How to Restore DWR

[Andrew Richardson]

Hey Everyone:

I did a search for this and came up with nothing, so this thread is being created for anyone trying to find info on fixing DWR by typing in "restoring dwr"

So, my girlfriend planned a surprise birthday hike for me and it's this weekend…somewhere. I have no idea where, but she said it will definitely involve rain. My rain jacket is lacking in DWR right now and I want to restore it. I've heard you can put it in a dryer on low heat or something, but I don't remember any exact details.

So what technique/product do people use for restoring DWR.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Tim Heckel]

I've used McNett RevivX with great results.
http://www.mcnett.com/

[Kyle Rosenberger]

Spray revivex on the jacket, then tumble dry on medium heat. Probably a good call to wash it prior to applying the DWR.

[Ryan Krause]

Nikwax is another product – REI and EMS carry it if you have one nearby and REI has many reviews by users. They have a tech wash and TX Direct Wash-in that would clean and revitalize the DWR. The TX Direct product is nice since it isn't a spray but rather added during washing so the coat should get completely coated without much work on your part.

[JAMES CALL]

With a top loading machine, do you run it several cycles to get all of the soap out, or is the DWR so concentrated that it doesn't matter and it will wash into the fabric?

[Chris Townsend]

To clean a garment it's best to use a soap product not detergent, as the latter can mask or damage the DWR and is very hard to rinse away. If you have used detergent or need to because the garment is very grubby (detergent is better at removing dirt than soap) then wash it in soap to remove detergent residue. Often cleaning and drying a garment is all that's needed to restore the DWR. However if washing doesn't restore than a DWR treatment such as one from Nikwax is needed. Whether heat is needed to activate the DWR depends on the product. Nikwax ones don't need heat.

[Rick Dreher]

Hi Andrew,

Before applying a restoration product, tumble-dry it and/or iron it (low heat) to see whether that restores the DWR. Heat can often reactivate it if the jacket hasn't already been washed a few dozen times.

[Ryan Krause]

Edit – Ack, listen to Chris.

[Chris Townsend]

Nikwax Tech Wash is soap not detergent. From the Nikwax website:

"This product is a non-detergent soap which can be used regularly to clean clothing and equipment without damaging the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coatings. Use this product instead of detergents or washing powder".

[Jason Smith]

I have read that it is better for breathability to use the spray as opposed to the washin as you want to only coat the outside of the jacket.

[Michael Crosby]

What about for a down sleeping bag?
Any special product I should use?
Is spray or wash in better?
Thanks,
Mike

[Richard Lyon]

The best product I've found for restoring DWR is Atsko Water Guard, available at http://www.atsko.com or private labeled as Penguin. But ReviveX is a close second. Clean it with non-detergent soap (Atsko has one of these too, or Ivory Snow), spray on the Sport Wash, let it air dry, and toss it in the dryer for about 30 minutes.

[Monty Montana]

My experience has been that a spray-on product from Granger is more durable than Nikwax on my windshirt, though both will eventually fail during a prolonged, steady rain. Granger's is easy to use, just spray it on the clean garmet and toss it in the dryer at low heat for about 20-30 minutes. Both can be had at REI.

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