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Washing & Waterproofing Your Waterproof & Breathable Apparel | A Quick How To

  • Posted on
  • By Capt. Deckhand
Washing & Waterproofing  Your Waterproof & Breathable Apparel | A Quick How To

From time to time you need to take care of your waterproof jackets and apparel to keep them in a good condition and prolong their lifetime. Starting with a wash and, if necessary, waterproofing of your trusty gear like sailing jackets, mountain bike trousers, and ski jackets. For post-production washing and waterproofing of our gear, we use eco-friendly and biobased products by OrganoTex.

1. Necessities

For washing, you will need a suitable detergent like OrganoTex Biocare Sport Textile Wash & cleaning cloth. Using a suitable detergent is an absolute must! Regular washing detergents will lower the waterproof and breathability performance of the membrane. For insulated apparel like puffer jackets use OrganoTex Biocare Wool & Down Wash.

 

Eco tip; use a microfiber filter or washing bag, preventing microfibers and microplastics from ending up in the ecosystem!

 

For waterproofing, you will need a spray bottle with water, a waterproofing solution like OrganoTex Wash-In textile waterproofing, or OrganoTex Spray-On textile waterproofing. Although the Spray-On is very easy to apply on a single item, the Wash-In is more efficient when it comes to waterproofing multiple items.

 

2. Preparation

Start with emptying your pockets, closing zippers & velcro, and loosen any stoppers. This will minimize the risk of damaging the shell, zippers, and stoppers while washing. Clean any excess dirt & stains from the item with a cleaning cloth and warm water to maximize the result of your wash.

 

3. Checking the DWR

Your durable water repellant (DWR) can last a long time, so waterproofing your gear isn’t always necessary. But how do you know when it is time to waterproof? Use the spray bottle and squirt the item with a nice mist of water. Does the water form beads or drops on the surface of the fabric? Well, your gear doesn’t need waterproofing just yet! No beads and is the water absorbed by the fabric? Then your gear is in need of some extra love with a waterproofing treatment.

 

4. Washing

Now your gear is ready to be washed. Make sure the detergent drawer of your washing machine is clean from any old detergent as this could harm your membrane. Wash your items with the appropriate dose of Sport Textile Wash according to the label, 60 ml will do for washing multiple items up to 04-5 kg. Use a washing program with a low temperature and low spin cycle applying with the care instructions of the item. Eco tip; Handwash a single item with just 20ml per 10 liters of water.

 

5. Waterproofing

For the Wash-In waterproofing, you can leave your items in the washing machine. Use 100ml for 1 item and item 50ml for each additional item, with a maximum of 3 items. Run a short wash program with a spin cycle again applying with the care instructions of the item. Tumble dry on a low heat considering the item's care instructions for the best DWR performance.

 

When using the Spray-On textile waterproofing make sure the item is completely dry before applying the waterproofing. Protect the work surface and spray on the item at a 20 cm distance making sure the fabrics get evenly wet. Wait 1 minute and repeat and rub the liquid evenly with a cloth (protective gloves are advised due to PH levels), and remove excess liquid with a cloth. Tumble dry on a low heat considering the item's care instructions for the best DWR performance. Eco tip; Hand wash a single item with the Wash-In waterproofing with a 50 ml dose of wash-in for every 10L of water (ideal for tents and other large items). And let your item(s) air dry in a warm place for 1 to 2 days to activate the DWR (not in direct sunlight).

 

6. Enjoy the big blue

Now your waterproof gear is ready for sensible sailing the big blue! 

 

Take care of your tech gear with OrganoTex products

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