How to Wash Your Waterproof 

agreed

Thanks for watching!

You can use either to achieve the same results. A wash-in is going to be easier and guarantee full coverage, but a spray on allows you to target high-wear areas with extra treatment (shoulders and hood in particular), but you can miss some spots if you're not careful. The treatment keeps the jacket breathable by allowing the rain to bead off the surface, when your jacket wets out the breathability is reduced because the moisture vapour cannot escape as effectively. Personal preference comes into play, but in our experience we have seen slightly better results with the spray-on after the jacket has been cleaned, and a second spray over for good measure.

It's a different process with down. We've made a video about how to wash a down jacket, which is the same process as a down sleeping bag: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P7YtwPt6QLk.html

I'm afraid I can't be location-specific as I'm not aware of the intricacies of Michigan dunes, but I can make some suggestions. The Changabang will probably be too much; it's a proper fortress of a jacket that only really needs to be considered in some of the worst weather imaginable. The Beta LT is a great all-rounder, as is the Beta AR. I have an AR and it's all I've ever needed from a hardshell, even in the wettest part of the UK. The Ladakh is similarly brilliant but doesn't fit me quite as well, however, it may fit you perfectly. Another good suggestion is the Haglofs Roc GTX. Really, it comes down to fit and personal preference. There isn't necessarily a best. Harry

Yes absolutely, it works well for softshell as well. Harry

I've not used that specific product, but I would typically pour my chosen detergent into the drum itself.

Haha it is definitely not mine

The spray doesn't make your jacket waterproof, it will reintroduce the water repellent coating (DWR) to your jacket. The wash in also achieves this, it's a personal preference as to which method you choose, a combination of both also works.

30° will most likely be fine. Just pre-treat any stains beforehand with the same Grangers product and you should get good results. Harry

@@trekitt Thanks a lot for the quick reply and your advice. 👍

Grangers restores the DWR (the water repellent coating on the outer of the jacket), not the membrane itself. Therefore, it'll work for almost any hardshell and the process is the same. Harry

I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to list the products that aren't suitable for tumble drying, however, there are other methods such as using a hairdryer that are a little gentler but still introduce heat. Nikwax is also a good option if you're adverse to using a tumble drier. Harry

Ironing with a tea towel on a low heat will work just as well. Nice and slow. Harry

Yup, it'll work for all of those products as well.

The newer stuff definitely benefits from regular washing more than the older kit. The old stuff just went on forever!

It is a good idea to clean it out before use, but Paul's washing machine was pretty clean so didn't warrant it. You can even do a 10-15 minute wash without anything in to completely remove built-up detergent if there's a lot of residue. Harry

@@trekitt thank you

Hi, it should give you instructions on the back of the bottle. Usually something along the lines of wash, spray onto wet garment and wipe off excess.

@@trekitt Thanks Paul🙌🏻🙌🏻Happy New Year!

Waiting before tumble drying shouldn't have any detrimental effect to the reproofing. I would double check for any detergent build-up in your washing machine and possibly run a rinse cycle before trying again. You can also use a spray on reproofer instead of a wash-in which can really allow you to target areas of the jacket.

Using a wash-in will reproof all of the jacket inside and out, but in practice offers no appreciable difference in breathability. But a belt and braces approach is to do the method you've described, then there's no chance of any impediment. Just make sure to spray everything, don't want any wet spots!

Same method. The product in this video reapplies the DWR (durable water repellent) coating to the outer; this coating is present on both an Atom LT (or similar) and a hardshell.

I'm not hugely familiar with one of those, but having had a quick Google search it would seem to do the same job. It just needs a little heat to activate the proofing agents.

Mild detergent is pretty vague; we'd rather recommend a product(s) that we know works. The particular product we're using requires some heat to activate, so popping in the dryer straight away tends to work more effectively. Both methods essentially achieve the same results but ours is based on our personal experience.

I've heard a wash in may reduce breathability, whereas a spray on only coats the outer therefore not effecting/blocking the inner liner.

I've tried both and prefer the wash in. It just seems to work better in my experience. There is some truth in the sense that the wash-in will coat the inside too, but in practice you don't notice a difference. Harry

Yup, works on virtually all waterproof jackets/trousers.

You can do either; there's really no difference as long as you've cleaned out the drawer beforehand to get rid of any previous detergent. Performance Wash is purely for washing outdoor products, whereas Performance Wash & Repel washes and rejuvenates the durable water repellent coating.

@@trekitt Thankyou, I ended up putting some in the draw and some on the jacket , washed and let it drip and dry a bit in the shower and just now put it on a tarp in the garage and sprayed with Grangers Performance REPEL PLUS suitable for gore tex it is now air drying in the shower and later i will pop it in the Tumbler to reactivate . Hopefully this will bring it back to top performance.

@@atommachinedid it work? 😁

@@BearGryllsSpoofs Not Very Well .

Checking the care instructions on the jacket should be step one, but the basic steps in the video can be applied to any waterproof clothing as long as that care label allows.

😮 burnnn

Yup, that'll be fine.

Haha, it is an absolute cracker of a tumble. Theoretically it should work, however I've not personally given it a go. I'd probably spend a good 5 minutes over the whole jacket though, otherwise you could have patches that are more effective than others. Harry

Yup, pull it out of the washing machine, pop a tea towel over the area you're about to iron and slowly move over the jacket on a low heat. Do this until the jacket is almost dry and then leave to air until fully dry. Harry

@@trekitt Thanks ordered some and washed and ironed. water now beeds off nicely

Yup, hand washing with Tech Wash is absolutely fine. You could then use a spray-on product (such as TX Direct Spray or Performance Repel Spray) instead of washing it in. Harry

Thankyou, is ot OK to let it dry naturally after spraying it?

@@carillion09 Grangers works best with some heat but Nikwax doesn't require it, so can just be left to dry naturally.

Hairdryer is the easiest method. Same process for non-waterproof items as well-the product just needs some heat in whatever method you can.

@@trekitt Thank you so much for you prompt reply, Paul.

Depends on the product. Grangers recommend you do tumble dry, so I would. Harry

@@trekitt understood. thank you Harry :)

Grangers recommend heat for best results. If you can't tumble dry, warm it up with a hairdryer after washing. Not too close or hot. Harry

No, definitely doesn't need reproofing every wash. Only when it's not beading.

Hi, would you mind giving us a call? We'll then be able to go through it with you in more detail and hopefully ask some questions too. 01432 263335.

Same thing happened for me. I bought the spray on, as a last ditch effort. Didn’t work either. But then I found the solution. Sprayed it on a second time. Crumpled up a plastic bag so it formed a ball in my hand with a flat outer layer and used it to distribute the dwr and rub it in real good. This was very effective as the plastic didn’t soak up the dwr. Then I dried the jacket with a hair dryer, being careful not to melt the outer layer. The result was perfect beading. The instructions on Grangers website is very vague and doesn’t work in my experience. Give it a try if you still have the jacket 😊

@@twisterwiper I will give it a try next time, I've always wondered about using the brush it on method. Thanks

No, probably isn't necessary

I have a bib n brace for fishing will the blue cap bottle be ok to waterproof this item also any idea what the orange cap one is different to the blue one thanks great videos

Grangers won't necessarily waterproof your product but it will reinstate the water resistant coating on the outside, helping with breathability. The blue cap is for washing & reinstating water repellency, the orange cap is purely for water repellency and not washing.

Been there done that! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P7YtwPt6QLk.html

Hi Iain, something I always advise customers is that - although using a water-softener tablet or soda crystals (which are a handy extra boost to the cleaning process) is fine when washing an item, it seems from my experience to inhibit the take-up (by the fabric) of the proofer. This also seems, from my experience, to be more so with Grangers' proofer than Nikwax, though I don't use any water softening agent when proofing with Nikwax products, either, only for the wash cycle(s). After all, you've already cleaned the product, and proofing is an entirely different effect, in that you want the product to remain in the fabric, and not to be affected, or possibly removed, by any washing effect the water-softening agent may impart to the process. This further highlights the contradictory nature of any two-in-one product, which IMO can't really ever be totally effective, so are best used (if at all) on brand new items, which haven't had time to get mucky with dirt or sweat. Best use of a 2-in-1 product is to impart a modicum of proofing on a new item to put off the inevitable day it REALLY needs a proper clean/proof. Then, and thereafter, it will need to be treated with separate wash and proofer. Readers will gather, from my comments above, that IMO the use of a water-softening agent will render the proofing agent in a 2-in-1 product, already marginal, completely ineffective. Best to stick with separates, IMO. I personally believe that Grangers only market a 2-in-1 because their main market rival - Nikwax - don't, and never have.

The last washing video we made featured Nikwax, so we thought it fair to use Grangers this time.

Hi Iain, I was dubious about Nixwax's move away from their former advice to tumble dry. This change was mirrored by Paramo on their care labels so I started line drying my paramo stuff and it seems absolutely fine - no discernable difference in performance. The shop I work in sells Grangers but quite a lot of our ( own brand ) stuff can't be tumble dried. Since the Grangers really requires heat to "acitvate" it that leaves hanging the item over a radiator or putting it in an airing cupboard, if you still have one, as alternatives. A dilemma for me as I don't like trotting out a pat answer to customers that air drying is fine when i don't think it is with the Grangers products. Not keen on ironing waterproof fabrics, but it can be done, with care. I don't own any membrane garments anymore and only use Paramo stuff which I don't like the Grangers stuff for - doesn't seem to work well on the pump liner - so I stick with Nikwax as the fabrics and proofer products were developed together.

Thank you!

Yes, with a hammer 😂

If you’re using a cycle that rinses twice, it probably won’t work. Need to be a synthetic or delicates cycle with only one rinse, then straight in the dryer. I’ve only found this product to be very good.

Hahaha wow rude

It's best to introduce some heat with Grangers. Hairdryer is absolutely fine, then air dry afterwards.