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 Topic: Need to wash a Vango Force Ten
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30/3/2022 at 4:54pm
Location: North Devon
Outfit: Robens Fairbanks Coleman Phad X3
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I wouldn't wash and seal it if at all possible. Can you just try leaving it pitched in your garden for a week or so?
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Sean
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31/3/2022 at 9:17am
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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If you put it through any kind of 'wash' with a detergent, you will almost certainly ruin it's waterproof properties for ever and no amount of re-proofing will recover it's waterproof properties to original levels.
Detergents contain 'Surfactants' which purposely destroy water resistance to assist the removal of dirt from fabric, they don't wash out easily and pretty much permanently change the fabric. It's the reason just about every item of waterproof clothing clearly states 'DO NOT WASH WITH DETERGENT'! Some waterproof items can be washed with proper soap cleaners (which are chemically different from detergents) which don't leave a residue of surfactants, but they do require proper reproofing after the wash. In my experience, anything that has been washed never regains it's original waterproof properties no matter how specialist the washing soap or re-proofer!
Your washing machine will have residual amounts of detergent from previous washes, and even with a proper soap for the tent wash, that may be enough to damage it.
The pitch in fresh air technique is undoubtedly the best. Old tents often have a musty smell after storage, which generally clears with a good airing. Have you considered that the smell from your tent may be from a reproofing product used on it? Even the water based ones leave a rather 'chemical' smell. Again a good airing should reduce or remove the smell.
The very last thing you want to do with any tent is use any kind of chemical cleaner on it, plain water and fresh air are pretty much the only safe things.
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01/4/2022 at 6:11pm
Location: London
Outfit: Karsten 350 + SE CA EA RA FW & ZIG
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You could wash the inner with a Nikwax or Granger product but not the fly, if it's the groundsheet that's the problem.
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02/4/2022 at 9:49am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered
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Grangers tent Clean if needed. Milton ration: 10 parts water to one part Milton.
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02/4/2022 at 6:12pm
Location: Suffolk
Outfit: Very variable
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1part of me is more than enough! (Surname is Milton........)
As someone who owns and uses several vintage cotton tents, I agree with lidds, Monty and sean above, not to wash if possible and certainly not with detergent. If you do go the wash route, use soap product without detergents (flakes?)
Try also to avoid using re-proofers if possible, or use as last resort, and then by spraying and not brushing on.
Fabulous tent......
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via mobile 30/3/2022 at 5:20pm
