How do you wash your water repellent apparel (DWR)?
Although some have said that Tide was acceptable, I've read that any kind of detergent is unsuitable for washing water repellent / breathable material. Apparently detergent leaves behind a residue that coats the DWR, rendering it useless.
My research ultimately led me to try Dri-pak soap flakes, made in the UK and resold through a distributor in the US. Results thus far have been promising. The DWR held up after the wash, and the soap lifted all of the dirt/stains. Dri-pak is a much cheaper alternative to Nikwax Tech Wash -- about 4 times cheaper per unit washed.
So, how do you wash your DWR apparel and have you tried Dripak?
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/4711. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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I use the following video as a guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4N6ZuKTZ_c
Basically:
- Prep garment: close all main zippers, open pockets, and loosen elastics.
- Wash sweat/dirt/oils off using a performance washing liquid, using cold or warm water. Regular detergent is okay, rinse twice.
- Spray garment with a DWR reproofing spray, focusing on shoulders and other high-abrasion areas.
- Dry garment in a drier, 40 minutes on regular temperature.
They recommend Granger's wash and DWR spray. I've had really good luck with this combination.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/4720. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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