One of our favorite things about Big Agnes Tents and our Seedhouse 1 is the great information the old gal gives you for storing and maintaining your tent. She gives you everything you need to know about how to select, use and take car of your tent. These tips for caring for our Seedhouse 1 work for any tent and ensure that your tent lasts as long as our Seedhouse has.
Our tent has lasted for years, through lots of rugged use – even trips with teenage boys! We aren’t meticulous with our Seedhouse, but we do follow Big Agnes’ recommendations for care and we’ve had no trouble at all keeping all our tents in great shape and lasting through hundreds of forays into the wilderness.
Here are the tips:
For Storage
You must always make sure the tent is dry and free of debris before storing. If you want to avoid permanent creases, it’s important to stuff or fold your tent a different way each time it is stored. Where you store it is also critical. It must be stored in a cool, dry place. If you leave your tent in very hot temperatures (such as a car trunk), it will damage the material coatings and create a mess! Stowing a damp tent can result in mildew growth, which may cause your tent to smell, leak or delaminate. Mildew damage is not covered under warranty.
Cleaning
If your tent just needs a light cleaning, you can sponge it with warm water. If it’s necessary to wash the entire tent, always use cleaners recommended specifically for tents. We use McNett Mirazyme cleaner, or Nikwax Tech Wash. Never dry-clean or machine-wash your tent. Detergents and dry-cleaning solvents will damage the fabric and ruin the waterproofing. Be sure not to use hot water, bleach, liquid detergents or dishwashing liquids.
Seam Sealing
Seam tape alone is durable enough to prevent water leakage. Any seams that have been taped do not need a liquid sealer unless you want extra protection. Make sure the seam-sealer is completely dry before re-packing your tent. Damage caused by misapplication may void your warranty.
Zippers
Keep your zippers clean to help keep the coils and sliders from wearing out. If the zippers get dirt or sand in them, vacuum or brush them out before storing the tent.
There it is. The four simple things you need to know to keep your tent working like new and lasting for years just like our seedhouse 1. Take a little time and care for your tent and we’ll see it with you on the trail for years to come. We’ll be looking for you!