How To - Keep Your Tent Clean While Camping

Keeping your tent and its surrounding area clean and tidy will make your days around the camp site much more enjoyable. With a bit of basic organisation, you’ll enhance your comfort, avoid small mishaps like tripping over your own gear, and prevent unwelcome spills and mess. You’ll also spend less time fumbling around in search of an item you need ASAP and more time actually enjoying your adventure. So follow these simple tips for better outdoor living:

12 Tips For Clean Tent Living

1. Take your shoes off before entering your tent to minimise any grass, sand, dirt and mud from getting onto the tent floor or in amongst your gear. Placing a tarp along the outer section at the front entrance is also a good way to stop debris getting inside, as is a car door mat.
2. Use a tarp underneath the tent if you’re setting up on muddy or wet ground. This will reduce the amount of dirt that sticks to the outer and makes it easier to clean when you get home.
3. Organise your gear into designated areas. Use the tent’s vestibule space at the door openings for packs and bags, and keep quick-grab items like head torches, multi-tools or toiletries in a gear loft or storage pouch.
4. Pack some hooks, carabiners or multi-purpose rope to hang small items. Be careful to give yourself enough head room but often there is plenty of unused vertical space inside a tent.
5. Use collapsible boxes for makeshift storage while your tent is set-up. These are easy to carry in your bag to and from the camp grounds but will add extra space for personal possessions when you’re unpacked.
6. Pitch your tent near a tree so you can hang clothes or lanterns from it.
7. Keep a rubbish bag tucked into one of the corners so you can easily stay on top of litter and waste. A plastic bag is fine but a resealable plastic pouch is even more effective as you can seal it to minimise odours or even spills.
8. If you have space, a dust pan and brush is helpful for cleaning up ground debris or spills.
9. Avoid eating and drinking anything that could stain easily or cause an ugly mess if you spilt them. In fact if it’s possible, try to avoid eating, drinking or pouring liquids inside your tent all together.
10. Don’t leave food scraps lying around your camp site. This will attract unwanted visitors that may not be friendly. Use resealable bags or dinnerware with lids to store your leftovers properly.
11. Arrange your sleeping system in a predefined area, such as to one side of the tent or completely centred. This way, you have plenty of room to allocate for storage and other gear.
12. Above all else, follow your tent’s Product Care Instructions when it comes to cleaning, storing or repairing it. This will ensure it performs as you want it to for years of adventuring.