cleaning waders???

OK I have breathable waders, never thought of it b-4, someone I was fishin with looked at my waders and asked how do I clean them? They are kinda dirty lol so I thought nothin to it soap and water, now I’m reading the directions and they say machine wash in soap powder only not liquid and tumble dry except for booted. I wanna take the short cut by asking you guys and not mess up my waders by trial and error, how do you guys clean your breathables?

Grub
Do you mind if I ride along on your thread? I’d like ot hear the answers as I have the same problem. Even have a little milldew in them too!

I hand wash them in warm water with Ivory Snow, and then hang them outside to dry.

Ivory Snow powder in a front loading washer, followed by this:

http://www.rei.com/product/777801

This may help you…
http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/repairs_main_new.html#wader_care

go to your wader manufacturers website for cleaning info. they know best on how to clean em!

Does washing waders destroy the mojo?? :wink:

All kidding aside, after you follow the instructions on the label or take Normand’s advice, use the Revivex suggested by Heritage Angler. It is the only way to restore the DWR, (durable water resistant) coating that is applied to the fabric at the factory. The DWR coating enables the fabric to shed water and is an important part of the “breathing” process. Revivex is recommended by Gore if your waders happen to be Gortex.

BTW - McNett, the folks that make Revivex, also make a great liquid detergent for cleaning Gortex garments.

Jack Hise no I don’t mind at all… I was hoping everyone would say, Tim, no big deal, just throw them in the washer, they will be fine… I’v never washed waders b-4, but after climbing around in the mountains with them they have gotten rather dirty, even have a coffee stain on them along with dirt and moss stains…

The only reason I’d clean my waders is if I were in waters that had some sort of invasive plant in them. All the rest of the gunk is “character” (including the coffee stains).

Z Fisher yep I agree, but just thought maybe I could put them in the wash and they would come out like new again, if not, then I wasn’t gonna bother and take the chance of them getting ruined…

Wader care and cleaning – Hang, do not bundle, damp fishing waders after fishing or cleaning to prevent any damaging mildew. Remove suspenders and repair kit from inside front pouch prior to washing the waders. Store fishing waders in a cool, dry place. (1) Do not dry clean, (2) do not use chlorine bleach, (3) hand or machine wash warm. Bootfoots, hand wash only. Use a powdered detergent with no additives, such as Ivory?. (4) Air-dry (turn inside out).

Fly Fishing Wader Care and Maintenance

Got this off the site and is on the waders, but I was asking from you guys so I would know weather it was worth the time and would it hurt the waders in the long run… you know to see if you guys had already washed ya’lls a few times and have had no problems, I guess that you folks don’t think about washing yours anymore than I do mine…lol

Grubb:

My results with washing waders has been that the stains don’t come out really well since all of that super duper cleaning stuff like bleach, Oxyclean, or Shout isn’t recommended.

BUT…

Cleaning and treating with Revivex will improve the breathability and help to prevent “wet-out” which is when the fabric gets soaked because it doesn’t repel water. Wet out can lead to dampness inside the waders.

Hey Grubb, I’m a little confused here…
(not a hrd ting, at the best of times ;))
But… how would one manage to (#3) machine wash warm), and still honour the, (bootfoots, handwash only), part?

Just wondering because I’d like to take the quick route and machine wash mine.

Thanks: Grant

Yaffle, I was wondering the same thing, then I thought maybe they where talking about waders made with the wading boots already attached as part of the waders and not the neoprene boots that come attached to the waders. But for sure, I am not…:slight_smile: But I think after reading all the post my will just have to stand as is and iIguess I won’t be making the GQ of flyfishing mag cover any time soon…lol

Perhaps but after this past year mine had way to much mojo in them

Grubb:

When wader manufacturers say hand wash “bootfoots”, they mean boot-foot, with the wading shoe/boot attached as opposed to “stockingfoot” waders with a Neoprene bootee.

Got it… boot not booty