Summer is almost here and you know what that means, it’s time to clean and check all your camping gear! This may seem dreadful for some of us, but it’s very important to do maintenance on your gear. It’s ten times better to find out at home that you have a ripped tent and have a chance to repair it, rather than miles away from civilization.

Tent

Spread out the outer material (cover) and inner material, use a dry cloth or neutral soap with a little water and clean both inside and outside. It is important that you do NOT use detergent, as this could degrade the tent’s waterproof qualities.

For the structure and the stakes, we recommend cleaning them to remove any residue from mud. Next lubricate them with a spray lubricant or liquid petroleum.Let them dry well before packing them again and store them with your tent in a dry and well ventilated place.

Backpack

First things first: empty your backpack, check all the pockets. If your backpack has a metal frame, make sure to take it out.

Then, fill a tub with cold or warm water (warning: hot water could cause the colors to fade) and add a little bit of mild soap. DO NOT use common detergents or fabric softener as they could damage the material, especially if it’s waterproof or water resistant.

Use a soft brush or cloth to scrub the dirtiest areas of the backpack. You can also use a toothbrush for stains that are difficult to remove.

Finally, let the backpack dry naturally, away from any heat source. If possible, hang it upside down and let it dry open.

Sleeping bag

Unless your sleeping bag has gotten significantly dirty by something in particular, it does not have to be washed completely. Spot cleaning is all that is necessary. Use a toothbrush and mild soap and water mixture. Frequent washes could affect it’s useful life.

Focus on the hood and neck area, which are the places where face and hair oils tend to accumulate. Clean this area, by separating the inner layer from the outer layer to avoid moisture from coming in contact with the stuffing. All sleeping bags with down stuffing should be dry cleaned.

Let the sleeping bag dry and store it in a large bag that does not compress it to avoid damaging the stuffing.

We hope these tips have been useful and you can start applying them now!