Cleaning Ski Pants

[Corey_O132]

I went to Snowflex a lot over the summer, and my pants dried with flakes of a carpet like material on it. I need to get this off my virtika pants before the season. I was going to wash them, but the tag on my ski pants said use tech wash to keep waterproofing. Is it worth it to go out and buy this stuff? And is it safe to wash my ski pants without tech wash? So far i've just been trying to wipe them off with a wet wash cloth but it takes forever just to clean one pair. Any ideas?

 

[patagonialuke]

Tech washes (Nikwax Tech Wash, Gear Aid Revivex Pro Cleaner) work better with waterproof laminates, which are sensitive to detergents. If you're just trying to get material off the face fabric, you could always wash the pants with no detergent or a small amount of regular detergent. I'd also recommend drying the pants in a tumble dryer on low as the heat helps revive the DWR on the fabric. However, always check your apparel's care label before washing/drying it.

I wash my waterproof/breathable clothes with a tech wash a couple times a year to help with performance as the sweat/oil buildup from use can decrease breathability, and the washing/drying helps revive the DWR. You should be able to find a tech wash for around $10, and imo it's worth it as it helps with the performance and lifetime durability of your gear.