Camping love: care tips for your sleeping mat.

Here are some tips for cleaning, repairing and caring for your sleeping mat.

Cleaning

People like to put off cleaning their sleeping mat, especially at the end of a trip when they are already sadly thinking about the new week at the office. However, it is extremely important to clean the mat first before it goes into the closet for storage.

So that the camping mat is clean and ready for use for the next trip, it should first be cleaned. Stains, sand, dirt or other contaminants perhaps even still in combination with moisture, are difficult to remove, especially if the mat has been stored folded for weeks.

Even if the mat doesn't look obviously dirty, it should still be wiped down. This way you avoid that smell or dirt will worsen over time and become a nasty surprise the next time you want to use the mat.

Most stains and dirt can be easily cleaned with warm water and a cloth or sponge. If you have a (self)inflating mat, make sure that the valve is well closed to prevent water from entering the interior. Also, be sure to use a soft sponge that does not have a rough surface that could damage the outer material of the mat. Also, if you must use detergent for stubborn dirt, make sure it does not contain bleach, fabric softener or other chemicals.

After cleaning, let the mat dry well at room temperature or outside in the shade before storing it. Do not try to speed up the process by placing the mat in the sun, for example, as direct sunlight and too much heat can damage the mat's material. Drying with a hair dryer is also not a good idea.

Repair.

Through use and over time, of course, it always happens that the sleeping mat is damaged. Normally, small scratches on the surface do not affect the function of the mattress and do not cause it to lose air. But holes and cracks must of course be found and examined so that you can continue to have a comfortable sleeping experience on the mat.

To find an invisible hole, there are either small leak detection devices or you rub the mat carefully in the suspected places with soapy water, where bubbles then form, should there be a hole or crack. There, the small damage can then be quickly repaired yourself with a patch kit.

Storage.

If well cared for, a sleeping mat is durable and can provide you with many years of camping enjoyment.

After always making sure the mat is completely dry before packing it away for storage, as described above, it is important that it be stored in a moderately cool place. Excessive heat (e.g., in an attic that is not well insulated) can damage the mat's lamination during overstorage.

If possible, the sleeping mat is optimally rolled out slightly and stored with the valve open. This allows the material to breathe, moisture to escape from the inside and the mat retains its value for years.

Have you checked out the Outchair Sleep Mat yet? It's one of the newest additions to our product portfolio and is super practical and lightweight for any camping adventure!