Rooftop tents are made from heavy duty, durable materials and are designed for a long life of hard use. Despite this, there are certain measures you should take to keep your tent in top shape and to maximize its life span.

On a day to day basis, you should take care of your roof top tent as you would any tent. First, never pack it away wet. If circumstances require that you put the tent away wet, open the tent back up and let it air dry as soon as possible. This will greatly decrease the chance of having mildew accumulate on the tent, and will increase the life of the tent material.

Many tents, such as the Eezi-Awn tents are actually treated with a fungal retardant, however, it is still a good idea to follow the above rules.

The night before loading up our Defender 110 into a container at the end of a nine month trans-African expedition, we were caught in a heavy rainstorm. The schedule of the freight ship necessitated that we had to pack the tent away wet, where it would remain within a container for the next 4 months. To say that cleaning the tent when we got home was a chore would be a gross understatement. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Zipper Care

The most common item to fail on a tent is one of the zippers. This comes from use in dusty extreme environments. It is hard to keep mud and dust away from the zippers, so the best thing to do is add some lubrication. Bees’ wax is a tried and true lubricant used in countless safaris in the African bush. It is available in most organic supermarkets like Whole Foods or Wild Oats. Just buy a small block and rub it on the zipper both while open and closed. This should greatly improve the operation of the zipper, and dramatically increase its service life. If mud and dirt does get ground into the zipper, clean it with a damp cloth and then re-lubricate.

General Cleaning

To get rid of the dust and general day-to-day grime that comes with constant use, brushing the outside of the tent with a stiff bristled brush or vacuuming it will usually do the trick. If your tent needs more cleaning than that, or you want to get years worth of accumulated dirt out, start by brushing or vacuuming the loose dirt off. Mix 1 cup of Lysol all-purpose cleaner to 1 gallon of hot water. Using a sponge, wet the tent. Brush it off again and then rinse it off with cold or warm water. Allow the tent to dry completely in the sun. The PVC rain fly and tent cover found on most roof top tents can be washed with the same solution of Lysol and hosed or sponged off.

Mold and Mildew Removal

One problem inherent with rooftop tents is that in wet or damp conditions, you frequently have to put the tent away wet. The combination of a damp tent and water-proof travel cover makes a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. If the mildew takes hold, it can stain the tent and giving it a maliferous odor!

In some cases, the stains can get so bad, that it may seem as though the tent is a lost cause. But fear not, there is a simple way to recover from this situation.

First open the tent up and brush it with a stiff bristled brush or vacuum to get the loose dirt off. Then wash the tent with a solution of 1 cup Lysol general purpose cleaner to 1 gallon of hot water. Sponge this solution on to wet the tent and then brush in with a stiff brush (as listed above).

Then, rinse the tent off with a solution of 1 cup lemon juice and 1 cup salt to a gallon of hot water. Use enough salt/lemon solution to get all the Lysol out. Leave the tent to air dry in the sun. This last step is very important, as it will promote the loss of mildew stains. Once the tent is completely dry you will be amazed at how new it looks!

Waterproofing

Uncoated cotton canvas is waterproof in the same manner that traditional wooden boats are waterproof. The cotton fibers swell when they get wet much like wooden planks do. This seals the weave. Synthetic (nylon) canvas like rip-stop canvas does not swell, but gains water resistance from its construction, and waterproofing from being impregnated with other synthetic materials. Since roof top tents are made from synthetic canvas, the washing procedure above will destroy the waterproofing coating. After washing, you should re-apply waterproofing. To waterproof rip-stop canvas you need to coat it with a synthetic waterproofing material.

Some materials will also impart UV protection. Suggested waterproofing solutions are Aqua-Tite Waterproofing, 303 Fabric Guard, or other waterproofing for synthetic canvas. These are usually available in camping stores. Apply two coats of the waterproofing agent, at 90 degrees to each other. This will provide the best protection.

If you care for it correctly, a roof top tent can last for decades, providing comfort and security in all conditions.