How to wash membrane clothes in a washing machine?

The technological process is moving forward at an elusive pace. It would seem that five years ago very few people knew about the existence of membrane clothing. Today, mothers of babies, athletes and just ordinary people who want to feel warm despite the weather are not without it. The question of how to wash membrane clothes in a washing machine, many people care, because its practical properties you want to keep as long as possible.

Despite the fact that the membrane began to be used everywhere not so long ago, its history leads us back to the distant 1969 year. That's when Bill and Robert Gore were able to produce a unique fabric called Gore tex. It took more than six years before the material appeared in the first line of clothing. The membrane is a thin film with micropores of foamed polytetrafluoroethylene. Its main advantages are:

• Ease;
• 100% moisture permeation inside;
• Withdraw moisture from the inside.
• The material "breathes".

Fabric incorporates 2, 3 or 2.5 layers. In each case, the membrane film is attached to the seamy side of the base and requires additional lining. In the three-layered version, the fine mesh of knitted fiber becomes the lining. In the variant where there are 2.5 layers, small foamed knitted pimples are sprayed onto the main layers.

Needless to say that such a multi-layered and well-designed fabric does not know the word “get wet”. Even when worn from the top fabric, the DWR fabric covers, thanks to the membrane, never let moisture through to the body. In addition, all the seams in the models are taped, providing an even greater degree of protection. Today there are several types of membranes:

• Hydrophilic. The hydrophilic membrane has gone from the key concept of the membrane and the presence of pores. In this form, there are no pores, and therefore the condensate from the evaporation of the body during physical activity is deposited on the inner surface. Further, according to the principle of diffusion of moisture, sweat particles reach the outer surface;

• Porovaya. Pore ​​Gore Tex also does not get wet, although it has pores. The secret here is their minimum size, which is ten times more than a drop of rain. Through the pores, internal moisture comes out freely, leaving the body dry. Compared with the first type, the pore variety should be treated with the utmost care when washing;
• The combined type combines the advantages of hydrophilic and pore material. The membrane here is covered with a polyurethane hydrophilic film, which significantly affects the cost of the product.

Types of membrane clothing, depending on the destination:

• Casual;
• Professional;
• For active sports.

Each type has its own requirements. So, the everyday membrane differs from others in its large weight and quantity of filler. This type includes suits, jackets and pants for walking, as well as overalls for children from birth. Professional series suitable for climbers and skiers. The third one, the lightest and most weightless, belongs to clothing for runners and is called Gore-Tex Active.

The membrane is a difficult material, and therefore care for it must also be delicate.Only then can a jacket or overalls be able to last for a long time without losing its water-repellent properties. Before understanding whether it is possible to erase a membrane with ordinary powder, it is necessary to find out all the compositions that adversely affect the fabric. So, the material does not tolerate phosphates and sulfates, which means that washing with ordinary or liquid powder of even the best quality is prohibited. Do not expose the membrane to bleach and stain removers.After all, manufacturers also cannot do without sulfates.

It should be noted another procedure that can not be done. So, choosing a machine wash, it is important to abandon the "spin" mode, since the film should not be subjected to aggressive twisting. Perhaps drying the product in this version will be much longer, but the result is safe for the structure is worth it. In addition, the very property of the membrane allows you to remove dirt from it immediately and with ordinary water, and therefore washing in a typewriter is an infrequent procedure.

It is impossible to erase a microporous surface with ordinary means, however, there is one habitual laundry detergent that can be used for a membrane. Natural laundry soap without fragrances and other additions, made according to GOST, perfectly cleans any pollution, like hundreds of years ago.

Another tool that helps with washing - mild shampoo without the use of sulfates. It is not only safe, but also pleasant to wash membrane clothing. Light aroma of shampoo will always be more pleasant than the smell of soap. Here, however, a matter of taste preferences.

If you want to approach the issue of washing professionally, it is better to trust the experts and purchase a special gel concentrate for the membrane. It can be called differently, but it always has a liquid consistency. Any sports store is ready to offer several options for such products, and therefore problems with the search does not arise.

Unfortunately, unknowingly people often make mistakes. So, having once washed the jacket with ordinary powder, you should not be upset and resigned to the thought of its hopelessness. 1-2 washes can not significantly affect the membrane, however, further manipulations should be carried out by proven means.

Many, when confronted with the washing features for the first time, decide to avoid it by daily removing dirt with a damp cloth. The decision is partly true, but still the wash should be hand or machine present. The fact is that the membrane not only does not let the water inside, but also actively attracts dust. Clogging the pores leads to a violation of the "breathing" of the tissue, and hence to the loss of the whole meaning of the properties of the tissue. Experts recommend washing outerwear 2-3 times per season.

So, if the laundry is already scheduled, it is important to prepare the clothes. To do this, a jacket, a winter suit or a jumpsuit are fastened with all zippers, after checking the pockets. In addition to this, they unfasten the hood or, if impossible, the fur. Fragile accessories, prone to scratches, stick with tape, which allows to preserve its original appearance.

Ski and snowboard clothes are prepared in the same way. In some tips you can see the idea that you need to turn the costume inside out. In reality, this is not worth it. Clothes for snowboarding zip up and pre-soaked in a special tool in the basin for half an hour.After that, use a soft brush to remove complex dirt. In the presence of complex stubborn stains, children's clothing is also pre-treated with a brush with a special agent or laundry soap.

In order to properly wash clothes from membrane fabric, it is important to choose not only a special detergent, but also the desired mode and temperature. So, modern machines have long been equipped with the “for membrane” mode, where the available speed and temperature are determined with precision. However, not everyone has such a mode, which means they will have to experiment.

In each menu of the machine you can find delicate modes, whether it be silk, wool or hand wash. Their temperature is usually does not exceed 30-40 degreesthat does not contradict the rules of care for membrane clothing. Spin in these modes is in position 300-500 rpm, which is also quite acceptable, although experts recommend not pressing membrane things at all.

When the washing procedure is completed, and the washing machine gave the final signal, a wet jacket or suit is placed on thick terry towels. Their material should be selected taking into account the high absorption of moisture. It should be noted that they will need a lot. So, clothes spread on a horizontal surface on towels and begin to smooth out, smoothing all the folds and thereby removing moisture. As the towels get wet, they are replaced with new ones. In this position, the clothes are left to dry completely.

It is important to remember that dry on the membrane membrane is strictly prohibitedthat is why it is important to give clothes the opportunity to slowly but independently dry in a room with proper air circulation. To do this, you can open the window and ventilate a suitable place for drying. In addition, the membrane is not only afraid of heaters, but also of direct sunlight, even if it is washed during the cold season.

To clean the products was as simple and clear as possible, and the results coincided with the desired, should be used in the home practice a few tips:

• First of all, a quality item always has detailed instructions for washing the product. Reading it is necessary and important, because the manufacturer knows better and more accurately.
• Experts advise to adhere to the correct periodicity of washings and not to load the washing machine when a speck suddenly appears. Wise housewives remove small stains with detergents, for example, Fairy, moistening a cotton pad in them and applying on the product. Later, the material is rinsed. Also in the fight against stains appears soap "Antipyatin", which requires after its use, high-quality rinsing.

Reviews of washing membrane things, as a rule, belong to young mothers. Kids who love to run through the puddles or carry a stone in their hands all the way home, get their clothes dirty very quickly and heavily. Caring housewives are in no hurry to wash things in the washing machine, resorting to hand washing with brushes, soap, special balms and emulsions. Machines are trusted only by the rinsing process, because, according to many, removing the foam from a thing that has just been washed is a laborious and tiring process. If its removal is of poor quality, you can get a suit in snow-white divorces at the exit.

However, other moms and young people who are in a hurry, decide the issue of cleaning with a washing machine. Their reviews are very positive, because with all the rules, the membrane does not lose its properties. It is worth noting that erase membrane outerwear only separately from other things, thereby preserving the brightness and saturation of the original pattern.

Some, however, use any good powders, arguing that the membrane used in clothing, which can be bought on the Russian market, is only referred to as a membrane. There are no water resistance properties in it, and therefore there is no need to suffer with washing. Perhaps this is true. However, if you have a good thing of a foreign brand in your hands, you should not experiment with it, because its cost is probably ten times higher than any means for washing the membrane.

In the next video, see all the details of the care membrane clothing.