Washing ski clothes

Tony_H wrote:

gadgetgirl79 wrote: ...
I just stuck it in a 30C wash with normal washing powder just before I went skiing, thinking if it ruined it, then I'd just have to buy myself a new one. :)

Thats all you need to do to freshen up ski clothes, unless they are trashed with oil like Ally's daughters sallos, in which case I'd probably replace them with new ones at a cheap price.

To be honest, I find I only wear sallos and ski jackets when I ski, and therefore they just dont get dirty. Maybe a freshen up wash over the summer once a year.....thats all thats needed. How do the rest of you gbet your stuff so dirty?

Tony,
The whole reason I started this thread is because the label on my daughter's ski trousers says you're NOT supposed to wash them with ordinary washing powder. You're only supposed to use 'liquid soap' (whatever that is) or a specialist cleaner. I think ordinary powders/liquids may damage the breathability and waterproofing, so that you then have to re-wash them with the special stuff and re-waterproof them.

And you can't see any of the oil stain on my daughter's ski trousers now that they've dried out on the line. So that special cleaner is very good.

I would have thought, myself, it's well worth spending about 50 pence per garment washing them with the correct stuff, seeing as ski clothes can cost hundreds of pounds.

Ally

Edit
This is what Goretex have to say, if you have an outer layer of it on your ski clothes. I think the most important bit is that they say to follow the label - which on my daughter's ski trousers says only liquid soap or their own specialist cleaner stuff:

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. Then tumble dry on a normal warm setting and you're ready to go. That's it. Be sure to read the manufacturer's care tag in your garment for specific instructions. See our Care Center for more information.

How often can I wash my GORE-TEX® garment?Wash your garment as often as you need to. In fact, washing and tumble drying will actually help restore the water repellency performance of a GORE-TEX® garment. See our Care Center for more information.

Can GORE-TEX® fabric be dry-cleaned?Dry-cleaning does not harm the GORE-TEX® membrane. However, follow the manufacturer's care instructions on your particular garment to make sure they recommend dry cleaning for it. If you do go the professional dry-cleaning route, request clear, distilled solvent rinse and spray repellent.

Why do I need to use a water repellent treatment on my GORE-TEX® product?Gore shell fabrics, the outermost fabric layer of a GORE-TEX® garment, are treated with an ultra thin polymer coating known as DWR, or durable water repellent. This coating causes water to bead up and roll off the outer layer of fabric, instead of being absorbed.
Water repellent outer fabric provides additional insulation and prevents liquid from saturating your garment's outer fabric, a condition known as "wet out" that can make you feel damp and clammy. Your garment may even feel like it's leaking, although it's not.
Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, and other impurities, causes DWR failure. The effective life of the DWR depends upon how you care for your garment and how rigorously it is used. The most effective way to maintain your Gore garment's water and stain repellency is to wash, rinse, and put it in your dryer. Keep it clean!

How can I restore my garment's water repellency?You can totally restore a GORE™ product's durable water repellency (DWR) by using a topical DWR treatment product for outdoor fabrics, available at outdoor retail stores. (Note: We do not recommend wash in treatments.) These special treatments help maintain and restore the DWR on the outer shell fabric of the product so that it remains water and stain repellent. Anyone can properly maintain the DWR on a GORE™ product.
When water no longer beads on your garment's outer fabric, simply apply a topical DWR treatment product according to its directions.

I've damaged my GORE-TEX® garment - what do I do?Minor punctures and tears can be fixed with a GORE-TEX® Fabric Repair Kit, available at specialty outdoor retail stores. The special adhesive patches allow you to make instant repairs to preserve the waterproof integrity of your outerwear. You can also visit or ship your GORE-TEX® garment to an authorised Gore Repair Center. See our Care Center for more information about both these options.
UP Will altering, embroidering or repairing my GORE-TEX® product cause it to leak?Any form of alteration to your GORE-TEX® product, including major repairs, post purchase logo embroidery, or fit alteration, should be conducted at a Gore authorised facility. Otherwise, you could compromise the waterproofness of your garment, usually via small needle holes that have not been sealed. Before proceeding with any changes to your product, get in touch with an authorised Repair Facility or contact us for advice.

AllyG, It's what I've been led to believe too. I have used ordinary powder occasionally (but wouldn't say it shifted the stains particularly...so am thinking I'll give the Peter Storm stuff a shot)..but generally re-proof after a wash [nothing worse than soggy salopettes on a slushy day]. I use the tumble drier when the clothing is nearly dry to give the insulation a bit of volume and make sure it's 100% dry before stuffing it in a case in the loft.

please note - I wrote this before AllyG's edit ! I think you've covered it AG :-)

AllyG wrote:

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.

I think thats roughly what I said.

I bought a nice North Face Summit Series soft shell recently in Zermatt and was told under no circumstances wash with powder. It blocks the pores and does not affect the waterproofing as much as it does the breathability. That's not to say it doesn't affect the former.

Thanks Tino, that's exactly the sort of thing I mean :D

Tony,
I have had a very busy day today and I'm obviously not explaining myself very clearly. What I am trying to say is that washing ski clothes is not a simple job. The correct way to wash them depends on the material they're made of and also how they've been manufactured, so that you need to read the label very carefully, as it will very likely vary from garment to garment. As Tino says, it's not just the waterproofing that needs to be protected, it's also the breathability.

My Peter Storm normal waterproof jacket, for example, says it has a shell of 100% nylon with PU coating and not to wash it with biological detergents or spot clean with solvents, and that it should be re-proofed after washing.

My daughter's Dare2B ski trousers say they are made of isotex 3000 (100% polyamide with PU coating), and as I said before, the label says 'cool machine wash with Regatta isotex cleaner or pure soap. Do not use detergents or fabric conditioners. Reproof outer fabric regularly with water repellant spray.'

My ski jacket is made by 'target dry' and it's label says 'outer 100% nylon, hydrophilic waterproof coating, normal soiling can be removed with a damp sponge. If washing by hand, wash at 40 degrees C using pure soap. Do not use fabric softeners. Avoid contact with hair spray and insect repellant. Do not tumble dry. To maintain the water repellency of this garment wash with Nikwax Loft Technical Wash.'

I washed both the latter two with the Peter Storm cleaner, and I think I will re-proof the trousers, but the jacket looks okay.

Ally

i'm starting to understand why the french ski in jeans :lol:

Hi, we tracked down pure soap flakes to wash our ski clothes, it used to be called Lux but this make is no longer manufactured. Was told never to use a softener in the wash and like another poster when they are dry just pop them in the drier for a few minutes. still nicely waterproof after 3 seasons.

Thanks Angeltop :D
Who makes the soap flakes now? And have you ever heard of 'liquid soap' for washing clothes?

It is very strange. Some ski clothes seem to recommend going in the tumble drier, like the Gore-tex ones, and some say not to tumble dry them at all, like my 'target dry' ski jacket.

Congratulations on managing to wash your ski clothes without wrecking them :thumbup:

Ally