The main advantage of a ski jacket is good thermoregulation during active movements. Therefore, today this wardrobe item is popular not only among athletes.
But how should such things be washed so that they do not lose their positive qualities? In this article, we will look in detail at how to properly wash (by hand and in a machine) and dry a ski jacket, and what products are suitable for this.
What is membrane clothing
The membrane has several useful properties:
- It attracts moisture and controls it.
- Prevents unnecessary moisture from entering the parka from outside.
- Keeps you warm.
Ski jackets and suits are usually made from this material. And for good reason: you can move freely in them without wearing multi-layered clothing. In such clothes you are not afraid of strong winds. The heaviness of the thing is not felt either, since there is no padding polyester or fluff in it. Plus, washing a membrane jacket or pants is not that difficult.
If you want to enhance the protective properties of climate control, then feel free to combine outerwear with thermal underwear. But when you see that it is severely frosty, it is better to also wear a fleece sweatshirt.
Studying the tag
To find out exactly the composition of the clothing, as well as recommendations for cleaning it, you need to study the tag . In most cases, the manufacturer allows machine washing, while indicating the permissible water temperature (30-40 degrees).
Some products can only be washed by hand, and it is not recommended to wring hard.
You will find a lot of useful and important information about washing jackets and down jackets here.
Preparatory stage
If you follow all the rules for washing a ski jacket, then you don’t have to worry about either hand washing or machine washing. But in order to definitely achieve the best cleansing, there are rules on how to prepare things for the process.
The basis of the preparatory stage is cleaning the surfaces with a special soft brush or dry cloth. If there are areas that are too dirty, just remember where they are and in the future pay special attention to them when washing by hand. Be sure to remove any fur, if any, and fasten zippers, clasps, and buttons.
What to wash
A responsible housewife will immediately, even upon purchase, ask the question of how to wash membrane jackets. But it’s better to remember which jacket washing products you should avoid:
- Regular washing powders. Their particles will clog the pores of the membrane, so you can forget about its protective functions.
- Stain removers with chlorine and other solvents. They will definitely change the structure of the fabric.
- Conditioners and rinses. They will make a film on top of the fibers, which will prevent air from circulating properly.
Detergents for washing membrane jackets should be as soft and gentle as possible, without chlorine and small particles. The best option that can be found in any supermarket on the shelves with household chemicals is a special gel. It also says how to wash a membrane jacket.
Choosing the right product
Saving on cleaning gels means that you will soon have to buy a new jacket. Therefore, when thinking about the high cost of the product, you should remember the higher cost of the membrane product.
Household chemicals for the care of ski clothing can be found in any specialized department or in a sports store. It is presented in the form of gels and sprays .
The former are often intended for washing fabric, while the latter are responsible for maintaining an excellent impregnation condition.
Recommended companies:
- Grangers;
- Toko Triumph sport;
- Nikwax.
It is not necessary to give preference to foreign manufacturers when buying the most expensive product.
It is even permissible to use Eared Nanny gel, if you clearly remember the recommended dosage: it should be half that of a professional one.
Washing methods
The best option for washing ski jackets with a membrane is hand washing. There aren’t even any nuances on how to wash a thing correctly. You control the process yourself. If you choose a machine, you need to know what modes to wash membrane jackets on, since even at low speeds you can damage the protective film.
In the washing machine
If the fabric is durable and the label says that you can wash the membrane jacket in a washing machine, then feel free to proceed with the procedure.
Don't forget that you can't use conditioner! It’s better to hang a “reminder” next to the machine, as you can automatically pour it into the cell.
The scheme is simple:
- Select delicate mode (no higher than 40 degrees).
- Fill in a special washing gel.
- We soak particularly dirty areas in advance with dishwashing liquid.
If you are thinking about how to wash ski jackets in a washing machine, then the main rule is not to overload the drum. This way there will be no strong membrane friction.
Manually
For manual work, bathing gel, baby shampoo, or laundry soap are good options. The main thing is to choose a product without chlorine.
We wash a jacket with a membrane as follows:
- Remove everything unnecessary from your pockets, unfasten the fur, wrap the tab and zipper with tape.
- Add warm water to the bath or basin.
- Now let's figure out how to wash a down jacket. Pour in the detergent and shake until foam appears. Place the membrane fabric jacket into the solution.
- Don't wait for soaking; wash the item right away. There is no need to scrub the fabric, just apply the foam and go over it with a soft brush.
When finished, rinse the jacket. You don't need to twist it too hard. Lightly squeeze out the moisture, hang the item on a hanger to drain the remaining water, and get ready to dry.
Membrane care tips
The basis for careful care of such a necessary and expensive jacket is regular washing. If you do everything according to the rules, you can use a unique item not just for 1-2 seasons, but for several years. Even heavy precipitation may not be a problem: effective products will effectively restore DWR coatings on membrane fabrics while maintaining water-repellent properties.
Regardless of whether you wash your membrane suit by machine or by hand, there are general care tips to keep in mind.
Do not leave clothes soaking for long periods of time. Too much water or staying in it for a long time will not improve the fabric, but will only ruin it. To ensure that all remaining liquid is removed from clothing, do not twist or wring it out, as this can easily damage the pores. It is enough to simply wrap trousers or a membrane jacket in a roll, wrapping it with a terry or thick cotton towel on top.
The time after washing membrane clothes is an excellent time to saturate the fabric with special products, since what the manufacturer used is washed out quite quickly. How to determine it:
- Raindrops no longer roll off quickly from the surface of the overalls, and it began to quickly get wet.
- The jacket was often exposed to direct sunlight.
- There are some small abrasions on the top.
- If the machine has already been washed at least 2-3 times.
You need to learn about the washing features of a particular membrane jacket immediately at the time of purchase. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to get rid of dirt, and the microscopic pore tissue will quickly deteriorate.
Do not forget that there are certain requirements for storing membrane items. A room in which there is no high humidity is suitable, since the fabric will absorb not only water, but also dirt and dust. In addition, pungent odors will persist more actively. So the storage basis is a clean, ventilated, dry place.
If you follow all the above rules, the membrane jacket will retain its reliability, comfort and durability for more than one season. Such expensive things require proper care from the owner, and he certainly will not regret the time spent.
Drying membrane clothing
Usually, after washing an item, you need to immediately prepare special conditions for drying:
- The room should be well ventilated.
- Avoid direct exposure to light.
- Do not use a hairdryer or iron for drying.
- Do not keep your jacket near a radiator.
If the item was dried incorrectly, although all washing conditions were met, the fabric can easily be damaged. Therefore, do not wring out clothes under any circumstances. But you still need to get rid of the remaining moisture. So just take a terry towel, robe or sheet. Wrap the jacket in a completely dry product and perform a series of squeezing movements, as if removing remaining water. The fabric will no longer be wet, but slightly damp.
Types of ski suits
Fabrics that are used to sew ski suits have the following mandatory characteristics. This may include:
- high strength;
- wear resistance;
- vapor permeability;
- elasticity;
- water and wind resistance.
That is why several different types of fabrics are used in their production: membrane material, polyester, lycra, fleece. Membrane technologies are used in the production of professional ski clothing. It is designed for very active athletes and is ready to withstand any difficult weather conditions. The peculiarity of such sportswear is that it breathes, that is, it allows evaporation from the surface of the body (sweat) to pass through, but protects against the penetration of moisture from the outside. There are also products for beginners, whose protective indicators are much lower.
The surface of such jackets and trousers is treated with special substances. Such impregnations also impart membrane properties to the fabric. Moisture-repellent impregnations are also used. To ensure that the suit does not lose all its properties, it must be washed, taking into account some subtleties.
How to iron membrane clothing
Place the item on a horizontal surface and straighten it so that there are no folds. We are waiting for it to dry completely. If possible, hang clothes on hangers. Dry the hood separately when it is possible to unfasten it.
Remember: do not iron your ski jacket either after you have finished washing it or before you begin!
Membrane Fabric Processing
If you want your down jacket to continue to provide shelter from wind, moisture and dirt, soak it with a special high-quality product, such as a water-repellent spray, for additional protection. It should only be applied to a completely dry surface. Then leave the jacket to dry for some more time until the product is completely absorbed into the dried product, after which it is left again until it dries completely.
Sometimes in specialized stores you can find liquid products to treat and clean the membrane at home. Such substances must be worked strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. They are usually added to rinse water. If necessary, leave the down jacket in the prepared solution for the required time, and then leave it to dry without even rinsing it.
Whitening
Using whitening gels and stain removers on models with colored prints and trims is extremely risky. Colored pigments from synthetics are easily washed off and mixed with each other.
Moisture-repellent impregnation may be damaged when using improvised means. Therefore, it is better to entrust the removal of yellowness from a ski suit to professionals.
You can freshen up a white suit using laundry soap. To do this, just soak the product for thirty minutes before washing in soapy water at a temperature of 30 degrees. After drying, the fabric will lighten several shades.
