InTents IDEA Book 2023 - 17

drying machines use high-powered
wind to blow the water from the surface
of lat roof panels. Vinyl dryers using
this method offer the highest daily
production, but will leave any webbing
or keder sewn to the vinyl top damp. "
For washers, tumbler-style machines
are effective at cleaning hard-to-remove
stains, continues Arendt. Brush-style
machines are useful for cleaning the lat
pieces of roof vinyl.
Maintaining life span
Probably the best way to avoid a tough
cleaning situation and extend a product's
useful life is not getting the tops dirty
to begin with, Arendt says, adding
that a careless approach to install and
teardown can cause unnecessary soiling.
Using drop cloths during both can keep
tents cleaner and lasting longer.
Proper storage is also essential, says
Tharpe. This means putting a clean, dry tent
into a storage bag and placing this off the
loor, since laying the bag on concrete can
draw moisture into it, creating a mildew
issue. Keeping the tent bagged between installations
will further protect it, says Cole.
He also cautions installers to make sure
the tent is dry and that debris like pine needles,
leaves, balloons and so on have been
removed before storing. One strategy CCC
Washers uses is keeping a small blower in
company trucks, especially useful during
the fall, and blowing off the sections.
The importance of completely drying a
tent before storing cannot be overstated.
Putting a tent away wet can quickly ruin
a tent top, allowing mold to grow within
the tent's folds, the by-products of which
damages the vinyl, Arendt explains.
Proper dying is " imperative " to how long
a tent top will last.
" The lifetime performance of a tent is
twofold, " says Arendt. " First, the fabric
must withstand the test of Mother
Nature. And in the process of doing so,
it must remain clean enough to keep the
customers happy. The constant attention
to removing dirt, stains and soils ensures
that discoloration and staining will not
reduce the life span of a tent top. "
Pamela Mills-Senn is a freelance writer based in
Seal Beach, Calif.
Keeping tents clean and rental-ready
sometimes just requires old-school elbow
grease and a stiff bristle broom or brush.
Photo courtesy of Awning Cleaning
Industries/APCO Products.
" Cleaning a tent on a porous surface such
as brushed concrete or asphalt will reduce the
cleaning power of the bristles of the brush, the
yarn on the mop, and the fi bers of the cleaning
pad on a fl oor polisher, " he explains.
He also recommends that when applying
the cleaning chemical to the tent top, give it
suffi cient time to break the dirt away from the
vinyl before starting the cleaning process.
This will result in less scrubbing and less
expenditure of effort.
As for these chemicals, Cole says to make
sure they're specifi cally designed for tent vinyl.
" They will clean the best and be the most
economical, " he explains. " Use soft bristle brushes,
buffers or mops to work the dirt and grime off the
tents. And a word of caution about using pressure
washers. If not used properly, they can damage
the vinyl and threads with too much pressure and
too hot of water. Best if used just for rinsing. "
When it comes to protecting vinyl, Michael
Tharpe of Rainer Industries advises using nonpetroleum-based
cleaning products. Otherwise,
the threads could yellow over time. " Never
use Clorox® as your major cleaning liquid-this
could damage the threads, " he adds.
InTentsMag.com 17
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