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I've got a Goretex jacket, which is starting to look a bit grubby now. Whats the general consensus to the best way of cleaning these?

Someone told me to put it in the washer on a 30degree wash using a non bio powder, but with the price of it I don't want to lose the waterproofing of it.

Found this on the search. Hope it helps

http://www.cyclingforums.com/arch/topic/137851-1.html

Jan

You  can buy stuff called tech wash, I go to a saddlers and buy great big bottle of it.  They use it to wash breathable rugs.  Also they do a squirty reproofing spray if you find water no longer balls on the fabric.

Wash using soap free powder or tech wash then reproof if necesarry.  After that if the washing instructions allow tumble dry on cool.  If down filled coat chuck in a couple of tennis balls it fluffs up nicely.

Hope this helps.

Oh and one last thing before you wash jacket run machine on a rinse cycle before you start to remove any trace of powder.

As you can tell I wash my jackets regularly because I have two horses a dog and a couple of chocolate covered kids.

I have not ruined any of my jackets doing this.

Good luck

Quote: Originally posted by bandit-gray on 15/09/2004

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I've got a Goretex jacket, which is starting to look a bit grubby now. Whats the general consensus to the best way of cleaning these?

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I have always just used a mild non-bio detergent on a low temp, never had problems, and you will find thats what Gore recommend.

What does the cleaning instruction on the lablel say ?

I gave up on Goretex some years back, its OK in Duvets for winter use etc, but I found that after a couple of years use in a waterproof it leaked to much in heavy rain and wind.

I now use the Paramo jackets that are waterproof long term and breath a lot better than Goretex too

I would say never wash anything in detergent (bio or none bio) if you want to maintain DWR. Only use pure soap, unfortunately soapflakes are very hard to find these days, so Tech wash has to be used. The low heat of a tumble dryer or iron is also recomended.

If anyone knows where to get pure soapflakes I'd be very interested.

Lloyd

I would agree with the sentiment of washing in natural soap if you have it, I have a Paramo jacket and need to wash it in tech wash since normal soap stops the waterproofness on the jacket from working, but its not cheap stuff. 

Gore seem to think that washing in soft detergent (any on the market) is OK.