As summer comes to a close so do the summer camping trips. You may have loved spending a few nights in the woods but if the smell of campfire and the appearance of dirt still haunt you, it’s time for some serious cleaning. Here are a few hacks to help get your clothes and gear truly clean after an outdoor adventure:
Dry it out:
Before packing up any sleeping bags or tents, make sure everything is as dry as possible. This may require setting your tent up again in the backyard to allow it to air out for a few hours. You never want to store any fabrics wet as they will come out smelling like mildew even a few days later.
Banish campfire smell:
The smell of a campfire is relaxing when you’re out in the woods but when you are home you may want other smells to dominate. Try washing your clothes in hot water. This will help fibers loosen during the wash and let go of smells.
Add one cup of white vinegar into your load. Vinegar is a natural, non-toxic odor fighter. A half a cup of baking soda can also help deodorize materials.
Watch out for mud:
Mud stains are tricky. You don’t want to scrub them right away as this can cause the mud to smear and spread, but letting it sit seems counter intuitive. If you find mud on your clothes, let it dry out completely and scrape off as much as you can. Then allow the garment to soak for 30 minutes to several hours with a mild detergent before throwing it into the washing machine. Make sure the stain is gone before drying. If you can still see it after washing in your machine, try scrubbing the spot with a small toothbrush.
Scrub your shoes:
Shoes often come back caked in mud and dirt after a weekend in the woods. To keep your shoes in the best condition, don’t let this rest. Scrape off as much as you can and then spray your shoes with a hose to remove the rest.
If your shoes are fabric, fill a bucket with a small amount of detergent and dish soap and allow your shoes to soak for an hour or two. Rinse them well with a hose and allow them to air dry.
Wash right away:
With all the effort of packing up a campsite and driving home, you may be tempted to crash but don’t rest without throwing in a load of laundry. You do not want stains to have any time to sit.
Set your machine to wash in warm water and you may want to use a detergent booster like Oxy Clean or borax for an extra deep clean.
If doing laundry sounds overwhelming for you—schedule a free pickup! Just leave your laundry in a bag outside your door and Prestige Cleaners can come pick it up and do it for you. We can even pick up bulky items like sleeping bags!