How to wash and reproof your waterproof

[@GDP-hm5ey]

Didn't know about the not needing to tumble dry or iron afterwards. That was always a pain. Learn something new every day.

[@Avacarho]

I’m across the pond in the USA, and I love the fact that you explained why waterproofing isn’t as good as decades ago. You also went into more details as to what steps to take to ensure the cleaning and waterproofing are done correctly. Thanks for a great instructional video from across the pond, and may you stay dry on all your adventures.

[@johnvine5731]

Time to give my 10 year old Montane jacket its first ever wash! This last year it has consistently let me down while cycling, but surprisingly not in a big way. In heavy long downpours, the jacket is soaking up the water and staying heavy; and not much water is beading off anywhere. Inside the jacket, my fleece top layer gets damp, but not soaking wet. Regular washing of WP jackets. Who knew!!!!

[@jackgutz]

Appreciate the information you’ve shared. I dump garbage cans by hand for a living. Ive spent two winters trying to figure out how to stay dry, cool and comfortable while doing it in the rain. Recently turned to this type of jacket… picked up a north face venture 2 and a marmot precip. North face worked great yesterday but you can imagine why I want to wash it after one use.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I can indeed - hopefully it does the trick!

[@benedictearlson9044]

Thanks for the info, will be trying your machine clean method first and asses, have seen people saying you need to do a hot wash on the machine to strip away all traces of detergent, but let's see. 😊

[@limae7]

Thanks for making this video. I found it super helpful in attempting to take care of my somewhat new snow boarding gear! Smell test never fails haha

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Thanks for the kind words. Really glad it was of help! Like you say, the smell test never fails 😅

[@iandavidson1]

Thank you. I use my waterproof clothes for golf, I hope I finally get this right. Can you do a video on the direct TX waterproof stay please?

[@harveyrobbins-jr2cs]

Great easy to follow video, going to give it a try now.

[@JoeMurphysGuitarlessons]

Great video mate what is the name of the patogonia your wearing ? R1 air ?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

It is indeed, I absolutely love it too - one of my favourite fleeces

[@nigeI]

Watch in 1.25x speed

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I’ll have to re-watch it. Maybe I should just have spoken a bit quicker throughout - or had a quick coffee before we’d begun filming 😅

[@marcoliver7914]

Thanks. That helped alot!

[@chrisharder4854]

​@@ukclimbingofficial a couple of coffees 😄😋😉

[@ukclimbingofficial]

@@chrisharder4854 I think that'd have bumped me up well beyond 1.25x speed and into something far less comprehensible 😅

[@napsam71]

this is the greatest comment I have read.

[@sahee117]

Thanks for the information! My question is that tech products like with goretex or more specifically my arcteryx atom lt are supposed to be water resistant on the outside and then breathable inside. If you apply the water proofing in a cycle, doesn't it inadvertently apply it to the inside, potentially affecting the moisture wicking/breathability? In that case should we find a spray on product instead?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You're quite right, for that particular type of application you're best using TX Direct Spray. Much like a waterproof, I only tend to use this intermittently, in between a few washes using TX Direct. If anything, it's the washing that makes a massive difference, particularly if you're used to using a detergent, because with Nikwax you'll notice it takes a lot longer to wet out (whereas that's pretty much immediate with a detergent). Hope that's of help!

[@patodwyer721]

Nice one

[@deanoboland]

Great work on video mate 👍👍👍

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Hope it was of help!!

[@12354andyb]

I have done exactly what you said to do. All my tapped seems have come off can i have them re done ?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

That sounds somewhat fatal. What jacket is it - and how old? Suffice to say this shouldn’t happen, unless it’s extremely old!!

[@thekandy3]

Thank you for your video. 👍

[@ukclimbingofficial]

you're welcome 😀

[@franciscocardoso4349]

What a great video 🙌

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Thanks Francisco!

[@moedem]

The tx direct can it be applied via a brush to say for example small areas that have lost their proofing due to rubbing etc

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You could do that, but you’d want to make sure it’s clean first, otherwise you might just be pasting it over dirt and therefore making the issue worse

[@marcoliver7914]

I'm hoping I won't have to use an iron or dryer on my new jacket. My old Haglofs LIM jacket I just air dried but could never reactivate or reapply the waterproofing.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You shouldn't have to if you're using Nikwax Tech Wash + TX Direct. It definitely used to be the case that you needed to, but not anymore thankfully - as it was a right faff!

[@huihuiev2329]

Hello there , great video ! I have a question - I ve washed my 10000 mm waterproof jacket with a regular detergent and its wetting out now . What do i do ? Do i have to reproof it every time I wash it ?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Firstly, I would never wash a waterproof jacket with detergent, because if you want a way to strip a jackets DWR - that’s the way to do it. Your best option having done so is to give it another wash with Tech Wash, which will hopefully help to reset it, then do the same with TX Direct and that should hopefully bring it back to being as good as new. After that you should be able to wash it without proofing for a while, but whatever you do - don’t use detergent!!

[@huihuiev2329]

@@ukclimbingofficial A bit of update here: After dry hanging it i did i little test with water and its beading well -so i guess there is still hope :) .Next time tho gonna use some tech wash for sure and maybe a reproofing agent as you stated.Thanks alot for the tip and keep the good job !

[@ukclimbingofficial]

@@huihuiev2329 Phew! Glad to hear all is not lost.

[@TravelDude]

Great video

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Thanks for the feedback

[@sdnalyam]

I have a Patagonia Houdini jacket. I have washed it and used the spray on DWR. This only seems to last a short time. Can I use the Direct product and will it stop the breathability of the jacket?.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Interesting question. I'm presuming you're using it somewhere you're likely to get wet? Interestingly I very rarely proof my windproof jackets, despite living in the UK (where it's almost always wet!!), because when it is wet I try to wear a waterproof. In terms of wash-in vs. spray, I'd opt for the former for a more thorough result, and wouldn't have thought it'd have too great an impact on breathability.

[@zacharylaschober]

Shouldn’t interfere with the breathability, but be mindful about the longevity of PFC DWR treatments and this being tied to the density of the shell (since the treatment affixes to fibers) means an ultralight weather jacket will need more frequent treatments. As well, depends on the time until your first application because the treatment binds to itself well, and if your high wear spots are already lacking the dwr coating then you may never restore the condition of the jacket there.

[@xix94]

Brought a goretex jacket off vinted for 3 pound not including post 😂 Fixed it with nikwax now good as new Been out in extreme rain and now the jacket holds up better than my rab jacket witch cost lots more money 😂

[@ukclimbingofficial]

That’s amazing - what a bargain!!

[@jse816]

Do I need to wash a reproof the jacket one by one or can I put like 2-3 jackets in one go

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I’ve always done a few at a time and it’s been just as effective. Certainly makes doing it more efficient too, as doing then one by one would be a right pain!

[@Photoshopuzr]

Good information.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

hope it was of help!

[@MrTedJourney]

Does it leave anything in the machine after use? Concerned that everyday washing will be effected afterwards

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Nothing whatsoever, the next wash will be completely normal - no after effects whatsoever.

[@Nath-i7m]

Hi im going to do my bivvy overwrap.how much tx would you recomend putting in??? As its large.thanks for the info

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Good question. At a guess, either two or three times what you’d use for a jacket.

[@macavenco]

hi, bumped into this video while looking for ways to wash a motorcycle jacket. would like to know how about breathability of the materials. Did it remains the same, some differences noted? and in terms of colouring, did it leave it any stains or spots after some time or everything remains with no issues? Also, about the interior of the jackets, since they are not made of the same material of the outer shell, do they get affected by using the tx direct (assuming the tech wash is simply to wash and not hard on the materials) in some way? they get the same proofing as the outside of the jacket, right? thanks.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

It's water soluble, so it tends not to leave any stains or spots, and if it does it's probably a sign that it hasn't been washed for long enough. When it comes to the inner/outer, it depends on the jacket but there is always the option of using TX Direct Spray (as opposed to Wash-In) if you want to focus all efforts onto the outside of the jacket.

[@manoz6194]

What's better, a wash-in proofer or a spray-on proofer?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Wash in undoubtedly the better of the two, as it gives much more complete and even coverage. It’s much easier to get gaps with Spray-on, which is exactly what you want to avoid, as you ultimately want to proof the jacket as a whole.

[@jesperpedersen1388]

Is it best to wash the jacket in side out, or face out? My new Helly Hansen Lifa Infinty jacket says inside out on the label, but it did'nt look very clean after i washed it like that. What will you suggest?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Good question. I'm not sure anyone has a scientific answer, but my answer would be to go face out, as that way you can guarantee it's going to get all the mud/muck off the outside. That said, I can see the logic of doing it inside out, as you'll give the scrim a better wash, which could help with the jackets performance and breathability. I suspect it ends up being about the same, but I'd probably opt with face out based on the fact that's what I've always done - and it's always worked.

[@jesperpedersen1388]

I think i will try Face out the next time, My jacket is bright yellow so i will like it to look as clean as possible.

[@harveybaldwin8392]

Hi, i am going to try this on some expensive golf waterproofs tomorrow as they seem to be letting water in around the thighs and shoulder area, i have a tumble drier so in your opinion is it better to tumble dry than air dry? Thanks in advance

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Hi Harvey, if you use the combination of tech wash and TX Direct, there should be no need to tumble dry.

[@vasilisloukidis3464]

Thank you for the thorough video! However, I have a question; The TX Direct product does not contain any PFCs at all, or they just have much lower compare to the original old impregnation? Thank you in advance for your reply.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You'll be glad to hear TX Direct is entirely PFC free 😇

[@osmansheikh6040]

Can you wash and proof at the same time as in the same cycle?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You have to do then separately with Tech Wash and TX Direct. Grangers offer a 2-in-1 which allows you to do it all in one wash though - worth checking out.

[@DJChipsandGarlic]

will it work with multiple jackets on one wash?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Nikwax advice to wash a maximum of two at a time.

[@ekindeveci6934]

do i have to wash it before reproofing it? Im only intrested in reproofing my jacket

[@ukclimbingofficial]

We're afraid so, it's all part of the reproofing process. Dirt in the fabric is one of the reasons it loses it's water repellency. Once you've reproofed it, you should be able to just wash regularly with Tech Wash and then only reproof occasionally.

[@Alan_H82]

What is the process for down jackets

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Hi Alan, we’re releasing a video on this in two weeks time. But long story short: buy a Nikwax Down Wash Direct kit and follow the instructions.

[@Alan_H82]

@@ukclimbingofficial thanks for the speedy reply! Is this just a single bottle application or do I need an accompanying product? Thanks 😘

[@ukclimbingofficial]

@@Alan_H82 Yes, it seems to have changed to a single bottle. Instructions on the Nikwax website here: www.nikwax.com/en-gb/products/Cleaning/down-wash-direct/

[@Alan_H82]

@@ukclimbingofficial prefect! Thank you for answering my query

[@bethbramblett9946]

What if you don't have a washing machine and can't trust your laundromat to be free of other detergent?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Try a friend's house?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You have a couple of options. The first of which would be to hand wash, which is a bit more involved, but does work - just make sure to be quite thorough as it's hard to replicate the length or intensity of a machine wash. Your other option would be to try a laundromat, but take out the drawer before hand, give it a good clean through, and try pouring some warm water down into it to wash any residue through the system. If there's a little left in it won't be a crisis, especially if you're re-proofing afterwards. If you're only washing it then you want the system as detergent free as possible. Hope that's of help!!

[@xix94]

Done this don't put the stuff in the draw put the cap in the washing machine makes it more waterproof

[@michaelnedsmar9106]

Try washing a white waterproof jacket with Nikwax wash in, Maybe a orange or yellow hiviz work or cycling jacket . The Nikwax does nothing to get the dirt and grime that builds up on the sleeves ,pocket areas and seams . Heres what i do , I make a paste from soap powder and scub the effected areas . Wash in a machine then soak the jacket with Nikwax proofer in a bowl of water over night . Then out the jacket in the machine with a bit more proofer.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

That's a good suggestion. There's probably a separate video to be created, looking specifically at more stubborn stains.

[@HektorBandimar]

I wondered why my previous jackets were better quality than today's choices.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

If by ‘quality’ you mean contained more harmful chemicals, then yes - they were much better quality 🤔

[@HektorBandimar]

@@ukclimbingofficial I think you know what I meant!

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I’m really not sure I do 😅

[@bob-a-job]

Appreciate the instructive video. Know of owners and users who’ve seen their prized Gore-Tex jacket(or pant) delaminate and/or fall apart after washing and re-proofing. Even washing their expensive Arc’ shells. Been reluctant to machine wash my admittedly 8 years old or older Arc’, ME and Rab shells as a consequence. Despite perspiring quite freely, i tend not to machine wash my shells, and only unless there’s a noticeable decrease in breathability and water repellency. Usually after 2 to 4 Winters. How does one minimise the chance of their shell being damaged from machine washing and re-proofing? Much obliged.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I'm not sure what settings your friends have been using, but I've washed my jackets a lot - maybe as much as 50 times, possibly more) and haven't had a single one delaminate. If anything, it's more likely to delaminate if you haven't washed it for 8 years, because there's going to be so much dirt/sweat kicking around within it - that'll be what does the damage. If you keep consistent care of it, washing it frequently on a cool setting, then it'll likely last a lifetime.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

it's also worth adding that with modern jackets, you won't get away with washing it as little as you have, because the PFC free DWR treatments wear off much, much quicker than the C8 or C6 DWR treatments of yesteryear.

[@jaskeda]

I wonder why you can’t do by hand

[@ukclimbingofficial]

You can, it’s just be a lot less thorough - hence why a machine wash is infinitley preferable

[@Nick-ei5yj]

Skip to 04:46

[@solymi]

Way to properly start a waterproof jacket review!

[@ukclimbingofficial]

We should do this as standard in every waterproof jacket review 😅

[@johnbeattie9561]

I just bought a £300 Barbour and first time in the rain it was like a sponge from the elbow to the cuffs and around the hem. You can expect this from a £50-£100 jacket but at £300 it's shocking.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

If you’re talking about the wax coated Barbour Jackets then I’m not sure what else you were expecting, as they’ve never been water ‘proof’. You can coat them in more wax, but they’ll never protect you from the elements like an a Gore Tex jacket.

[@johnbeattie9561]

@@ukclimbingofficial No not wax it was a warm hooded winter coat with what they said was a waterproof shell 10,000mm but it was more like a sponge. shame as it was just what I'd been looking for but it went back. I get the feeling these days waterproof isn't really waterproof due to what they can and can't used when manufacturing.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

10,000mm is a relatively low hydrostatic head in the grand scheme of things. 20,000mm is realistically what you’re looking at if you’re after a decent, all-weather mountain jacket.

[@joesphbegley3088]

Starts at 4:20

[@danieltantram82]

Are you sure air drying does the trick?

[@ukclimbingofficial]

If you’ve used both Tech Wash and TX Direct as the video shows, then that will do the trick!

[@danieltantram82]

@@ukclimbingofficial Thankyou

[@danieltantram82]

@@ukclimbingofficial I know nikwax had changed their packaging so I was wondering if it was different

[@ukclimbingofficial]

@@danieltantram82 This is the combo you'll want: www.nikwax.com/en-gb/products/Cleaning/tech-wash&tx-direct/

[@chrisharder4854]

Almost 5 minutes before he gets to the reason why we're watching!

[@ukclimbingofficial]

The vast majority of people don’t wash/proof their jackets, and don’t understand why it might be necessary, so we opted to focus on ‘why’ first. If you look at the time stamps you can go direct to when to wash and how to wash, if that’s what you’re specifically interested in.

[@JoeMurphysGuitarlessons]

There is always one ! Perhaps you could do better @chrishardon 😂

[@grahamriley8124]

Replace ‘Techwash’ with liquid soap. That is all ‘Techwash’ is. Much cheaper and just as effective.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

They're similar, but not the same, and there's a few things to be aware of if you are using soap flakes. The first is that if you're washing on lower temperatures they can, depending on exactly which product you're using, have trouble dissolving properly, which lead to them leaving a residue. This residue will then have a knock-on effect to performance. Obvioulsy you can avoid this by turning up the temperature, but that'll have an effect on the cost of each wash. The other thing to be aware of is what exactly is contained within the soap flakes/liquid soap, as it needs to be pure. If it contains any extra chemicals then it has the potential to do more damage than good.

[@moniaolomoniaolo5757]

It didn’t clean my shell jacket at all! It doesn’t work. So disappointing. It’s a ski jacket from Peak Performance, 2nd season and it got a bit dirty. I washed it according to all instructions and it looks the same. Do not buy this product.

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Do you know what you’ve got on your jacket? If it’s dirt, and it’s not shifting, it might be worth trying applying some Tech Wash neat and giving it a gentle scrub beforehand. Having washed countless jackets over time, and knowing countless others who’ve done the same, it definitely works; however, some dirt is definitely more stubborn to shift.

[@jasoncdebussy]

Do people really spend £700 on a shell? 😱

[@ukclimbingofficial]

So I'm led to believe, although I'll admit - it's a lot more than I've ever spent on one!!

[@jasoncdebussy]

@@ukclimbingofficial I meant say... thanks for the video, very informative. I think I may now be able to breathe new life into my old jacket 👍 I'm subbed to your channel now 👍

[@jasone3962]

Why is it that all waterproof jackets are ugly as Sin

[@ukclimbingofficial]

I'm just glad you're talking about the waterproofs and not about me 🤣

[@wendyb7993]

Didn’t work !!!!! Ver y disappointed

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Hi Wendy, let us know which coat you washed and how old it was and we'll try to help.

[@Amar-vi8ht]

I just ruin my The North Face Goretex pro jacket. Wash it and now have white sticky lumps on it and can't wash it even from my hands. Any idea what to do 😁

[@ukclimbingofficial]

Out of interest, what did you wash it with - was it Tech Wash or another product?