A camping chair is a piece of equipment that we can hardly go without on a camping trip. Whether we are alone or in a group, chairs always come handy. Just like with other equipment pieces, chairs get dirty and damaged over time, so today we’ll teach you how to clean a camping chair.
If you had an idea to buy a new chair just because the old one doesn’t shine anymore, you should try restoring it. Most of the time, all it will take to restore a camping chair is cleaning it properly. You don’t need expensive soaps or anything like that. You can clean it perfectly well with some household items, keep on reading and find out how.
Cleaning with household items
Surely, there are commercial solutions available to clean your chairs, but you probably don’t need them. You can restore your camping chairs with some simple household items. Almost everyone has a detergent and water at home, and that’s everything you need.
The first thing you have to do is to vacuum your chair, and then mix warm water with a mild detergent in any sort of container. Take a sponge and soak it in that water. Once it’s completely wet, squeeze it so that the sponge is damp, but not fully wet. Take the sponge and gently scrub all the dirt that you see on the chair.
After you have scrubbed all the dirty parts on the fabric, use clean water to rinse it out. Make sure you rinse out all of the detergent residues as they can leave stains on the fabric. Make sure you clean the plastic/metal parts as they get dirty too.
You can also take a look at this video to see how to clean a chair with baking soda:
For the parts that you can’t clean with a sponge, use a soft bristle brush instead. Soak the brush in that water with detergent and gently scrub the dirty parts in a circular motion. You don’t need a special brush, any kind that you got will work, just make sure that it has soft bristle hairs so you don’t damage the fabric. Also, make sure you rinse it out completely with clean water afterward. Let the chair air dry, and repeat the process if necessary.
IMPORTANT: You should store your chairs in dry, dark area, ideally closed off so no animals can “bite” it.
How to clean a camping chair from mold
If your chair was sitting packed up for a longer time, chances are, mold has appeared on it. Luckily for you, you can easily clean it off and get your old chair back. There are over-the-counter solutions to buy, but you don’t need them. Vinegar does a perfectly good job of cleaning mold and making sure it doesn’t return.
To remove mold from your camping chair canvas, follow these steps:
- Mix half a cup of vinegar with a half cup of water
- Put it in a spray bottle
- Spray over the dirty area
- Let it stay on the spot for approximately 15 to 20 minutes
- Carefully wipe down everything from the canvas, and make sure you don’t inhale or get it into your eyes.
- Let it air dry completely and then pack it away.
To prevent this from happening, never pack your chair if it’s not completely dry. Also, make sure the container where you put the chair doesn’t have any water in it. Mold loves wet and dark areas, it’s ideal for it to develop.
Cleaning with a special detergent
You can also try a detergent made specifically for outdoor fabric. They come in different forms, from liquids, gels, soaps to powders. Most of these detergents can be used on tents, jackets, and other outdoor equipment as well. Make sure you read the instructions carefully to understand what type of fabric can be cleaned with that cleaner. There are many different detergents available on the market and the most popular ones are:
- Scotchgard™ Fabric & Carpet Cleaner
- Nikwax Tech Wash
- Gear Aid ReviveX Pro Cleaner
- Campsuds Biodegradable Concentrated Soap
The process of cleaning with these detergents is mostly the same as with household items. However, it is always a good thing to read what the label says. Some require mixing with water, others don’t. You’ll still need to scrub the dirt and rinse with water though.
Most of these detergents can be purchased in outdoor gear shops or found on Amazon.
The dirtiest parts are usually the arm and backrest, so put extra effort into cleaning them. If your chair is not only dirty but broken as well, you can always fix your camping chair if the damage is not too great.
Final words
Don’t throw away your favorite camping chair yet. It will only take you about 30 minutes to clean the chair properly, and you’ll quickly see how it’s still shining. In most cases, the chair is not broken, just dirty. Save yourself some money and give it a try to restore it with some warm water and detergent.
If you believe special detergents made just for camping gear will do a better job, give it a try. There are many available on the market, and they are simple to use. Just make sure you rinse everything thoroughly as the soap can leave colorful stains on the fabric when not rinsed correctly. Now when you know how to clean a camping chair, go and restore that old camping chair.
