Best Practices for Maintaining Your Teepee

March 10, 2021 11:42 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

It’s a good idea to learn teepee maintenance now, before camping season begins! If you take care of it, it will take care of you through every rainstorm, windy night and other adverse conditions. While you should inspect your teepee for repair needs and maintenance when camping season ends, doing it now still prevents disaster later. Here are six tips for the maintenance and upkeep of your teepee in Utah:

  • Camp in the shade: When possible, find a shady camping spot. UV radiation is tough on teepee fabric, and eventually, it breaks down fibers. When you camp in high-elevation areas, find a place under a cliff or trees, so your canvas receives less abuse. If you cannot avoid camping in direct sunlight, look into canvas treatments that contain UV protection.
  • Watch for mildew: First, never put away canvas wet. You are just asking for a mildew mess when you pull it out of storage. If you face rain, dry the canvas thoroughly before you put it away, or at least take it out of the bag to dry if you have no choice but to stow wet canvas. Sunforger treatments slow mildew and mold growth, but if you live in a humid environment, consider additional canvas treatments to prevent these issues. Another way to make your teepee mold-proof is to use an electric or solar-powered ventilator on rainy days or build a fire. Inner heat helps kill mildew and mold spores.
  • Control snow buildup: If you are a daring winter camper, teepees offer ideal accommodation. But if snow falls and piles up on the side of your teepee, it stretches the canvas and creates a perfect environment for mold and mildew. Remove snow from your tent after heavy snowfall and heat it inside to dry the canvas. You can use a wood stove or build a fire—just make sure to do it safely and maintain proper ventilation.
  • Guard against salt and wind: If you are camping near the beach, your biggest dangers are salt and wind. Water repellent treatment keeps these elements from destroying your canvas. When the wind picks up, stake your teepee to the ground and close the smoke flaps. Stake down the cover rope within the teepee.
  • Follow instructions: Many people ruin teepees by failing to follow setup instructions. Follow each step in your manual, especially when it comes to smoke flaps and staking down. Use smoke flap poles, even if they seem unnecessary. When treating or cleaning the canvas, follow the instructions on the products. If you do not use products in correct proportions, that also compromises your canvas.
  • Learn this simple cleaning solution: If you need to kill mold and mildew stains, your formula is 50 percent bleach and 50 percent water. Sponge it on stains and wait for five to 10 minutes. Rinse it off and see if it works. This mix works best on white canvas, but expect it to lighten off-white or tan canvas.

Huberwoods offers teepee lodge poles for sale in Utah. We use lodge poles because they make teepee maintenance easier and last 10 seasons or more. If this year’s maintenance and upkeep process includes new poles, call us today and see what we offer.

Categorised in:

This post was written by Writer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *