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ree
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ree
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PostSat Jul 15, 2017 10:34 am 
It had been in a tight crumpled stuff sack for years. The rainfly is VERY sticky and smells. Can I wash it out and recoat? Will that ruin my washer if I stick it in there? I don't want to give up on it if I don't have to. The tent is in good shape... it's just the rainfly is sticky. I have some rope wash. Can I use that? Or is it ruined?

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treeswarper
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PostSat Jul 15, 2017 12:24 pm 
Does it smell like cat litter box?

What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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markh752
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PostSat Jul 15, 2017 1:26 pm 
Use a mild dish detergent and a soft brush to wash. Hang or set up with the tent and let it air dry. NikWax or a similar company make products to recoat the fly. Personally, I wouldn't put a coated tent fly in the washer. But it would probably work on a gentle cycle.

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Slide Alder Slayer
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PostSun Jul 16, 2017 9:39 am 
I'm afraid your rain fly has gone to the big campsite in the sky. Based on what you described the underside waterproofing coating has broken down. Sounds like an older REI tent, but I have also seen it happen with Sierra Design tents.

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Malachai Constant
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PostSun Jul 16, 2017 11:40 am 
If it is a MSR you can go down to SODO and ask them, they gave us a new fly for our old Hubba Hubba.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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SeanSullivan86
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PostSun Jul 16, 2017 10:32 pm 
This also happened recently to the fly on my 2009 REI Quarter Dome T2. Haven't tried to do anything about it yet.

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schifferj
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PostMon Jul 17, 2017 10:17 am 
Smelly tent? It’s one of two things (unless it got skunked or peed on by a dog): mildew, or hydrolyzation of the polyurethane coating. Neither is fixable. Mildew is from moisture, and hydrolyzing of the PU is due to age and exposure to environmental conditions. I had this happen to my trusty ole North Face VE-24 and, trust me, there was nothing that could be done to save it. I tried washing, recoating, everything but, in the words of another poster, the tent had gone to the great camping site in the sky.

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ree
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ree
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 9:28 am 
A friend of mine suggested washing it in a vinegar/water mix.. So I tried it, and it worked. I used a bucket and diluted vinegar and gave it 2 rinses. Then I set it up after it dried and gave it two coats of Nikwax. The Roadster had a porthole in the rainfly of clear plastic, which had detached. (Lame antiquated design.) I used Shoe Goo to re-attach it. The rainfly has been rehabbed, but I don't think I want to use it in a downpour. embarassedlaugh.gif

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Ski
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 9:39 am 
up.gif If the "Shoo Goo" doesn't hold ("Shoo Goo" not having what would be considered as having superior holding qualities) I would suggest "Pliobond 25", a "contact cement" type adhesive for rubber developed by Goodyear for the US Army during the Korean War.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Chief Joseph
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 10:39 am 
I am a big fan of Shoe Goo...if that doesn't work then I doubt anything will. A friend said he read for tent seam sealing to dilute the SG with paint thinner and brush on. I had a comforter that I could not get cat urine smell out of, washed it with detergent, ammonia, and baking soda, smell gone!

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Ski
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PostSun Aug 06, 2017 11:11 am 
The issue with "Shoo Goo" is that it's more a "filler" than an adhesive, and the "Pliobond 25" remains more flexible over time. After many repairs re-attaching the soles on different pairs of Tevas, I think the "Pliobond 25" is a better choice. Although he sells tons of it, my shoe guy (Alex) doesn't have a real high opinion of "Shoo Goo". He uses something more along the line of the "Pliobond". YMMV Old-school for removing odors: borax. Used to be heavily advertised for getting the pee smell out of cloth diapers. Not used so much now. Can't find plain old clear ammonia now because they apparently use it for cooking up meth. rant.gif When I worked a parts counter people used to come in all the time looking for "carpet cleaner" to get the puke and baby formula stench out of the carpeting in their cars. I always told them that plain baking soda and water and a stiff brush was a better choice, at a fraction of the cost of an aerosol can of that foamy crap made by Turtle Wax.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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