 Poster: A snowHead
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Proper post to follow, but I have decided that it seems to enhance the performance of all my fleecey kit if I wash it in Tech Wash.
Which is really rather pricey.
Do soap flakes work as well, or is there another cheap alternative?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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in what way enhanced ? presumably not compacting down ?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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unless it's waterproof (goretex style stuff) I would have thought Techwash is unnecessary. Maybe one of the soap, as opposed to detergent, options?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w, sorry, that was the question...do soap flakes/unenhanced liquid do anything different?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ah, having just bought TechWash to wash all my gear - and balked at the price again, I too was contemplating whether there was a lower cost alternative...
I think my brother does us Soap Flakes - but not sure how well his gear is afterwards - I'll need to ask and post back if any good!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Interesting, the Goretex webpage actually says:
What's the best way to clean my GORE-TEX® garment?
Just put your GORE-TEX® garment in the washing machine in warm (104° F/40° C) water. Use powder or liquid detergent, don't use fabric softener and chlorine bleach.
clicky linky thingy - click care after following this
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http://www.atsko.com/articles/clothing-care/soap-versus-detergent.html
this is quite interesting. It seems that it's not detergent which is the problem, but all the extra bits - and there's no suggestion on the goretex site that "detergents" are wrong. Techwash is certainly stupidly expensive. Maybe a "gentle" detergent like Woolite would be the optimum answer?
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what's wrong with "OMO" and "Aerial" ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The best place I have found for techwash and TK spray on is ebay - most cost effective are the 1 litre bottles. Keep an old small one to spray with though as the supplied spray head is not ideal.
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sev112, pam w, a friend kindly washed my MH Monkey fleece but added fabric conditioner - I was astonished at the result. Jacket felt greasy when dry (sort of what you'd expect, but unpleasant), lost a huge amount of breathability, and took ages to dry. I spent much of the day feeling very damp and clammy. Ugh.
Washed through with tech wash and not only back to where it had been in terms of feel and performance, but actually better than it had been. Huzzah!
pam w, very interesting site. So (probably) cheapest, least-added-to brand is the way forward? Sounds like it. Mind you, kitenski, I reserve the right to use techwash for my goretex kit's annual cleaning.
sev112, In Switzerland there's no "OMO" and Ariel only exists in "hyped" up versions - so probably not suitable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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sev112, how long since you washed anything in "Omo". Ariel has all sorts of gunk added. Fabric softener is something to be used with caution - it's deadly on towels, too.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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kitenski, beat me to it. That's exactly what it said on the care tag of my Goretex jacket. Perhaps Techwash and other similar products are merely a marketing ploy to part people from their money - a successful ploy it seems too.
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Soap flakes seem to work fine for me. They seem gently enough not to strip the waterproofing off technical clothing and you can get a decent sized box from the supermarket for less than £2.
Only drawback is that you not supposed to use them in washing machines (aparently using soap products can clog up the machine) - so you have to wash by hand.
Base and mid-layers seem fine to wash normally in standard detergent (there's no waterproofing to worry about).
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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abj, MarjMJ, I am wondering, as my jacket seems better after tech-washing than it was before washing and conditioning - whether my other layers might benefit. I will test.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 9-03-10 11:53; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Techwash is a lot cheaper if you buy it by the litre, £10, vs £4 for 300mls on Chain Reaction, and for the Tx direct re proofer, £14 for 1L vs £7 for 300mls.
In between 2 yearly techwash/Tx redirecet - I do tumble dry mine sometimes as recommended to resuscitate the proofing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stoatsbrother, you beat me to it.
I was going to say that as well - get the larger 1l tub, works out cheaper.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Detergents break the surface tension of the water droplets, hence when they land on a detergent washed waterproof jacket they immediately soak in, whereas if you have used pure soap they stay as droplets and run off.
Any 100% soap will work fine, I stick to techwash because for a couple of times a season it is not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
You can proofing agents that are miles better than the tech version, I have a local supplier but I am pretty sure any decent boat chandlers will also stock it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For added reassurance run the machine empty - no detergent - on the hottest setting - at least once - twice better - to remove the residual detergent coating the machine.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Fifespud, then why do Goretex say it is fine to use detergents? see my earlier post............
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Powders are better for goretex - riinse out cleaner... Bio is BAD - skip enzymes and 'blue beads of bleach' type stuff...
I use the orange bottle of sports wash you can buy in USA for a couple of dollars at Walmart. In Oz it is around $6-8 a bottle(about a litre I think) and I get a lot more washes than with Nikwax as it is more concentrated. Before that I used the most plain and clean rinsing powder I could find - clean machine with same before washing to remove all traces of fabric softner(wetter), bleach etc.
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Goretex waterproofing should be fine as it is an actual membrane fabric. Other cheaper fabrics just use a surface coating for waterproofing and this is what will be easily broken down by strong detergents. Some goretex garments also use a surface coating in addition to the membrane fabric.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Oh and up the number of rinses to the max you can (I had a Miele could dial up rinse numbers) - or run an extra rinse cycle. This ensures you wash out the detergent.
I would never use soap as it is made from alkalised FAT. they add excess alkali and I'm a bit unsure what it does to my goretex - plus I dislike getting slimey fat(soap scum) on my goretex. (Anyone who cleans showers can tell you the difference form using shower gel versus soap bars)
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Oh and up the number of rinses to the max you can (I had a Miele could dial up rinse numbers) - or run an extra rinse cycle. This ensures you wash out the detergent.
I would never use soap as it is made from alkalised FAT. they add excess alkali and I'm a bit unsure what it does to my goretex - plus I dislike getting slimey fat(soap scum) on my goretex. (Anyone who cleans showers can tell you the difference form using shower gel versus soap bars)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Woolite
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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pam w,  - just trying to liven up an overly technical debate
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You know it makes sense.
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sev112, it was just such a blast from the past. Omo, indeed. I think they only sell it in the third world.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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abj, MarjMJ, I am wondering, as my jacket seems [u]better]/u] after tech-washing than it was before washing and conditioning - whether my other layers might benefit. I will test.
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It can do no harm, though TBH I didn't like the smell of the techwash on my fleeces and tees and only used it for my jackets and trousers. Certainly don't condition with fabric softener anything that needs to breathe.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| kitenski wrote: |
| Fifespud, then why do Goretex say it is fine to use detergents? see my earlier post............ |
Kitenski - I don't know!
The Goretex is actually just the breathable membrane. I suppose technically it will clean up fine with detergent but my experience is it knackers the waterproofing that is on the goretex.
Its a bit like saying to get your kitten clean wash it in the washing machine with bio and fabric conditioner. The kitten will come out very clean but sadly - dead!
Did you like the way I did that?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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dont wash gear, when it decides to walk out of closet on ots own its time to buy new 
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