In the beginning it rolls off so nicely. But at some point in the life of every rain jacket, the drops begin to dissolve into a wide film, the outer fabric soaks up with water.
The consequences: membranes like Gore-Tex lose up to 60 percent of their breathability , so that sweat is deposited on the inside. You feel wet and cold because the heat dissipation also increases. In addition, rainwear takes longer to dry. So it is important to keep or restore the pearl effect.
First of all, let's get away with the widespread misconception that functional clothing should be washed as rarely as possible! Dirt clogs the textile pores and hinders breathability. In the worst case, dirt and grease can even destroy the sealed seams and the membrane.
Therefore: wash regularly , and do it properly! The first glance is the care instructions in the jacket or pants. Most membranes such as Gore-Tex or eVent can withstand a maximum of 30 degrees and should not be spun, but hung up moist to dry. Fabric softener is poison for all functional clothing because it clogs the pores and thus stifles breathability.
Tip : Before washing, pull the zips because they can damage the fabric. If you want to wash particularly gently, you can put the textiles in a wash bag.
It is best to use special liquid detergents such as the biodegradable Fibertec Pro Wash or Nikwax Tech Wash when washing rainwear . They clean thoroughly even at low temperatures and, unlike washing powder, do not leave any harmful residues.
Tip : After the regular wash program, run an extra rinse (only with water!).
Functional textiles are impregnated at the factory so that water rolls off, but this wears off over time. It is often sufficient to reactivate the impregnation with heat after washing : iron the jacket in the dryer for 30 minutes at 60 degrees or on a low setting, and the water should run off again. If this is not the case, the jacket or trousers have to be re-impregnated. And that for a whole textile life; Rule of thumb: re-impregnate about every four washes.
There are two ways of doing this: spraying on or washing in . Impregnating agents that are washed in the machine are more convenient to use. However, they also make the inside of the textile water-repellent, which hinders breathability. Better: Impregnation sprays that are sprayed on the outside - on the still damp jacket, unless the operating instructions require something else.
Whether in the machine or by spray: With most products, each new impregnation must be activated by heat. This is the only way for the active ingredients to penetrate the outer fabric - and let it roll off for a long time.
Impregnate in an environmentally friendly way
A poisonous substance is produced in the manufacture of some impregnating agents: perfluorinated surfactants, or PFT for short. This fluorocarbon compound is not biodegradable - PFT practically never rot! As a result, they accumulate in nature, for example in the livers of animals through to polar bears. The toxic and probably carcinogenic PFTs have also been found in human food and drinking water, sometimes in terrifying concentrations.
Fortunately, more and more impregnating agents are coming onto the market that work very well even without fluorocarbons and are by no means more expensive. For example Green Guard from Fibertec, which is available for washing in or for spraying on. The spray can works with compressed air, so it does not contain any propellant gas. Green Gard has to be rubbed into the fabric after application and activated with heat, but then works very well. Nikwax products such as Spray On also do not use fluorochemicals and have proven themselves for years.
