After every camping trip, you should thoroughly clean your Tatonka tent before storing it. Proper care will extend the life of your tent. When cleaning your tent, never put it in the washing machine or use harsh detergents, as this will damage the waterproof coating of the fabric. Sometimes it’s enough to simply hose down the tent with a garden hose. Before storing it, the tent must be completely dry to prevent mildew or mold from forming.
Tent cleaning: a step-by-step guide
Pitching the tent: Pitch the tent first; this makes it easier to clean and dry.
Separate the outer and inner tents: Separate the outer and inner tents. The inner tent is usually not dirty at the top; at most, it may be damp from condensation.
Shake out the inner tent: Turn the inner tent inside out and shake it out carefully to remove sand, crumbs, etc.
Check the tent floor for dirt: Turn the inner tent right side out again and check the tent floor sewn to the inner tent for dirt from the outside. To do this, spread out the inner tent with the tent floor facing you on a clean surface (such as the tent groundsheet).
Clean the tent floor: If you used a groundsheet while camping, you’ll usually find almost no dirt. Otherwise: Brush the tent floor with a soft brush and, if necessary, wipe it down with a soft cloth or sponge dampened with water. If needed, use a mild soapy solution. To do this, add a splash of neutral soap or neutral cleaner to a bowl of lukewarm water. Important: Do not scrub too hard, or you will damage the tent floor’s coating. It’s better to leave any stains as they are! It is only important to remove loose, coarse dirt, sand, or similar debris. If you used soapy water: Rinse the tent floor with clean water afterward.
Let the inner tent dry: Hang the inner tent on a clothesline to dry.
Hose down the outer tent: Use a garden hose to rinse the pitched outer tent. This is the easiest way to remove coarse dirt and sand.
Check the inside of the outer tent: Be sure to check the inside of the outer tent as well—it can get dirty, especially in the lower area.
Clean the outer tent inside and out: If necessary, wipe down the tent with a soft sponge or cloth dampened with water—both inside and out. If necessary, use a mild soapy solution. To do this, add a splash of neutral soap or neutral cleaner to a bowl of lukewarm water. Important: Do not scrub too hard, or you will damage the fabric’s coating. It’s better to leave any stains as they are! If you used soapy water: Carefully rinse the tent inside and out with the garden hose.
Let the tent dry completely: Let the outer tent dry completely before taking it down again. Make sure that the webbing (loops, etc.) is also dry. It dries more slowly than the tent fabric.
Tent cleaning: How to clean dirty zippers
Brush out dirty zippers with a toothbrush.
To make zippers smooth and easy to use again, you can use silicone spray.
Tent cleaning: How to clean dirty tent pegs
Soak the pickles in a bowl of warm water..
Rinse them off and let them dry.
Tent water repellency – When and how?
Tatonka tents are treated with a water-repellent finish that causes water to bead up and roll off the fabric. This has nothing to do with waterproofing, which is achieved through the material’s coating.
You generally don’t need to re-waterproof your tent after every trip. As long as water droplets roll off the tent fabric, everything is fine. However, over time, the fabric surface of the outer tent becomes roughened due to use and aging, and water droplets roll off less and less effectively. This also increases the drying time. Then it’s time to reapply the waterproofing to the outer tent. You can use either a spray-on waterproofing agent or a liquid waterproofing agent. Make sure the waterproofing agent is compatible with the tent fabric. Here’s how:
Set up the outer tent outdoors. It must be clean and dry.
Spray the tent with the waterproofing agent from a distance of about 20–30 cm, e.g., with Nikwax Tent & Gear Solar Proof.
If using a liquid waterproofing agent: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Let the tent dry completely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to properly store your Tatonka tent
Separate the outer and inner tents.
Make sure the outer and inner tents are clean and completely dry.
Carefully roll up all the guy lines attached to the outer tent and stow them in the designated holders.
Fold the tent panels loosely together.
Do not store the tent panels in the stuff sack; instead, store them loosely folded in a dark, well-ventilated, and dry place.
Store the tent poles and the cleaned, dry tent stakes in the included storage bags and place these in the tent stuff sack. Store the tent bag in the same place as the tent. That way, you’ll have everything together for your next trip.
