1) Is the own brand waterproofing stuff from Mountain Warehouse any good?
2) What's better to re-DWR after; tumble dry or iron?
eVent jacket, FWIW.
Never used the MW stuff, but for an eVent jacket I have always used Nikwax Tx. Direct Spray On Spray On Waterproofer.
Run the washing machine through a hot cycle whilst empty to remove washing powder residue. Wash the jacket with a liquid soap, and then hang on line. Apply Proofing spray.
You can buy the proofer in 1 litre bottles which saves some pennies over time.
1) No personal experience, but I wouldn't trust anything from Mountain Warehouse to be any good, or good value. If you want to save money over the good stuff (e.g. Nixwax) I'd buy some pure soap flakes/liquid from Wilko/Amazon. Works just fine at a fraction of the price of Nixwax. With that money saved, I'd then buy the proper proofing stuff from grangers/Nixwax.
2) I suspect it depends on the garment, but I find tumble dry works just fine to re-DWR. Perhaps try that first, and if not satisfactory, get the iron out.
I've never used the MH stuff but have a look at the bottle see if the ingredients are the same as Nikwax. If it's the same as Nikwax it may be worth a pop.
Further to the comments above, make sure it's non bio washing liquid you use. to wash your kit.
I've always tumble dried my kit, I don't trust myself with an iron on expensive synthetic jackets.
So, for washing the jacket,as long as it's non-bio detergent it's fine (i.e, it doesn't have to be liquid soap/NikWax/Grangers?).
It's not the cost element for the MW stuff, it's more that I can get some in my lunch hour, I'm not sure anywhere in town sells NikWax/Grangers.
wash with any non bio wash powder, or Halo.
Run machine empty on a hot wash to clean away any conditioner etc (this is not essential IMO, modern machines are pretty clean at the end oaf a regular wash).
Run on a 30 wash with wash-in proofer : Grangers/Nikwax/other. Tumble or drip dry - whichever the garment label says.
I contacted Endura a few weeks back and they advised a wipe down after every ride, a wash every few rides, and every 4th or 5th wash use a reproofer. No tumble drying.
Had a cursory mooch at the MW and Nikwax products. I can't find the ingredient details for the Nikwax product - though I did only literally look at the product on their website.
The MW stuff is only £7.50 on the website which is worth a try for that.
I've only ever used liquid detergent.
A-ha! A rummage through the back of the cleaning stuff cupboard has found an old bottle of NikWax wash in reproofer. It says it has a best before date of Dec16, does the stuff really go off?
A friend's blog post from a few years back gives a good guide:
https://gearandmountains.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/how-to-reproof-waterproof-clothing/
It says it has a best before date of Dec16, does the stuff really go off?
No, but it dries out eventually and just solidifies. I found a 15 year old bottle the other day - just a solid lump in there.
