Practice pitching inside your home or your backyard to make sure you don’t have any missing parts or manufacturing defects. Pack a tent repair kit, duct tape, and a footprint.  When pitching outside, be sure to remove all rocks and sticks from the site. Avoid extreme heat, direct sunlight, and pitching too close to an open fire.  After camping, first clean the interior of the tent before you take it down. Freestanding tents can be unstaked, then tipped until dirt and debris can be swept out of the tent. Decathlon's Mountain Sports Category Manager, Uluc Sozuoz, offers these tips for cleaning a tent:  Cleaning: if necessary, use soapy water and rinse (water-jet cleaning if possible). (If you use a hose, be sure not to use high pressure.) Dry thoroughly before storing.  Removing resin stains: once the stain has dried, carefully scrape off the resin. Apply an ice cube to the inside. This will make the resin brittle and it will be easier to remove.  Storage: after use or cleaning, do not store your tent until it is perfectly dry to prevent odors and mold from forming.