well i never. i've learnt something. must admit it hasn't happened to me yet.
mind i don't really suffer from smelly bits. drives the angel jealous how my feet don't smell - the only time they have was after a long walk when it very hot out, but switching to smartwool socks has cured that.

I think work sweat is different to outdoors sweat too :oD

lol!

Slight diversion from thread subject...

Whilst I know detergent adversely affects DWR properties [and yes I do wash most of my outdoor waterproof gear using soapflakes, Polarproof. tumble dry reactivation etc..] I really believe that unless you have a washing machine you have NEVER used detergent in, you should handwash using soap, and rinse by hand too, or you are completely wasting money on Techwash /Graingers etc..
I can take the detergent holder out of my washing mashine and clean it in the dishwasher so its like new, but have a look in the tunnel of the powder tray and its still got detergent gunk in it and probably round the flue too, which would be nigh on impossible to clean.
From my photographic experience you only need a few drops of detergent in a gallon of water to make a wetting agent to rinse films and paper, so I would imagine some of this detergent residue MUST go in the mix and affect the final wash.

Thoughts please.

BTW I wash base layers and socks in bog standard non bio powder as I want them to wick

Ah, Mikey almost beats me to my next question...

I purchased some of Granny's Soap Flakes in my local Tesco Emporium tonight. The box says they shouldn't be used in a front load washing machine as they are best in a twin tub. Who has a twin tub these days?

So am I faced with spending yet more time in the bathroom on rub-a-dub-dub duties (I already hand wash my cycling shorts) or are the flakes okay to bung in my decrepid washing machine?

I use the tablets in the bag or liquid in the ball for my washing, so my tubes are clean thank you very much.

ChrisB, I use the same flakes as you regardless, the do dissolve away and I don't have a residue left, but ir you use too much, there's foam coming out eveywhere, I was in tears on the kitchen floor laughing the first time I tried it as foam came out of the front door and tray like something out of a Carry On film.
One way is to dissolve some in hot water before you put them into the machine.
But don't blame me if it all goes horribly wrong :oD

Mikey, washing wicking tops in pure soap / techwash shouldn't affect the wicking properties. Only thing not to do to those is proof them!

Mikey B, I use Ecover in my washing machine for base layers, socks, fleeces, non-outdoor clothing and anything else without a DWR finish. Yes, there is some Ecover left in the machine even after running an empty wash cycle and cleaning the dispenser but I still find that garments washed in soap flakes (Tech Wash, Granger's X, Granny's, Dri-Pak, Boots) have better DWR than those washed in Ecover - and I have tested this. I've also found that the DWR can be improved by washing garments washed in Ecover in soap to remove the Ecover. It may be that if I hand washed everything the DWR would be better still but I've too much outdoor gear and not enough time to do that.

I've never had problems using soap flakes in a front loading machine, though I do use less than half the amount than I do Ecover.

Quite right Cara, but why bother?

The only things I can be be arsed to hand wash using soap are merino base layers so I know they wont shrink.
I use a machine to do my LA Triplepoint Ceramic and TNF HyVent [joke]waterproof, to which I still refer to my earlier post doubts of whether you can wash and rinse these efficiently in a contaminated washing machine.

Ive found a bog standard wash in the machine with a couple of rinses and then Polarproof is OK for softshell and fleece.

But I really think there's such a lot of bollocks talked about using this or that product for washing outdoor gear, and we are paying thru the nose for it.
At the end of the day though, the main advice seems to be ..use soapflakes...tumble dry if possible to restore DWR ...or spray it with Fabsil/Novadry [Cheap/OK] or wooo..technical stuff....TX Direct[expensive and still not convinced if it works]

BTW..have you EVER used a product to "proof" a fleece blah..blah...by hand and then wondered "why do my hands feel like they have been thinly coated with dilute PVA?" ....probably because thats what you have just done.

I wash my merino stuff at 40deg in the machine and it doesn't shrink.
I did reproof a ruck sack once, my hands were very slippy for some time afterwards:oD

ChrisB - I dissolve soap flakes in a jug of hot water - half the amount they recommend - then slop it into the soap dispenser as the machine fills.
No foam seeps out ever.

I've been machine washing merino wool base layers for several years now and none have shrunk yet ......

Soap flakes are cheap and effective. I only use TX.Direct or Polarproof when the DWR seems to have faded significantly. I've never found Fabsil very effective.

Knowing whether washing and rinsing has damaged the DWR is quite easy. Does the DWR still work?

At 30deg delicate wash, mine came out like like felt and about 7/8ths their original size hence the handwashing. And thats 3 diff types of merino garments.
I'll just have to lose more weight.
Chris, I find tumble drying for about 30- 40 mins according to LA instructiond restores the DWR on my jacket best.

My machine doesn't have a 30 deg wash so I wash merino wool garments on the 40 deg wool wash. I have SmartWool, Icebreaker, Howies and Ortovox merino wool garments and none has shrunk.

I don't have a tumble drier so I haven't tried that method. Ironing or a hair dryer does have an effect, especially with garments that just been reproofed.

Thanks all.

So should the dedicated OMer have two washing machines?

I need a tumbler :o(

As Kat has said, Techwash is expensive and I use it if it's the only option.For most purposes I use Ecover Delicate liquid formulated for wool,silk & fine fabrics mainly because it's a regular stock item at home.I'd be happy using other Ecover products mentioned by others.I press the button that makes the drum rotate at a slower speed and also set the spin to low speed.
When I'm reproofing with TX Direct Wash In,I press the button which reduces water consumption on rinsing.

Right approach William.

Techwash fills your machine with filth in just the same way that the gear manufacturers reckon commercial detergents do.
Answer: get a life, don't bother with soft shell, as we all know it was all invented as a concept by the marketing men at the fabric companies anyway. Socks, fleeces, woolly stuff, base layers, just wash 'em.

I don't want to spend my life pissing about with five different detergents and reproofers, so I don't buy softshell. It's bad enough having to do one breathable shell (and I don't have a tumble-drier either).

If you must use Techwash and the like, please do so only when absolutely necessary. You want to enjoy wild places and fresh air, then you come home and load the water cycle with chemicals... hypocritical?

Techwash is pure soap. It's detergents that are full of chemicals. Ecover is much better for the environment than standard detergents but it will still damage DWR finishes, even Ecover Delicate.

There's no need for washing outdoor clothing to be a hassle. I wash most stuff in Evover, anything with a DWR in soap flakes.

Soft shell is a marketing concept but the fabrics aren't. Most were around before the term soft shell was invented anyway. Rohan was using stretch Schoeller fabrics for legwear back in the 1980s. Now that you can get waterproof soft shell the term has become almost meaningless.