Detergents for washing membrane clothes

membrane washing Sometimes washing clothes can present you with a choice of detergent, especially if you have an item from an unfamiliar fabric in your wardrobe. One of these fabrics can be a membrane. It is often used to make sportswear, things for tourists and children. This material has unique properties, and therefore special means are needed to wash this material. What are these products, how to choose them, and how to wash them?

“Miracle” properties of fabric

The membrane is a special layer inside the fabric, in the form of a mesh with tiny pores. The membrane is coated on both sides with special protection. The top layer of fabric with a membrane is a wear-resistant material. Thanks to its multi-layer nature, membrane fabric has the following properties:

repels water, which allows you not to get wet in the rain;
“breathes” well, which means that you won’t have to sweat in such waterproof clothing, since the fumes easily pass out;
windproof, this makes it comfortable for any weather;
lightweight and retains heat, so insulation is not made from membrane fabric, with the exception of down jackets and winter jackets, the membrane does not let the cold in.

For your information! Membrane fabric is quite expensive, so before using something for washing, make sure that the product is suitable for this type of clothing, because ruining an expensive item is more than unpleasant.

Fund requirements

Which laundry detergent is better to choose, what should it be? To answer this question, you need to proceed from the properties of the fabric that we described above. Here are a few requirements for a detergent for membrane fabric:

it should not contain chlorine, as chlorine will ruin the water-repellent property of the fabric;
it should not contain a large number of enzymes that perceive the fabric impregnation as dirt, destroying it;
the product should not contain oxygen bleach, as it clogs the pores of the membrane and the fabric stops “breathing”;
the composition should not contain large abrasive particles.

Considering these requirements, we can say with confidence that the following is not suitable for washing membranes:

any powder, Taid, Ariel, Persill and others;
ordinary liquid laundry detergents, they contain enzymes;
bleaches and stain removers;
detergents for washing delicate clothes, such as “Laska”, “Vorsinka”, etc.;
liquid soap.

Conclusion: you can wash membrane clothes only with special products intended for a specific type of clothing.

For example, there are separate products for sportswear and outerwear with insulation. If such a product is not at hand, you can use laundry soap that does not contain chlorine. But you shouldn’t wash clothes with it all the time; over time, the fabric will begin to lose its “breathing” properties.

Short review

There are many products on the household chemicals market for washing membrane clothes from different manufacturers; here are a few examples.

Perwoll Sport & Active is a liquid product designed for washing sports items with a fresh scent. This product can be used to wash overalls, thermal underwear, tracksuits and jackets, trousers made of Bolognese fabric and elastic.
Tech Wash from Nikwax is a special biodegradable liquid soap for the membrane that helps maintain the water-repellent properties of the fabric. It is also used for washing nylon and cotton fabrics, tarpaulins, GoreTex, Dry Factor, Sympatex, Ultrex.They wash tents, backpacks, and climbing ropes. This product is sold in concentrated form, and therefore is suitable for removing stains.
Domal “Sport Fein Fashion” is a German product. Thoroughly cleans clothes from various types of contaminants without affecting the properties of fabrics. One 750 ml bottle of product is enough for 25 kg of dry laundry, which is very economical.
Denkmit Fresh Sensation is a gel-like product suitable for membranes that copes with dirt and odors. However, it gives the fabric water-repellent properties.

How to wash and care

The most gentle way to wash the membrane is by hand. It is necessary to wet the product in lukewarm water, and then apply one of the special products, and then rinse it off under running water. Do not twist the product, let the water drain from the item itself. Few people will like this method, since you don’t want to spend either time or effort on manual labor if you have an automatic machine.

To wash membrane clothes in a machine, you need to follow the following rules:

wash in one of the modes: “hand wash”, “wool”, “sportswear”;
adjust temperature to 30⁰;
turn off spin;
do not use the soak or pre-wash cycle, and machine drying mode;
Wash large items separately.

After washing in the machine, the product is laid out on a horizontal surface and dried in this form in a well-ventilated area. Do not dry the membrane near a fire or radiator, or iron it with an iron. If necessary, after drying, membrane clothing is impregnated with a special water-repellent composition. This will extend the life of the products. If you notice that your clothes have begun to get wet in some places, then this procedure is simply necessary.

For impregnation, you can use Nikwax Down Proof. A protective agent in the form of a spray is applied to the surface of the clothing and wait until it dries completely. Liquid impregnation must be used when rinsing products. This procedure must be done after one or a couple of washes; frequent impregnation will lead to clogging of the membrane, and it will lose its other properties.

membrane impregnation

Important! Water-repellent impregnations should be used only after washing clothes and strictly in accordance with the instructions.

So, washing membrane clothes is not difficult, because with the advent of new material, care products also appeared. Buy products from trusted manufacturers and wash according to label recommendations. And then your clothes will always be in excellent condition.