The Burden of Proof

Hello and good evening.

I’m trying to reproof some garments and I’m not having much luck so wanted to see what other folks do to bring their outdoor gear back to performance.

Maybe I’m doing something wrong, but the results so far are useless.

I’m reproofing an Endura Singletrack jacket and some motorcycle jeans and a Millets waterproof jacket.

I’ve bought some Grangers 2in1 stuff that is supposed to be a tech wash AND a proofing solution.

It’s shit.

I’ve done it all according to the instructions on the packet, being generous with quantity.
I’ve let the garments air dry as it says is fine.
It says it’ll last longer if you can apply some heat but I couldn’t do that and it does state that air drying is perfectly fine.

Anyway, just gone outside in the glorious July rain for the first time since reproofing, and the jacket has wetted out within a couple of minutes.
Pretty much no beading as you’d expect.

Really not impressed. ?

Anyone have good results with Grangers?

I’ve tried Nikwax in the past and found it also to be less than impressive, hence why I thought I’d try the Grangers.

I use graingers with better results than that but not as good as new.  I put the garments on radiators to get some heat into them.  I think without heat it takes a lot longer for the repellent to become effective

did you clean your washing machine well before washing it in?  I run boiling water down the dispenser and put it on a long hot wash

No, didn’t clean it out before but it didn’t say to.
Disappointing.

Thats goon to affect the results quite significantly.

Waterproofs sould go nowhere near the washing machine until it’s been de-detergented fully. Whether that’s a general wash or pre reproofing

I use a builders truggy (big bucket). Bottle of liquid soak flakes from Amazon (same stuff as tech wash).

Warm water in truggy and hand wash in soap flakes. Rinse well in bucket.

More warm water – pour in Nikwax TX, splosh it about with gloves on. Let it soak etc.

Rinse well with cold water.

Zip up then mild heat in tumble drier if it’s taped seams.

About the best you’ll get DIY.

I prefer to hand wash/proof – partly to avoid the dirty drum issue but also so that I can rinse less. One tip though – wear gloves, otherwise you end up with waterproof hands 🙂

I find some fabrics take reproofing better than others. I have an old altura coat that I use for commuting that I reprinted with nikwax five years ago and it still beads better than new. Endura stuff I find never takes reprinting well, even with a thorough wash in soap and multiple cycles of reprinted. It’s a shame, I love the designs but they aren’t effective waterproofs!

It’s because of issues like that, that I’ve taken to using a cheap Peter Storm over the top of something like a Buffalo, or a down jacket, or a waxed cotton jacket that I can easily reproof with mink oil or Renapur wax.
If it’s just drizzling, then the Buffalo can cope quite easily on its own.

I think it’s the same thing but just in a bottle instead of a pouch, but I’ve used this recently on a 20+ year old Berghaus jacket and got good results with beading afterwards. I ran an empty cycle on 90 degress (on whatever the fastest program was that allowed it) to clean out the washing machine and then follwed the instructions with about 30 mins in the dryer on low heat afterwards and then hung up to finish drying. I think the heat part is pretty critical. If you don’t have a dryer then it says you can use an iron. I guess a good blast all over with a hair dryer would also work.

No, didn’t clean it out before but it didn’t say to.

thats your issue then.  The stuff I bought clearly tells you to do this.  Like Scotroutes I prefer to do it by hand and I also do it twice – once4 with washer / reproofer and once with just reproofer.

You need to get the machine really, really, really clean before using it. Residue from fabric softener and enzyme-based detergent will kill Goretex and similar material in a single wash. I’ve learnt that painful lesson myself.

I’ve never understood 2-1 options, it going to be a compromise no matter what. Why would you skimp on something you want to rely on like proofing? Otherwise everyone above as outlined my washing procedure already, which isn’t a surprise, as everyone posts it on reproofing threads… 😉

Nikwax for me though, not that I’ve tried grangers.

Residue from fabric softener and enzyme-based detergent will kill Goretex and similar material in a single wash

More reasons to not use fabric conditioner or bio detergent, and use half the suggested amount of detergent anyway

I use Nikwax tech wash in the machine on a delicates 30deg wash, then repeat with the Nikwax reproofer, then a cool tumble dry. Works well.

All we ever use for normal washing though is half an Earthbreeze laundry sheet and a spoonful of own-brand Vanish, so I suppose there’s very little gunk in the machine.

OrganoTex washin works for me- I give the machine a couple short cycles with nothing in, then load it up.  That handwashing method above works as well.

I ain’t noticed washing powder killing goretex, but it won’t have any DWR anymore so it won’t work as well

Question… if you use wash in proof stuff, does that not coat the inside too and reduce effectiveness of moisture build up from the inside? I always use spray on re-proofer which, whilst not as good as new, definitely restores some of the beading ability.