By Why should you care for your tent?
UV exposure can, for many tent fabrics, be devastating to their performance. In some cases only two weeks exposure can lead to a reduction in the tear strength of the tent fabric by half.
Weathering, dirt and dust can cause water to be absorbed into the fabric of the tent itself, as the Durable Water Repellency (DWR) become less effective. It is at this point that you will find water leaking through vulnerable areas such as seams.
When water, dirt or dust sits on the tent fabric it reduces its breathability. When breathability is reduced, water vapor inside the tent is no longer able to pass through the fabric, and instead condenses on the inside.
What should you do?
Before your camping trip, set up your tent to check its waterproof condition. This is also the perfect time to give your tent a little extra love by cleaning it with Nikwax Tech Wash. If you notice your tent is no longer repelling water, treat it with Tent & Gear SolarProof. Tent & Gear SolarProof provides superior waterproofing and doubles the useful life of fabrics by protecting against UV damage.
How should you do it?
- Tents are best cleaned, waterproofed and UV protected when pitched. Never machine wash or tumble dry them!
- Place the tent in an area that will drain easily and is free of excessive dirt or dust.
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Cleaning
- Add Nikwax Tech Wash (100ml in 6L of water) to a bucket of water and mix until foamy. Sponge all over the tent.
- Rinse off thoroughly until the water runs clear.
- Allow to dry naturally (if not applying waterproof and UV protection). Ensure it is completely dry before packing the tent away.
- Don’t forget to sweep/ shake out the inside of the tent.
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Waterproofing and UV protection
- Ensure you have the right volume of product. As a guide, 1L of Tent & Gear SolarProof will protect approximately a large 8 person tent (70 square meters). If using the new Concentrated Tent & Gear SolarProof, dilute as per the instructions.
- Apply the Tent & Gear SolarProof to a wet, clean tent ensuring that you pay particular attention to any seams.
- Wipe away any excess with a clean cloth.
- Allow to dry naturally
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Nikwax Concentrated Tent & Gear Solarproof : Complete protection for your tent at a better value
New Nikwax Concentrated Tent & Gear Solarproof provides high performance UV and waterproof protection to double the life of your tent or gear, at a great low price per square meter.
- Waterproof performance to the maximum testable standard
- Long lasting UV protection
- Easy to apply even to a wet tent
- Safe WaterBased, non flammable and fluorocarbon free
- Easy to carry and store concentrated formula
By 
Reblogged this on Pacific Rep Works and commented:
As we head into the fall does you gear need some love? Here is a little info from Nikwax on keeping your tent performing its best!
I’m on a water meter. What happens to the tent if you don’t rinse the tent after the tech wash and just add the solarproofer straight away?
Hi Teej,
Sorry for the delayed response! You definitely need to rinse before adding the waterproofing. A quick hosing will do the job, or, to save as much water as possible, fill a bucket and use a sponge to squeeze clean water over your tent.
Hi, does the Tent and Gear solar proof work on canvas. I have a new tent and the seams have dripped on the first rain, I tried to season with the hose but maybe not well enough, cheers
Rainey
Hi Rainey,
Tent & Gear Solarproof is designed to work on synthetic materials. For cotton we would recommend Cotton Proof. You would dilute it and paint it on your tent.
Hope that helps!
I’ve heard great things about this product for waterproofing rain fly’s, but will this work on a tent floor?
Hey Mike! Our Tent & Gear products can be used on a tent floor, but we always recommend treating the tent walls and rain fly first, and if you have any T&G left over, then hitting the ground-side of the tent floor. If you have a tent footprint, then that is typically sufficient for staying dry, if the walls have been treated with T&G products. If you floor is leaking heavily due to the PU coating being eroded, being torn, or needing replacement, then T&G is not going to solve those problems. Hope that helps! – Brennon
Hello. I have a 2 person Vango tent with an inner tent and an outer tent – do I waterproof them both? with Tent & Gear SolarProof
Hey Chloe!
If the tent is fairly new and in good shape, then waterproofing the outside should be sufficient. Since Nikwax does NOT inhibit breathability at all, you can certainly waterproof the outside of both layers, if you would like. Also, remember that SolarProof adds protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun, in addition to waterproofing. Again, if it is newer, your tent’s inherent waterproofing layer can often still function properly if cleaned regularly and properly. For cleaning, we recommend Nikwax SolarWash. Hope that is helpful! – Brennon
I used Nikwax tent and gear solarproof on my tent set up inside. There is some reside on my laminate floor. What is the best way to clean the Nikwax off the laminate?
Hey Steve! This would be a great question for our super helpful customer service team. Email them at customer.service@nikwax.com. They can certainly help you with this!
Hi Nikwax, will waterproofing the inside of my flysheet effect the breathability of the tent?
Are there any detriments to using a Tech Wash “bath” instead of Solarwash to clean a heavily soiled tent?
No detriment, you just will not get the UV protection you receive with Tent & Gear SolarWash.