• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register

Bloomin' Annoyed

Brambling

Very Addicted
Messages
1,134
Points
980
As I said in another thread, I washed the winter coats. I tested all 3 jackets, prior to packing away and all have lost water repellency. :( Not sure if it's me or the product. (These jackets are under two years old, 2 Berghaus and a Peter Storm)

Did as follows.
Cleaned soap drawer on washing machine.
Put washing machine on 'clean' cycle to remove any remaining detergent residue.
Used recommended amount of Nikwax Tech wash on recommended cycle.
Washed each coat separately.

Now I'm no expert, but it does say that washing (and I quote) 'Cleans effectively, reviving breathability and water repellency.' So have I done anything wrong? have I been naive to believe the spiel? or does this always happen when you wash waterproof jackets? 🤬

Reproofing now.:mad:
 
I do know a washing machine is supposed to be death to Gortex but I'm unsure of the science. I remember a very long talk with a guy in Leominster who is a bit of an army surplus guru, he reccomended nothing harsher than soft soap, cool water and a sponge for everything from jackets to bivvi bags.
There is another issue with Gortex and washing machines and that is the environmental damage caused by the particles of Teflon released into the waste water
 
The coats are Berghaus equivalent of Goretex or somesuch. I wouldn't have got in a snit had I not gone on the Berghaus website to check their recommendations and followed them to the letter I might add, they even say tumble drying is OKo_O. They're still waterproof, but the water has stopped beading on the surface and soaks in to the fabric. Hey ho. Will test again tomorrow now they've been re proofed.
 
The beading is not the goretex but the surface fabric having lost its water repellency; you can get sprays to restore this and I’ve read (but please confirm) that a low iron in the direction of travel (ie from shoulders to hem) helps.

38
 
The beading is not the goretex but the surface fabric having lost its water repellency; you can get sprays to restore this and I’ve read (but please confirm) that a low iron in the direction of travel (ie from shoulders to hem) helps.

38
I re-proofed my jackets a couple of months ago and the instructions recommended tumble drying or ironing for the repellant to work - I tumble dried them and apart from a crinkled hood peak on my soft shell (which I ironed flat again through a towel) it did work....for a while...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bam
As I said in another thread, I washed the winter coats. I tested all 3 jackets, prior to packing away and all have lost water repellency. :( Not sure if it's me or the product. (These jackets are under two years old, 2 Berghaus and a Peter Storm)

Did as follows.
Cleaned soap drawer on washing machine.
Put washing machine on 'clean' cycle to remove any remaining detergent residue.
Used recommended amount of Nikwax Tech wash on recommended cycle.
Washed each coat separately.

Now I'm no expert, but it does say that washing (and I quote) 'Cleans effectively, reviving breathability and water repellency.' So have I done anything wrong? have I been naive to believe the spiel? or does this always happen when you wash waterproof jackets? 🤬

Reproofing now.:mad:
I've just remembered after my last comment (I used Grangers 2 in 1 wash and reproofer). I bought the TX repellent once and it recommends to use Tech Wash first - I think it might be a two part exercise for good reproofing. I paste this from Amazon where you can buy the two products together:


Tech Wash is a soap-based cleaner which can be used regularly to clean clothing and equipment without damaging the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coatings. Use this product instead of conventional detergents or washing powder.

TX.Direct adds water-repellency and revives breathability to fabrics without wicking liners. Prolongs the effective lifespan and optimizes the performance of your wet-weather clothing.

Hope that helps
 
TX.Direct adds water-repellency and revives breathability to fabrics without wicking liners. Prolongs the effective lifespan and optimizes the performance of your wet-weather clothing.

Hope that helps

I use something similar, maybe even the same id have to check the label, from go outdoors. I reproof my jackets every few months. Unfortunately unless you but super high end stuff (which I don't) it seems it's just another one of those chores tbco every now amd then.
 
Are there rewaterproofing treatments which are spray-on only? My wife's miltec coat lost its repellancy but she doesn't trust putting any chemicals in the washing machine. (In fact would rather replace rather than treat but I'm of a different mind)
 
The Nikwax wash in reproofing treatment has worked, but I'm not sure for how long.
@G1ZmO There's fabsil, but I don't know what sort of fabrics it's suitable for and nikwax do a spray on.
 
When your jacket is now clean and dry, hang it up and go over it with a hair dryer, don't no why but it improves things.
 
Back
Top