[Closed] Washing eVENT gear?

[url= http://www.eventfabrics.com/care_and_maintenance.php ]eVent care[/url]

I use the Grangers potions. Worth running the washing machine on a hot cycle first to get rid of any left over detergents.

Tumble dry afterwards- haven't used the spray on DWR but don't think its needed

I never wash them. Just wipe the worse of the shite off.

Jamie - Member

I never wash them. Just wipe the worse of the shite off.

That's what I have been doing for the last year or so Jamie, but it wiffs a bit, even by my smelling standards 😉

rockthreegozy - Member

eVent care

I use the Grangers potions. Worth running the washing machine on a hot cycle first to get rid of any left over detergents.

Thanks for the link rock, do you bother with the 2nd wash to clear any detergents?

I;

Hot wash empty machine
Normal wash with Grangers 30degree cleaner
Normal wash with Grangers reproofer
Tumble dry

I have a Montane eVent jacket and the instructions that came with it just say wash as normal.

DO NOT USE NORMAL WASHING POWDER!

Taken from eVent
"Regular washing of your eVent garment will enhance product performance. Your garment may be machine washed in warm water (110F / 40C) with liquid detergent, and we recommend a second rinse to remove all traces of detergent from the fabric."

I;

Hot wash empty machine
Normal wash with Grangers 30degree cleaner
Normal wash with Grangers reproofer
Tumble dry

as rockthree says, but I also add a spray after tumbledrying the water beading and proofing is then as good as the day I bought it.

I always use the Nikwax waterproof wash stuff for goretex, paramo, e-vent etc., and it seems to work with all of them.

Normal detergent (without conditioners) can be used if the garment is heavily stained- but needs a proper rinse and/or a wash in Grangers/Nikwax after to remove all residue.

Many swear by pure soap flakes..

I use the spray as I don't see the point in proofing the inside of the fabric, surely that effects the breathability?

I read on a hillwalking forum its sometimes worth using normal detergent first in order to really clean out residual grease and oil, before then washing in grangers etc, then re-proofing.

Seems a lot of hassle, I might just unzip it a bit if I get sweaty...

My Montane eVent jacket needed washing and the instructions on the two labels in it were ambiguous, so I contacted Montane and got this reply:

I can confirm that NikWax will not clean this garment, you need to wash it with a liquid detergent before using NikWax to reproof.

I suggest washing a couple of times with biological liquid detergent as you have reproofed over the dirt and grease due to the inaccurate first wash [I had used Tech Wash then TX Direct]. After you have washed it give it an iron on the face fabric to rejuvenate the DWR.

I spoke to him and he confirmed that it should just be washed in any normal, biological liquid detergent as part of the normal wash - but not detergent powder as this can clog the pores. It can then be washed with Tech Wash to remove the detergent, and reproofed if necessary. But he was adamant that most of the time it should just be chucked in the machine with other laundry.

As someone who hadn't dared wash it for a year in case it messed up the proffing I still find this hard to believe, but he was very clear about it!

I use nickwax Tech wash... (its a cleaner not a waterproofer)

then follow the instructions on my PACE jacket and warm iron it to reactivate the water proofing..

seems to have worked so far.. still water proof still breathable.

The stuff to also avoid is the regular detergents with fabric softener combined, fabric softener isn't great for waterproof stuff.

I use Nikwax tech wash and wash in reproofer for all my stuff - paramo, rab vapour rise, bike kit the lot.

I use the spray as I don't see the point in proofing the inside of the fabric, surely that effects the breathability?

LOL. It dosn't stick to the inside, only the 'face' fabric.

For the price of all this stuff and the risk of knackering an expensive jacket, I've been idly toying with sending mine to [url= http://www.lsr.gb.com/reproofing.htm ]LSR[/url] for reproofing.

Thoughts? Don't bother, MTFU and wash it?

LOL. It dosn't stick to the inside, only the 'face' fabric.

Not IME. Definitely had breathability issues after wash-in proofing. Plus with spray you can put extra on heavy wear parts like shoulders etc. That's with Goretex mind. eVent is different.

Its easy. Bung in washing machien with pure soap (not conventional washing detergent) - either nikwax, grangers or something you are SURE does not include fabric wetters.

Rinse.

Spin.

Reproof (spray or wash-in)

Low heat tumble dry or air then low heat iron.

LOL. It dosn't stick to the inside, only the 'face' fabric.

Really? It knows the difference does it? 😀

We asked Grangers about this when we had a visit from them at our shop. Although they were very clear that it wouldn't affect breathability (much..) they couldn't explain exactly why it was OK to coat a porous breathable membrane with a waterproof 'wax' style substance.

I think the bottom line was that the molecule size of the proofer was such that it didn't block the pores, but would repel water.

Or something.

The breathability of my Altura Reflex has been killed completely by using Nikwax tech wash and tx direct. Trying to undo the "damage" but not too hopeful.

A shame as the Nikwax stuff has worked well on other jackets.

Odd, I've been used tech wash and tx direct wash in on 7 or 8 different jackets over 12 years, and they've all been fine. Thats both 2nd generation goretex 2 layer, 3rd generation paclite and (but mostly) on event jackets.

Speaking to various reps over the years, they usually intimated the tech wash wouldn't stick to the insideface fabric (or at least, 'as much') - partic a single layer systems such as event or paclite, where the inner face is coated with their propriatry 'magic'.

Trying to undo the "damage" but not too hopeful.

It'll come good after four or five wears I think Mat. The action of wearing it wears the stuff off the inside. At least it did when I did it.

Bucket
Warm Water
[img] [/img]
Stir till dissolved
jacket in, swirl around
soak for 2-3 hours
swirl again
jacket in washing machine for a 40deg cycle with *no* detergents or cleaning products and spin dry
tumble dry

job done

Yep Z11, but after three of four washes you'll want to reproof.

And soap flakes smell odd - we have some and I hate them.

Quality, I think I still have a box of half used soap flakes somewhere from my student days 😉