How to Store a Canvas Tent in the Off-Season (Without Mold)

Here's the uncomfortable truth from our repair bench: we see far more tents destroyed by storage than by use. Canvas that survives ten hunting seasons in the bush gets ruined in one summer folded up damp in a garage. The good news — proper storage is simple.

Rule one: bone dry or don't fold it

Mold needs two things: moisture and time. A tent packed away at even slightly damp will grow mildew inside a month. Before storage, set the tent up (or hang it over a fence line, deck rail, or beams) in dry weather until every panel, seam, and the sod cloth are completely dry — usually a full sunny day, longer for the sod cloth where ground moisture lingers.

Clean it first, gently

• Sweep and brush off dirt, needles, and ash with a stiff (not wire) brush.
• Spot-clean with plain water and a soft brush. No detergents, no bleach, no pressure washers — they strip the Sunforger treatment that makes your canvas water- and mildew-resistant.
• Let any cleaned areas dry fully before packing.

How to pack it

Fold loosely rather than tightly — sharp, compressed creases stress the treatment and the fibres. Store in the breathable carrying bag your tent came with, never in sealed plastic bins or vacuum bags. Canvas needs airflow even in storage.

Where to store it

• Good: dry basement, heated garage shelf, closet — anywhere with stable temperature and low humidity, up off concrete floors.
• Bad: damp sheds, unheated coastal garages, directly on concrete (it wicks moisture), anywhere mice can nest. Rodents love canvas almost as much as mold does.

The frame takes five minutes

Aluminum doesn't rust, which is why we build with it — but wipe the tubes down, check the cast fittings for cracks, and store everything in the frame bag so no lengths go missing over the summer. Missing one leg in September is a bad way to start a hunt. (Need a spare? We stock fittings and fasteners.)

Spring check, before the season

A month before your first trip, set the tent up once. Check seams, zippers, stove jack, and grommets. If something needs attention, our repair shop in Surrey fixes wall tents of any brand and age — and spring is the fast queue, fall is the slow one.

Full care details are on our Tent Care page. Treat the canvas right in the off-season and this is a piece of gear your kids will argue over.