Wat moet ik niet/nooit doen met tentdoek? 


What should I avoid doing or never do with tent fabric? 

As a market leader and specialist in tent fabric, with over 100 years of experience, we at Esvo are happy to advise you. This includes what not to do or never to do with tent fabric. Below are a number of useful and practical tips.
P.S. Would you like to read the most frequently asked questions about tent fabric? Then click on this link for interesting questions and our answers.

Never let children blow bubbles near tent fabric or your tent

BLOWING BUBBLES IS VERY DAMAGING TO TENT FABRIC!
Modern tent fabric is no longer resistant to soap bubbles, which children love to see floating in the air at a campsite. This is because today’s impregnating agents are very different from the heavy rot- and mould-resistant chemicals that used to be found in the fabrics (both cotton and polyester). And the same applies to the waterproof impregnation of tent fabric.
If you look at the best-quality tent fabric: from TenCate, this is also the case. This fabric, which is processed identically by the top four manufacturers in the Netherlands (ESVO, Karsten, de Waard, Atoma), is admittedly the most widely available durable tent fabric but is also highly sensitive to the soap in those beautiful blown bubbles. In short: the tent fabric will start to leak if soap gets on it and seeps in. So, by all means, let children blow bubbles at the campsite, but not near the tents.

It is best not to clean your tent fabric with soap.

At the very least, wait for a heavy downpour first. Or rinse dirty tent fabric with plenty of lukewarm, clean water. Incidentally, the saying ‘better a stain than a leak’ often holds true. In other words: cleaning products very often lead to a deterioration in the quality of the tent fabric, either in terms of waterproofing or the strength of the fabric.
First try to remove the stains with a damp cloth or sponge (WITHOUT SOAP RESIDUE!!!) and lukewarm water. In the case of bird droppings or tree sap: use a soft scraper and try to scrape the residue off very carefully. Again: never use aggressive cleaning products or scrub hard.
If you are tempted to clean the tent fabric, be aware that it will need to be re-waterproofed, and with the correct and specific waterproofing agent: waterproofing agent for cotton tent fabric is different from that for synthetic tent fabric (technical tent fabric, acrylic, polyester-cotton, polyester, etc.).

Do not touch wet tent fabric from the inside

If it has rained and the tent fabric is thoroughly wet, rough contact (for example, with a shoulder or forearm) is not a problem. If you do this with a finger, the moisture will seep through and the fabric will start to leak. This is very annoying, but as soon as the fabric is dry again, the tent will be waterproof once more. If you touch the tent with greasy hands from sun cream or lotion, that grease can affect the waterproofing.
We also advise against placing large objects (e.g. a piece of furniture) against the tent fabric, to avoid chafing and friction.
By the way: once the rain has stopped and the outer tent is dry again, you can of course touch the tent fabric safely.

P.S. Would you like to read the frequently asked questions about tent fabric? Then click on this link for interesting questions and our answers.

Do not scrub your tent fabric with a stiff brush

Modern tent fabric is a more delicate material than it used to be. So, in the event of, for example, tree sap or bird droppings, removing these with a soft object is far wiser than using a stiff brush. Consider using a blunt scraper (such as an ice scraper for car windows).

Do not place a towel over your tent

Do not hang laundry or wet tea towels and hand towels inside or over the tent. These may still contain soap residue and transfer it to the tent fabric, which can impair the fabric’s water-repellent properties. For the same reason, never clean the hem edges or groundsheet with soapy water.

Do not cook inside your tent
Preferably not. The reason is that modern tent fabric (since the start of this century) does not contain the harsh chemicals of the past, when tent fabric was still full of rot and mould inhibitors. Tent fabric therefore does not like steam. Cook outside the tent.

Never store your tent whilst it is damp or dirty

Once you’ve finished camping, it’s absolutely vital to make sure it’s completely bone-dry before putting it away. This applies to tents with cotton fabric, of course, but also to those with synthetic fabric. Cotton contains cellulose, which acts as a food source for the mould that will eventually become visible. With an outer tent made of polyester, nylon, acrylic or another fabric, there will always be particles from trees on or in the fabric. These, too, provide a meal for that mould. So make sure you rinse and brush your tent thoroughly (using a very soft brush) before leaving it to dry, then store the tent clean and completely dry in its designated tent bag and place it in a dry spot indoors.

Do not use standard sewing thread for your tent fabric

Tent fabric requires specific sewing thread. You can’t just buy that at the local market. The most commonly used is a polyester/cotton blend, 50 or possibly 35 denier. Reason: the polyester component ensures durability, and the cotton component of this sewing thread ensures that the thread swells in the stitching holes when the seams get wet. After all, the needle of a sewing machine does, by its very nature, pierce holes in the tent fabric. 100% polyester tent thread is also fine, and lasts longer. However, this sewing thread must be stitched properly using a neat overlock stitch, as it contains no swelling component. You can, incidentally, use standard tent thread yourself on a domestic sewing machine.

Never sew two pieces of tent fabric directly on top of each other

If you’re sewing tent fabric yourself on your sewing machine, don’t sew the pieces on top of each other. Otherwise, the stitching will leak if it rains. And if you sew a so-called flat cap seam, the result is not only very flat and taut, but the construction will also be waterproof for years to come. We actually have a very good video about this on YouTube. Just click here.

Don’t leave your tent in direct sunlight all the time

Sunlight affects the lifespan of your tent. This means that the fabric is damaged by UV rays. For example, if the sun shines on raindrops or morning dew, these act as magnifying glasses on the fabric. The more UV exposure, the more severe the deterioration of the fabric.
Furthermore, the temperature inside your tent is considerably higher when the tent is in the sun. Incidentally, in the case of cotton tent fabric, this is 5 degrees lower than in a tent made of polyester fabric.

Do not waterproof your tent fabric any sooner than necessary

A good tent comes with a good waterproofing treatment from the factory. Technically speaking, the fabric is then water-repellent, as only a thick coating with, for example, polyurethane can make tent fabric truly waterproof. This water-repellency is more than functional, as a tent panel is always sloped and the waterproofing lasts for many years. The best indicator to look for is rainwater being absorbed into the tent fabric. Once this happens, raindrops no longer roll off the fabric automatically and you can no longer be sure of a dry night’s sleep in the event of rain.

If you are camping in warm climates, do not take a polyester or PVC tent. 

The internal climate of a tent depends very much on the type of fabric used for the outer tent. If your tent is in full sun, for example, it will be at least 5–10 degrees cooler inside if the outer tent is made of cotton fabric. After all, nylon, polyester, acrylic or PVC cannot breathe when used as tent fabric. For this reason, cotton tent fabric ensures a more comfortable living environment if you always camp in warm and sunny regions.

P.S. Would you like to read the frequently asked questions about tent fabric? Then click on this link for interesting questions and our answers.

Any more questions about what not to do with tent fabric? Ask the expert!

As an international market leader and specialist in tent fabric, the Esvo sales team is happy to provide you with all the necessary information. In addition to our vast range of fabrics, weights and colours, we can also supply them in any length, cut to the nearest 10 centimetres, and deliver within 3 working days. We also offer legal customer protection through our affiliated webshop quality mark. So: you’re always welcome! Just click here for more contact details.