UKC

Hey, I've used Nikwax wash and tx for a while. I have an old waterproof that I use for day to day stuff that gets really dirty and the wash doesn't really get out all of the dirt. I was wondering if anyone had tried washing with a normal detergent first then rinsing then washing with nikwax wash before tx?

I just thought it might get a bit more dirt out but I'm wary because it says on the the bottle that you should leave no trace of detergent in the machine.

In reply to icklejason:

it's fine to wash it in detergent, just do a rise wash afterwards. It's not the detergent that's the issue really, it's the whiteners in it that prevent the waterproofer from sticking to the fabric in the first place.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Thanks

In reply to icklejason:

Goretex say that you can use a liquid detergent and then nikwax providing you use the "extra rinse" function. Also make sure you are doing a hot wash (as hot as the garment allows) as I don't believe that a 30 degree wash shifts muck very well.

In reply to Martin1978:

Seconded.

Just be wary with the temperature. Laminated zips and seams will come unstuck if the temperature is too warm. Though they are relatively easy to fix with an iron after, providing the glue hasnt been destroyed.

Same goes for tumble drying, which is also a super important part of the process as it helps the dwr set into the material.

In reply to icklejason:

Yeah, detergent will not remove your factory DWR, merely stop it from working. It'll also stop new stuff sticking (due to the surfactants in it, not due to the whiteners), so give it a very thorough rinse.

In reply to icklejason:

When I wash mine I first run the machine empty on a 90° cycle to clear away any dregs of detergent in it. I wash the stuff using soap flake liquid on a 40° cycle (no detergent in it - as recommended by Rab etc.) and re-proof. Seems to work fine.