Folding Tent Care: How to Properly Clean Your Pro-Tent Folding Pavilion
By purchasing a Pro-Tent folding tent, you’ve acquired a true premium product that’s exceptionally durable. To ensure you can enjoy it for as long as possible, regular care is essential. This is the only way to guarantee that your folding tent will function flawlessly every time you use it—for many years to come.
Proper cleaning is especially important after intensive use in challenging terrain or in bad weather. But even if you store your folding tent for an extended period—for example, over the winter—thorough care is necessary.
The good news: Cleaning is usually straightforward and can be done quickly with the right techniques.
1. Clean the folding tent’s side walls and fabric roof properly
Depending on the degree of soiling, different cleaning methods are recommended for the fabric components:
- Spot stains: These can be easily removed with a damp sponge or microfiber cloth. If necessary, you can add a mild soap.
- Widespread dirt: Use running water from a garden hose to rinse off dirt over a large area.
- Machine washing: The side walls and fabric roofs can also be cleaned in suitable industrial washing machines. Be sure to wash the fabrics at a maximum temperature of 30 °C using a suitable detergent. Professional textile cleaning services will be happy to advise you on this.
Important note regarding pressure washers:
Never clean your folding tent with a high-pressure washer! The high water pressure puts too much strain on the fabric and can permanently damage the delicate PU coating.
Important: Allowing the fabric to dry completely prevents mold growth
After cleaning with water, you must make sure to let your folding pavilion dry completely. The fabric may not be packed until it is 100% dry. If residual moisture remains in the material, mold may form during storage.
2. Caring for the folding tent frame for maximum longevity
The frame also requires regular attention to ensure that all moving parts continue to function properly.
| Dirt / Problem | Recommended Cleaning Agent / Method |
| Light dirt | Damp cloth with a little soapy water |
| Greasy stains | Alcohol-based cleaner / rubbing alcohol |
| Scratches in aluminum | Aluminum polish and a soft scouring pad to polish out the scratches |
| Telescoping parts | Follow up with silicone spray applied to a cloth |
Caution regarding lubricants:
Do not use WD-40 spray to maintain the frame profiles. WD-40 can cause dust and dirt to stick, which will impair the mechanics and function of the frame over time. If you use silicone spray instead, the inner legs will slide smoothly again.
3. Proper Care Before Storage
Whenever you pack up your folding tent, you should remove any dirt, clean it thoroughly, and let it dry completely. This is especially important if the tent is going to be stored for an extended period—such as after the end of the event or festival season.
This will prevent:
- Dirt from causing permanent damage to the material.
- Residual moisture from leading to mold or mildew stains.
What should you do if on-site cleaning isn’t possible?
If you can’t clean the folding tent on-site immediately after the event, at least remove the coarse dirt. Once you’ve transported it, set the tent up again as soon as possible so you can complete the cleaning and drying process.
Our customer service team will be happy to assist you
Are you unsure about the exact cleaning procedure? Or is your folding tent particularly dirty? We’re here to help!
Simply contact us—we’ll advise you on all questions regarding the care and cleaning of your folding tent. Together, we’ll find a solution so that your Pro-Tent folding pavilion shines like new again.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Folding Tent Care
Ideally, you should clean your Pro-Tent folding pavilion after every use. Usually, it’s enough to wipe away light dirt with a damp cloth before letting the tent dry and packing it away.
However, in bad weather or at challenging locations, the folding tent may get much dirtier. In this case, be sure to take enough time to thoroughly clean both the fabric and the frame. This will effectively prevent further damage caused by accumulated dirt.
It’s best to simply clean the fabric with lukewarm water. For more stubborn stains, you can add a mild soap.
- Avoid Chemicals: Never use chemical cleaners, as they can damage the fabric’s protective coating.
- Professional Cleaning: For particularly heavy soiling, you can also take the side walls and fabric roof to a dry cleaner. The materials are suitable for washing in industrial washing machines.
All Pro-Tent tent fabrics are generally suitable for cleaning in appropriate industrial washing machines. If you would like to use this option, please note the following important points:
- Maximum temperature: The washing temperature must not exceed 30 °C.
- Mild detergent: Use only a suitable, gentle detergent.
- Expert advice: A professional dry cleaner can provide you with the best advice on the correct washing procedure.
Important note: Under no circumstances should you wash the tent fabrics in a standard household washing machine! Household machines are not designed for the volume or material of the tent fabrics, which can result in damage to both the fabric and the machine.
You can easily maintain your folding tent frame in three simple steps:
- Step 1: Cleaning: Remove dirt with a damp cloth. For stubborn dirt, you can use soapy water. If necessary, remove greasy spots with a little alcohol-based cleaner.
- Step 2: Repairing Scratches: Simply polish out surface scratches and minor damage with aluminum polish and a fine dish sponge or scouring pad.
- Step 3: Use silicone spray: Treat all telescoping parts with silicone spray.
Caution regarding care products:
WD-40 spray is not suitable for this purpose, as it attracts dust and can cause parts to stick. This impairs the smooth operation of the frame.
