Can I safely wash my Altura Night Vision jacket?

[Tynan]

sounds a bit cissy to me, dirt and much from your recumbant?

and you are a girl I suppose

us men are rough and tough and manly

some of us anyway

mine enevr seems to get anything at all, granted I don;t wear it that often

 

[DaveP]

AH,

After your ride jump in the shower with it on inside out!

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I've got a Montane Fetherlite thing, which I guess is probably similar in terms of the care it needs. The outdoor shop where I bought it recommended the Nikwax washing stuff, plus their reproofing thing from time to time. We've used that on our walking clothes so tend to have it in the house .. I've washed the jacket once or twice and it does help, as you'd expect. I'm lazy, but not rough and tough.

Wiggle have got the Nikwax range for a reasonable price. Or just pop in a local Millets or similar.

 

[Pompey Princess]

Washed at 30 degrees and with a small amount of powder on a fast wash without a mega manic spin cycle - let it drip dry overnight in the bathroom. Job done and been fine so far.

 

[Chris James]

Wiggle have got the Nikwax range for a reasonable price. Or just pop in a local Millets or similar.

Or take part in the Nikwax quiz online. They send you free samples if you answer 10 questions (that they give you the answers to!) correctly. Techwash is one of the usual ones and you can take part every three months (although at the moment the prize is footwear cleaning gel)

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Or take part in the Nikwax quiz online. They send you free samples if you answer 10 questions (that they give you the answers to!) correctly. Techwash is one of the usual ones and you can take part every three months (although at the moment the prize is footwear cleaning gel)

I didn't know about that. Top tip, thanks.

 

[summerdays]

I have to report that the Night Vision fades over time anyway... mine is definately not the same colour as it was last year...

 

[Auntie Helen]

And has it been washed in that time or is it general fadeage?

 

[summerdays]

I embarassed to say general fadeage - normally I have quite a few layers on underneath so it hasn't got too smelly (and of course I'm a lady so I have only "glowed" in it!!). I have wanted to wash it but didn't want to affect its waterproofing. I now have a second one in grey, and I'm going to try washing it to see how it goes - but yet to get those proper soap flakes.

 

[HLaB]

I just washed my night vision ovetrowsers last night and say don't use biological, I used ordinary Non-bio. I also gave them a second wash with Grangers waterproof stuff, it says to get best results tumble dry yet Altura say no

 

[Chris James]

I also gave them a second wash with Grangers waterproof stuff, it says to get best results tumble dry yet Altura say no

The problem with non bio as opposed to soap based products is that apparently detergents affect the surface tension which undermines the durable water repellent coating that allows water to bead up on the surface.

Altura probably say not to tumble dry as it may disbond the seam taping. You can try a cool iron instead, avoiding the seams, if you have the guts!

 

[fossyant]

Getting hold of soap flakes is ruddy hard now - been looking for some for ages....

 

[Chris James]

Getting hold of soap flakes is ruddy hard now - been looking for some for ages....

Have you tried Sainsbury's?

The last load I got was from there (about 18 months ago - we only use it for washing waterproofs).

We normally shop in Morrison's but I don't think they sell soap flakes.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Update.

I washed the jacket with my special German waterproof/breathable jacket washing liquid at 40 degrees (as the jacket said).

It came out just as yellow and reflective as before and somewhat cleaner but still with some oil marks on it. I suppose they're not going to go without mega elbow grease or dodgy chemicals. Still, it was a marked improvement!

 

[Pompey Princess]

Got some soap flakes today in Tesco - Granny's Soap Flakes. Previously posted that I'd washed using normal bio stuff but this thread has made me think again about doing that. Will still use the fast wash and drip dry but will use the flakes instead. Cost £1.15 for a big box.