Tent Camping Post Trip Procedures

Proper post camping trip procedures help keep your equipment in good condition, keep your gear organized in storage, and make your next trip easier. Remove all perishable foods and clean your ice chest. I like to use a strong window cleaner with ammonia to sanitize my ice chest to avoid mildew. Leave the lid open for a while for it to dry completely before closing it up and storing it. Check your cleaning supplies and non-perishable provisions and replenish anything that is getting low or nearly used up or has a damaged container. Review the list you made during your trip to remind yourself of items you need to add or remove and services or repairs needed. Keep the list in a prominent place and review it frequently until you have completed all items on the list.  Return perishable items to their proper place in your home.

If you use a porta-potty, make sure you dump it, flush it, and add chemicals to the holding tank. Leaving it sit for a while filled with sewage will create a very unpleasant situation the next time you take it out. Unless there is a chance of freezing, re-fill the fresh water supply tank on the porta-potty so it will be ready to go for your next trip. It is usually easier to remember to refill it when you clean it than when you load it up next time. If you have to carry it up or down stairs you might want to postpone re-filling since water weighs 8 pounds per gallon and 5 gallons of water would add 40 pounds to the weight of the unit.  Just remember to refill it before your next trip.

Spills and crumbs or wet spots left in a tent will attract pests (insects, rodents, and micro organisms like fungus, mold, and mildew) and you'll have a very unpleasant surprise the next time you want to use it. Thoroughly sweep out your tent and wash off any spills or stains.   Let it dry before rolling it up.  Sap and bird droppings are particularly damaging to tent fabric so clean them off as soon as possible.  Damp fabric is likely to develop mold and mildew which is not only unpleasant and unsanitary, it may damage the fabric.  So make sure your tents, sleeping bags, and packs are thoroughly dry before you put them away.

Even a clean tent or sleeping bag will tend to develop a stale odor in storage, especially if it is put away damp. Even if you didn't have any rain the fabric may have absorbed moisture from perspiration, the breathing of occupants, from morning dew, or from the grass and/or ground beneath it. If you suspect your tent or sleeping bag is damp, hang it out to air dry for a day or two before rolling it up and putting it in storage.  And don't roll sleeping bags tight for long term storage.  It will crush the loft and destroy the insulating value. 

Sleeping bags should be aired out and thoroughly dry before you store them.   The best way to store them is to open them up and hang them.  Keeping them rolled can crush the fill, ruining the insulating quality, especially if they're rolled tightly.  Using a "stuff sack" instead of rolling them tightly reduces the chances of over-compression.

Clean your stoves and lanterns and, if you store them inside your house, remove the fuel.  Storing fuel containers inside your house or even an attached garage is dangerous.  Ideally they should be stored in a metal cabinet or shed separate from your residence.

As you're cleaning, take inventory of your supplies, sundries, tools etc. Make a list of things you need to replace or restock. Make sure everything is put away in its proper place. Things often get moved about during a trip and you may not remember where you stashed things by the next trip if they're not in their proper place. You might even want to go over your pre-trip checklist so you can replenish depleted supplies and make necessary repairs before your next trip.

Now, pat your self on the back, have a nice dinner, and get a good night's sleep!