Detergent = surfactants?

[Michael Febbo]

Ice season is over here in PA and I need to wash some softshell and w/b clothes. They smell like dead fish…

For awhile, I have been using Ecover Delicate Wash for all of my clothes. I tend to use less than recommeneded, and everything but towels gets washed in cold. I use this as it claims to be wool safe.

Here's the thing, I know that detergents are bad news for DWR coatings, and have read that it is the surfactants in detergents that do all the work. The Ecover stuff has plant-based surfactants. In fact, I have yet to find luandry products that don't have some kind of surfactant.
Is this stuff safe to use? What are the alternatives? Sportwash also states that is a detergent, so where can I find just soap?
Am I wrong about surfactants being the DWR killer in most detergents? Help, I really stink.

[Jay McCombs]

detergents are a type of surfactant. Surfactant comes from "surface active agent"…they lower the surface tension of liquids and allow organic things to be more readily dissolvable. Soap is a lipid and lye based surfactant.

I think the answer to your question is to use a detergent then use something like ReviveX to re-DWR coat your stuff. Actually I use a cleanser by revivex that claims to be DWR safe but I don't believe them.

please take all of what I said w/a grain of salt. I reserve the right to be partially or completely wrong.

[John Hopkins]

You could try this stuff:
"Nikwax: Tech Wash Fabric Care (10 fl.oz) – The effectiveness of any fabric's DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish is maximized by proper cleaning. Tech Wash is a non-detergent, biodegradable cleaner that protects the water-repellent finish on fabrics by removing water-attracting dirt, contaminants and detergent residues. When you wash garments in Tech Wash, NIKWAX waterproofing treatments last twice as long as they will when you wash with detergent soap. The highly effective cleaning agents in Tech Wash and its ability to rinse residue-free improve the performance of virtually anything made of fabric, fleece or synthetic insulation."

Then I would re-treat them with a DWR

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