Clean, proof and dry waterproof shell clothing
The dos and don'ts
Posted: 18 November 2004
by OM / Grangers
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Products: Clean with Granger’s Extreme Cleaner Plus; reproof with Granger’s Extreme Wash-In Re-Proofer or Granger’s XT
MYTH: You shouldn’t clean GoreTex.
FACT: : Durable Waterproof Coating (DWR) works better when it’s clean. Regular maintenance will make your waterproofs last longer.
 | | Always read the label... |
Granger’s Extreme Cleaner Plus is a water-based liquid soap. It is designed for all washable fabrics and will clean anything from base layers to waterproof jackets without destroying their water-repelling properties. Used regularly, it will also zap thousand-yard smells, even in a 40 degree wash. If your base layers are anything but a breath of fresh air, a simple machine wash with Extreme Cleaner Plus might redeem you in the eyes and nostrils of your fellow hillgoers.
Dr Reproof says: “You’d be hard-pushed to ruin a jacket by cleaning it – the information you need is out there, all you have to do if you’re not sure is ask the manufacturer or contact us. On the other hand, if you don’t do anything to look after your gear, it will almost certainly need replacing sooner rather than later.”
Dr. Reproof says:
You don’t have to clean a garment before you reproof it, but the proofing agent will attach better and be more effective on clean fibres.
How to machine-wash waterproof shell clothing (and fleeces and base layers)
1. CHECK THE CARE LABEL!
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2. Clean the machine. Most domestic washing machines have a massive build-up of detergent and softener in the drawers and inside the drum. If you want to get the most out of cleaning your gear, clean the detergent drawer out and run an empty 90 degree boil wash through the machine. This isn’t overkill, it really will make a difference.
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3. If necessary, do any spot cleaning before washing. Dilute half a cap of cleaner with the same amount of water and apply with a clean sponge. Wash the garment straight away after spot cleaning to avoid patchy stains.
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4. Close all zips and velcro tapes – this keeps the garment a uniform shape and stops the sleeves tying themselves into velcro knots.
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5. Set the machine on the recommended cycle. Stroke the cat and put the kettle on.
For best results, you should wash only one full-size garment at a time. If you put two jackets in a washing machine, there isn’t much room for the cleaner to move around and there’s abrasion on the jacket.
A 30-40 degree synthetics wash cycle is suitable for most garments. Let the garment go through the full wash cycle, including rinses. Don’t worry, it won’t wash the product out, the Granger’s range is geared toward use in domestic washing machines.
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How to reproof waterproof shell clothing
Proofing or reproofing down with a spray-on finish means it will stay cleaner for longer. The proofer doesn’t affect the fabric, it just means the shell will stay cleaner for longer and repel dirt, sweat and assorted whiffs more effectively.
Granger’s XT is a spray-on water-repellent finish, and is suitable for all synthetic and breathable fabrics.
There are two options when the washing machine has finished and you have a clean garment.
1. Leave it in the machine and follow up with another complete wash cycle with Granger’s Extreme Wash-In Re-Proofer, or...
2. Remove the garment and spray with Granger’s XT. If you treat with XT, the garment will need slightly less drying time. Hang your clean garment on a coat hanger over a bath (there’ll be plenty of excess). Close all zips.
Spray evenly and generously, from about 15cm, paying special attention to seams and any heavy-wear areas.
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Drying waterproof shell clothing
The reproofing product is now in the fibres, but the DWR finish needs heat to be activated. Put the garment in a tumble drier at 50-60 degrees for about an hour.
No tumble drier? Quite right, they’re terribly bad for the environment. No problem, the XT won’t go anywhere and you can tumble dry it anytime in the next few months, say, when you’re visiting a friend with a tumble drier. If you don’t have access to a tumble drier or a friend with a tumble drier, you can iron the garment (providing the manufacturer’s instructions say the garment is okay to iron).
Don’t use a drier in a laundrette unless it has a thermostat; most laundrette driers are hotter then Satan’s chip pan.
Dr. Reproof says:
The finish will stay in the fibres for months, and every time you apply heat, the bond is reactivated. If you’re going away for the weekend and the weatherman’s throwing black storm clouds at the map, you can put your treated waterproof in the drier for 20 minutes, and refresh its waterproofing properties without the palaver of washing.
As always, you should check the care label for the manufacturer’s recommendations.
You don’t have to heat-treat the proofed garment straight away, but you must tumble dry before you expect it to perform.
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Q: How do I know it’s reproofed successfully?
A: Easy. Splash water on the fabric; if it beads and runs off, it’s done. If not, put the garment back in the drier for another ten minutes. (The bit you’ve just got wet won’t be affected in any way.)
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Take me back to the Grangers care section.
Discuss this story
to be absolutely sure wash it twice and add another rinse cycle on at the end. one wash inside out. the sleeves will wash the same if the jacket is zipped up or not.
Posted: 16/11/2009 at 08:40
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