never use wash in proofer on pile stuff or anything with a membrane. always apply spray on proofer on the outside.
detergent destroys the dwr? mmm. does it? the more robust manufacturer ones should n't be affected by it much. wax ones tend to wash out (tx10).
NEVER use anything with conditioner because it's a pig to get it off again.
proofing something over dirt/muck/grease doesn't work. the proofer doesn't stick.
get rid of the dirt/muck/grease.
wash in detergent, i use ecover just because it's what i use. possibly twice to ensure you have removed ALL muck
an aside here. everytime you pick your rucksack up and throw it over your shoulder you have wiped all the sweat and oil off of your palm onto the strap and from there to be ground into the face fabric on your shoulders (and anywhere else the strap touches).
after detergent then use soap or techwash to get rid of the detergent. then proof. tumbledry.
once it's properly washed and proofed then regular washing in soap works wonders. don't wait for it to get dirty.
the ONLY way to get rid of proper grime is to use detergent (or dry clean). just using soap DOES NOT WORK.
prepare your machine by doing a hottest possible wash (known as a boil wash) which serves a few purposes. it follows the machine care instructions. it helps to clean out all the accumulated gunk in the mcahine that lower temerpature won't dissolve. you can do the hot was three ways. firstly by wasting money and running it empty. secondly by washing some towels or something that is ok with boil wash. thirdly empty a small box of citric acid (from chemists) into the machine and have it do a descale (machine descaler is citric acid (lemon juice) and/or acetic acid (vinegar) with a little detergent.
