why i have not tried it

What you need to do is, one squirt on the tent and two squirts in the mouth. Not so much wasted then.



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