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We're just back from a weekend away and have managed to fold up one of our tents with a roll of very sticky fly paper (and lots of dead wasps) inside - argh!

We've now got a tent with some very strong glue on the roof panels and we're not quite sure what's best to clean it off, without removing the waterproofing on the tent. We've tried hot water alone and it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Would washing up liquid be OK? or some kind of kitchen cleaner?

the fly paper stuff needs soap and water to come off skin, the tent is a royal summer house day tent

thanks hugely for any suggestions :)

Cant advise on what to use sorry but I do know that washing up liquid is deffinately not good, maybe a natural soap wou;ld be safe but don't take my word for it hopefully someone will have a better answer for you I hope

Try water, lots of water. Even luke warm water. Hot is probably not a great idea because it may affect the lamination.  If you soak a towel then leave it lying over the glue for a few hours you may just get lucky.

If not, can you just live with it? If the answer is no, then go for the soap and water. It shouldn't affect synthetic canvas as long as you don't rub too hard and you rinse it off well. Soap means soap, btw, not detergent. Find some plain bar soap with as few additives as possible ie no lanolin or shea butter or pongy perfume etc. Grate a bit into some warm water and try that. Don't rub or pick. Rinse several times. If the canvas then looks a bit odd or starts to leak next time out, spray it with some Fabsil.

thanks for the suggestions :)

it's nylony stuff, not proper canvas like I last saw at guide camp many years ago!

I don't think we can live with it as it is as the tent is sticking to itself when it's folded, I'm worried that if we leave it as it is, when we next try to unfold it the material will tear or be totally stuck

I'll try water tomorrow and failing that will go for the soap. I think I've got a few bars at the back of a cupboard from making homemade laundry detegerent for my irritable small child a few years ago.

Thanks again :)

I  have no idea if it would make things worse but maybe some unperfumed pure talc applied to stop it sticking.

Quote: Originally posted by bumpybecky on 31/8/2009

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I don't think we can live with it as it is as the tent is sticking to itself when it's folded, I'm worried that if we leave it as it is, when we next try to unfold it the material will tear or be totally stuck

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Well, the other solution to that is to stick a patch onto it. Would probably look pretty horrible but at least it wouldn't stick to itself, or leak!