Cleaning the canvas on a CT

According to Shannon Lush, Mrs Clean anything from the ABC and spotless book fame say this
Cleaning a mouldy, smelly canvas tent: Set up the tent and let it dry completely. Then make up a saltwater solution with 4 cups of salt to a bucket of very warm water and ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil of cloves. Use a broom to slop the solution on the inside and out. Let this dry and then brush it off with a dry broom. This will remove and kill the mould and help re-waterproof it.
Graham

G'day Ian

This may not be a lot of help, but the Tvan maintenance instructions for canvas state

"Maintenance of canvas should be to the manufacturer's recommendaitons which are attached to the inside of the tent. We recommend brushing dust and debris off, hose any panels that get stained, and ensuring the canvas is completely dtry before storage of longer than 2 days. Scrubbing or chemicals can reduce water resistance of the fabric"

Cheers
John

Call the manufacturer and ask them. They dont need to know if you got it new or not, and if they ask, yes you did :)

Ian, it's not easy. Apart from dust, on one trip we came home with a lot of bird and bat droppings on the canvas. I can tell you bat droppings are the pits. Sacrifice your first born before you get them on the canvas!

I used lots of water and elbow grease. Didn't use a high pressure hose, but did use a garden hose with an adjustable garden spray attachment. For the annex, I spread it on the lawn so I could get at it properly. I did scrub, but only with a cloth (part of an old towel). Did not use detergent. After getting most of the stuff off, I got it up over the Hills Hoist (with much cursing) and hosed remaining dust and crap off.

Eventually got enough of it off and with further use in the sun, remaining spots have faded and it is now fine. Just looks lived in, not crappy.

I don't seem to have damaged the water proofing. On our last trip we had plenty of rain and it seemed fine.

Just a thought from a token female, I would use a hose-brush that can currently be bought from the dollar shops. It can be connected to a hose or not, but the main advantage is that the bristles are fine and very soft. I use this brush on the vinyl Bar-b-que cover, which comes up shiny again as when new. Most brooms/brushes have very thick and therefore stiff bristles which can't get into the nooks and crannies. Using one of these hose brushes always does a better job than an old 'scrubber.' Good luck.
OzeSheila.

G'day Ian,

I have had success in removing bat poo by soaking the spot in plain water for half an hour or so and it will then just rinse off. This worked for me after several 40 degree days of baking-on.

Rather difficult to soak a whole CT I know, but take the tension off the canvas roof, make a small cavity by pressing around the area and then pour a puddle.

I would be very cautious about using chemicals, detergents, or hard scrubbing.

Cheers,
Paul