Tips for the care of membrane clothes. Read, remember, and let your clothes last you longer
How to wash membrane clothes
Thanks to the waterproof and breathable membrane jackets, outdoor enthusiasts can remain dry regardless of weather conditions. Nevertheless, the presence of a membrane in clothes does not guarantee that your jacket will reliably protect you forever. Like any other equipment, membrane jackets require care to maintain the properties for which we buy them.
How it works?
To begin with, a few words about how waterproof, breathing waterproof clothing works. Membrane jackets are made of materials that allow a pair to pass outward, but do not let drops of water inward. Even if the external material gets wet, it will be dry inside the membrane product.
The principle of operation of the membrane, regardless of the manufacturer, is the same for everyone: they allow a pair to go outside, but do not let drops of water inward © spoteo.de
For additional protection against rain, the outer tissue is also treated with DWR water -repellent impregnation. DWR impregnations, as a rule, are based on Teflon or Silicone, which have a significantly lower surface tension coefficient, water drops simply roll from the surface of the product. Unfortunately, after intensive use of membrane clothing, the DWR coating is gradually erased.
When we are talking about caring for membrane clothing, we mean maintaining the working properties of the membrane and restoring the DWR coating.
The tissue of the jacket is exposed to the external effects of water and dirt. But it is also negatively affected by the secretion products of the sweat and sebaceous glands of its owner. As soon as they seep into the membrane, the advantages of membrane jackets gradually disappear. Therefore, membrane clothes must be washed regularly. The poor smell from the dirty membrane jacket is less evil; The membrane can stop working and will not be able to provide your dryness, as it was before.
If you find that your jacket becomes heavy after the rain, there is a high share of probability that the DWR coating was erased. This does not mean that you need to buy a new jacket, you just need to treat the old one – wash and restore its waterproof properties.
Articles on the topic
- 1 What is DWR?
- 2 water resistance and water resistance. What is the difference?
Often it is enough to wash and re -soak a membrane jacket and trousers to breathe a second life into them © Nikwax
Washing membrane clothes
Before engaged in restoration of impregnation, a membrane jacket must be washed to clean the surface of contaminants.