Keeping both the campsite and outdoors gear clean should be a priority for every camper. Putting away wet or dirty tents, for example, will not only ruin the product, but require you to do extra cleaning next time.
If you practice clean camping, and wash your equipment after each trip, you'll be better off on your next adventure. Here are 10 tips to help you do just that.
More: Stay Organized While Camping
Set-Up Your Tent to Dry
If it was raining or damp while you were camping, always set up your tent afterwards so it can completely dry out.
If you find that there is a small build up of mold, start by brushing it off and then clean thoroughly with a simple homemade solution:
- 1 cup of lemon juice
- 1 cup of salt and
- 1 gallon of warm water
Mix liquids together and clean. After you've finished with your tent or other gear, leave everything out to dry completely. Once dry, your gear should be clean and free of unpleasant odors. If not, repeat the process or use a fungicide for extreme situations.
Submitted By: Jennifer Cowlen
More: Clean Up That Dirty Old Tent
Babypowder for Beach Camping
When we beach camp we bring a huge container of baby powder and sprinkle it on the mat outside. This helps remove sand from the bottoms of our feet so it doesn't make it into our sleeping bags. It also works to get sand out of your kid's scalp and your baby's diaper area.
Submitted By: Karen Hoffman
Stay Clean with a Tarp
After many years of tent camping we have always put a tarp under the tent to help protect it. Recently we learned not only to put an older tarp underneath but to keep a nice tarp for the inside of the tent. This protects the floor and makes it fast to clean when packing up. It also gives the feeling of wall to wall carpet in the tent. Why didn't someone tell me this years ago?
Submitted By: Jeff Gillespie