washing waterproofs?

allym316

as a motorcyclist, I wear gortex textiles and have researched this a little. I wonder if I can pass on here what I have gleaned? Apologies in advance for the lengthy post, but as already said, it can be a complex choice dependant on fabric

Waterproof fabrics esp goretex needs to be washed as the fibres clog and fail to breathe when they get dirty, hence youre getting wet from the inside out (like wearing a nylon kagoole - bit pointless though if youve bought a supposed breathable fabric and no doubt paid extra for it)

Also the fibres cant repell the water from the outside, so they start to bog down with the weight of the water and if theres no goretex lining to stop it, the water slowly leaks inside... and the waterproofing fails again

the Techwash range is superb as you can clean the item and then re proof it (this just means the water runs off easier from the surface, you can see it bead and run off when it gets wet so the outer fabric doesnt get bogged down)

However, I have succesfully substituted the washing material sold in the green topped bottle with DREFT or any other non detergent soap and used it in the washer as normal. The trouble is it dont mix well and its best to mix it with warm water to make sure its all disolved first and then tip the solution into the drawer as normal. Using detergent based soap will adversely affect the waterproofing and is not recommended

I have also been strongly advised to never use fabric conditioner on my textiles, but this may of course be different for fleeces or other fabrics .. as I was told it would ruin expensive goretex so that is very interesting thanks...

For reproofing, there are various options, as already pointed out depending on the type of fabric and its washing / drying label

A lot of outdoor garments cant be tumble dried or ironed, so check that the proofing agent does not need to be activated by heat (this type is sold a lot in camping/outdoor shops) Use a spray on treatment instead that says it can be used on any fabric (inc goretex) and leave to dry

If it can be tumbledried or ironed then great. add to the washing machine as directed and then follow the instructions, usually involving 20 mins or so in the drier

However, there is another techwash product made for the likes of motorcycle/ other outdoor goretex products that can simply be added to the washing machine on its conditioner cycle but you need to check its the right one. Again bike shops sell that kind and it has a purple cap.

They also sell a small bottle of each that come as a twin pack enough to do one or 2 garments, but I cant remember how much that is

If youve spent a fortune buying waterproof gear, its worth spending a little extra keeping it waterproof.. the green bottle should be no more than £4 ish (compare this to a box of DREFT) but expect to pay a little more for the reproofing agent

Its also sold quite often on ebay too

Hope this helps ladies and gents? I regularly have to clean and reproof my gear esp riding in winter conditions as the salt and rubbish of the roads doesnt do it any good and was very wary of killing it with kindness

Glad

I was told when I bought mine to wash on cool wash, add conditioner to final rinse and when dry iron with a warm iron (test fabric first)

this will reproof it

Maz0807

To wash then waterproof your coat you need nikwax tech wash and then nikwax TX.Direct Wash-In! I use these all the time with my waterproof stuff for scouts and if you look online you can get a duo pack for about 6 quid xxx hope this helps