Knowing How to Clean a Party Tent is Important
When your folding tables or folding chairs get messy, the need to clean them is pretty obvious. After all, you don’t want to put fresh food out on a dirty table any more than you want to sit in a mucky chair, right? Cleaning your party tent may not be as obvious, but it’s still important.
Cleaning your party tent probably looks challenging right out of the gate. The tent top is pretty large … maybe even huge, depending on the size of the party tent you purchased. That’s not going to fit in your washing machine (and if it does, don’t do that!).
Thankfully, the process of cleaning a party tent isn’t as daunting or perilous as it probably seems. It’s not all that expensive to do, either. And as is true with most avenues in life, it obviously goes a whole lot faster with a little help.
If your kids are anything like mine, playing video games and making dance videos all day, this is a great opportunity to get them outdoors and moving. And for those of you who don’t have kids to put to work, having a friend or neighbor pop by to help isn’t a bad idea.
The Materials You’ll Need to Clean a Part Tent
Before we begin, we’re going to need some supplies. Most of this stuff you’ll probably already have in your home, and the rest of it is pretty cheap, apart from the tarps. There are of course more expensive alternatives to our cleaning solution online and in some stores, but truth be told, the stuff we’re recommending here will get the job done at a fraction of the cost.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- At least one large tarp (or several smaller ones). You need these to be large enough that the full tent top can be laid out flat on top of them without hitting the ground. You could alternatively use rolls of plastic sheeting like you’d use for painting, but the tarps are reusable and useful for more than just tent top cleaning. You’ll save money in the long run, too
- A garden hose
- Some clean, dry towels
- Sponges and/or soft, non-abrasive brushes
- At least one reasonably large bucket
- Bleach-free dish soap. DO NOT use bleach or dish soap with bleach in it. This can damage your tent top. Diluted bleach should ONLY be used to remove mold or mildew. Try to avoid soaps with fragrances, too.
- Vinegar. You’ll be mixing this with water; a four to one or three to one ratio will do the trick. Put that in your bucket and mix in some dish soap. Voila, you’ve made a homemade cleaning solution.
Let’s Get Scrubbing!
Now that you’ve made your water/vinegar/dish soap solution, let’s go ahead and roll the tent top out on the tarp. Try to avoid getting any of the tent top on the ground if you can. Take this opportunity to carefully inspect the tent top for any damage; rips or tears, mold or mildew, or big clumps of built-up mud or dirtiness are best addressed before you attempt to clean the party tent.
When you’re ready to start cleaning, use a sponge or a soft, non-abrasive brush and start scrubbing. You’ll want to make sure you give the full tent top a good scrub, and really focus your efforts on particularly soiled areas.
When you’re done, flip the top over and get the other side, too. The insides of tent tops (facing in) aren’t usually going to be as messy as the outsides (facing out), but it’s good to make sure you clean the inside as well.
Once you’re done scrubbing your party tent, use a garden hose and give the tent top a thorough rinse on both sides. Be sure to wash away any and all residue. You may want to spray down your tarps between rinses, so you’re not just lying the tent top down on top of the other side’s soap.
Drying the Tent Top
All rinsed? Great! Now let’s use some hand towels and dry the tent top thoroughly, on both sides. Once you’ve dried it by hand, leave the tent top outside for a few hours in the sun so it can dry further.
If you’re in a hurry, you could alternatively use a leaf blower to speed up the process. Just make sure you’re careful, of course. If the leaf blower gets too hot, stop and let it cool down before you continue.
If you’re putting your party tent in storage, be absolutely certain the tent top is fully dry on both sides. Even a slight amount of moisture can and usually will lead to mold and mildew. Our tent tops here at Party Tents Direct are mold and mildew resistant, but that doesn’t mean they’re impervious. Making sure the tent top is fully dry will help avoid complicated cleaning or pricey repairs in the future.
Cleaning Tent Poles, Center Poles, and Other Accessories
Cleaning a party tent doesn’t end with the tent top. You’ve also got party tent components and accessories—tent poles, center poles, tent stakes, and other parts—that could occasionally use a little TLC, too.
Using the same cleaning solution you used for the tent tops, scrub down your metal components and then dry them. You can skip this with your tent stakes if you want. They’re just going to end up stuck in the dirt again. It’s okay to just give them a good dry wipe and call it a day.
That’s It! You Now Know How to Clean a Party Tent!
There you go: your party tent is clean. That wasn’t so bad, was it? Cleaning your party tent is cheap, relatively simple, and immeasurably valuable. Keeping your party tent clean ensures its longevity and helps avoid stinkiness and stains. And best of all, it makes your party tent look brand spankin’ new, too.
We suggest cleaning your party tent at least twice each year; once in the Spring when you first set it up, and then again in the Fall when you’re putting it in storage. It’s a good idea to clean it even more often than that, of course—maybe four times total throughout the warm season—but a personal party tent not being used for rentals can get away with two or three cleanings per year, depending on how often you’re using it.