Jackets How do you guys clean the green HI-VIS Tour Master Jacket?

peterz

peterz

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Jun 22, 2007
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You can follow the cleaning instructions on the jacket, but that does not alway's
do the job. Any of you folks have any tips to pass along?Thanks Peterz
 
I've had little success getting high-viz clean. I clean jackets in the bathtub with detergent that has color safe bleach. Let it soak for a couple hours, rinse in clean water, hang to dry. It comes out looking better than when it went in, but it's not like new. If someone has a better method I'm willing to try it.

Or you could conclude that the high-viz patina is a mark of someone who rides, and wear it well.
 
We have a front loading washer now and that actually did a pretty good job. It won't look like new at all... there will just be a little less of the black residue that tends to show on the hi-viz stuff.. After 2 years my Olympia Air Glide is about a shade or two lighter than a new jacket but still pretty hi-viz.
 
In the UK I use a front loading washing machine with non-bio washing powder/liquid (does not remove the water proofing). Wash my stuff almost every week (or other week) no issue so far with my stuff.
 
I haven't washed my Tourmaster yet but my Olympia got washed a few times in the front loader and comes out very clean. It is a shade lighter than the original color after a year but only because I can compare it to the newer Tourmaster.
 
I've got an Olympia AirGlide 3 last summer and I washed it once at the end of the riding season. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it came out - definitely much, much cleaner and at most 1/2 a shade lighter. I used Nikwash to pre-spot the tough areas, then as a detergent in my front load washer. The hardest part was emptying all the things out of my pockets and unhooking & unzipping everything!
 
Olympia AST jacket in a top-loader: after one year, two complete wash cycles, one with Woolite, one with Nikwax, got it cleaner but not nearly clean. So this spring I did two complete washes with Nikwax, allowing a 30-minute soak in between. Result: the same. Let's face it, the thing just isn't gonna look like new again.

BTW:
1- the Nikwax wash-in water repellant works great and lasts a long time.
2- it's interesting to see where the black grunge collects on the jacket. The front and inside of my wrists and forearms get it the worst. Must be the airflow.
3- it's amazing how many of us are riding in Olympia gear.
4- has Aerostich returned to a true hi-viz yet or are they still using that disgusting barf yellow color?

pete
 
Old post, but I thought I'd update it as I just washed my Olympia Airglide 3 mesh pants and Moab mesh jacket and they came out looking brand new.

Remove and label armor, fasten all velcro strips, use a spot remover type spray on the heavily soiled areas, set washer on cold water wash and rinse, prefill to half full, set on delicate agitator speed, add wetting agent (dishwasher Jet Dry) and mild detergent and let it mix well and then add jacket. I leave the lid up so the wash cycle does not progress to spin and rinse and I run 3 wash cycles with a bit of soak time in between. After the 3rd cycle close lid and set the water level to full and I do 2 rinse cycles and then hang outside to dry in the sun. Repeat for the pants. Once all dry reinsert armor.

As mesh is not waterproof anyway I've no concern I'm washing out a waterproof protective coating and I think the wetting agent is key as it really helps to break the fabric's surface tension allowing the detergent to work effectively.
 
TMUS said:
Simple Green works well.
Click to expand...
+1. Spray Simple green on the dirty areas and scrub with a soft brush, and a little water.
Then hang the jacket outside and hose it off with your garden hose, and allow to drip dry - preferably in the sun.
Cleaned my hi-viz yellow jacket up like new.
 
Update on cleaning Hi-Viz. Did the following to my Olympia Hi-Viz yellow jacket.
I used OxiClean and couldn't believe how good it turned out. I sprayed the stain remover on, brushed it in, let it stand for 10 min, scrubbed some more with laundry detergent (Purex), and hosed it off. I let it hang dry. Looks new!
To help preserve the Hi-Viz, I spray the jacket with Scotchgard Water & Sun Shield W/ UV Protector.
 
For my Olympia hi-vis I used the instructions that they (Olympia) suggested on their website. Simple Green cut 10:1 spray and gently rub, rinsed with a hose, and left it to dry in the sun. All of the collected "dirty" areas now clean. The colour is a bit lighter but may have been from the sun anyway I can't say the wash did it.
 
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