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Got a nice berghaus jacket that needs a clean. What do you use and why? Techwash all the way and spray on proofer plus tumble dry?
Read that - liquid detergent? Bio or non bio ?
Either Nikwax Techwash or Grangers Performance Wash.
Then tumble dryer.
Don't bother with the proofer until it's not beading at all.
https://www.arcteryx.com/gb/en/help/product-care
Clean any gunge out of tray first, and blast through one or two empty hot washes to remove detergent build-up.
Or buy a Columbia Outdry jacket!
What Chipster said.
You will perlong the life of the garments by washing them with right products. The tumble drying is just as important.
Hmmm wash my great coat or buy another???
Brush off thick dirt and wipe the rest with a sponge.
Nikwax Tech Wash is just liquid soap.
Dri-pak Liquid Soap Flakes is usually much cheaper (or Wilkos rebranded version).
tech wash first and then after you've washed it 3 or 4 times you might want to think about reproofing with TX direct spray or wash-in. You'll usually get better results with Wash-in as it's not prone to you positentially missing bits etc
Don't use liquid Bio, the label on my old eVent jacket made no distinction between bio and non-bio, so I used bio and it ruined the jacket. Shop acted as if I should have known not to use bio...
I'm done tumble drying jackets, the instructions are always too vague, and tumble driers too inaccurate. Managed to cause some minor delamination on my lovely Arcteryx despite keeping drier on low and checking it constantly.
I'm just going to stick to spray on DWRs and buy a Shakedry jacket for the road bike!
Violet’s laundry liquid seems to work very well on anything proofed with Nikwax but is far cheaper than Techwash. Only Granger’s needs tumble drying, the other water repellents don’t. If washing doesn’t make it bead afterward then TXdirect wash-in is the stuff to use.
If you use washing powder at home, especially biological, be sure to run a detergent free hot wash beforehand to remove residue or it’ll strip the proofing. If you use non-bio liquid then that’s probably not necessary.
Some people recommend hand wash it in a clean bucket in chooses goretex cleaner, less chance of contamination for biological washing powder.
Peg it out on the washing line..... Hose it down.... Quick scrub with a cloth... Leave to dry. I've tried every cleaning product listed and non of them clean to the standard that they advertise. Sweat is the main factor in the the waterproof lining degradation, I've had £15 Regatta jackets and had £150 Rab jackets....theyre not built for high temperature.... High perspiration. Personally I but cheap then I'm not ****ed off when they lose the water repellent.
Agree with above, hence suggestion above re: Columbia Outdry jackets - no DWR, just a tough external membrane you can sponge clean. Available at different price points. Having had £300 Gore-tex jackets in the past, I wouldn't consider one now for mountain biking. I've been very pleased with the c.£60 Outdry jacket I bought early 2018 (but check the hood design if you want to use it off-bike).
I've also had problems with cleaning and proofing jackets. In fact I've never done it and been pleased with the outcome. I avoid doing it as much as possible, generally by also not wearing them much
I have a columbia outdry jacket for MTB as well, main reason being the lack of DWR coating. Has survived two crashes on ice too. Not to heavy either, has been hillwalking and to the alps
In a previous job I went on a tour of the Gore Tex factory in Edinburgh. We asked them this very question. They said that non-detergent soap flakes is all you need followed by a drip dry then tumble dry on a low heat.
Re heat and sweat/ sorry perspiration you really need pit zips. Decathlon £60 jacket if it fits is great