How / where to clean textile mesh jacket | GTAMotorcycle.com

How / where to clean textile mesh jacket

robmack

Well-known member
Hi,

I've got an Olympia textile jacket in hi-vis yellow that is really showing the road dirt. I went to a local dry cleaner to see if they could clean the jacket but unfortunately they could do nothing for me. They said they tried to help another customer earlier that had the same problem with the same type of material without success.

I'm looking for suggestions of a place who could help, preferably either in the Yonge-Sheppard area or downtown core. TIA.
 
I know the manufacturer says not to was in a machine.....but you can take out all the armor, throw it in the washing machine on a cold water gentle cycle and hang dry it. I've never had to do that yet, but some of my buddies do it once a season and have never had an issue.
 
I know the manufacturer says not to was in a machine.....but you can take out all the armor, throw it in the washing machine on a cold water gentle cycle and hang dry it. I've never had to do that yet, but some of my buddies do it once a season and have never had an issue.

+1 run the rinse cycle a few times to get more water out
 
Ok, thanks very much for that help. I'll do the gentle wash with extra rinse. I'm going to also give the badly stained areas a shot with stain remover (Shout and a little hand scrubbing before washing) to see if that can lift the dirt.
 
What they said but you may lose a fair bit of the hi-vz yellow.

This came from the ADV site
https://www.goldeagle.com/brands/303-products/

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/motoport-airmesh-hi-viz-fading.611657/

here is another

I own a Motoport High Viz 3/4 length air mesh jacket that over these last several years and 53,000 miles has gradually faded to a dark lime green. Other than the fading this jacket along with the liners has & continues to be Awesome.

Rather than replacing the jacket as a winter project I tested several dyes/paints to restore the High Viz. Long story short the Best application I found is:

"TULIP soft fabric paint" Lime Matte using a Loew Cornell 3/4" Natural Bristle Brush which doesn't block the air flow through the mesh.

Everyone who has seen the "restored jacket" thinks its new!

I tried to upload some before/after photos but was unsuccessful/a truly night and day transformation!

If you are thinking of doing this too, make sure you clean/wash your jacket, drench/reapply with "Fabric Guard 303" then apply the TULIP soft fabric paint.

Great and economical way to restore your High Viz jacket IMO.

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/high-viz-jacket-restoration-project.652121/
 
Macdoc, interesting reading. One of the posters in the last linked ADVRider thread had no success with washing his Olympia jacket. I think mine is in the same condition, so I will research the TULIP paint and 303 fabric treatments after giving the washing a go and evaluating the results. My hi-vis is not yet faded.
 
same as the others....cold cycle, gentle, no harsh chemicals
one slight variation, after the garment, water and soap have jiggled around a bit
I turn the machine off and let things soak for awhile to dissolve the bugs etc
maybe around an hour or so, then let the cycle complete with an extra rinse

hang to dry, no drier action of course

this is with a traditional, top load machine with agitator, and lots of water
not sure how good a job the front load - water saver, high speed spin machines are gonna do for this
I expect not very good
 
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Step 1. Fill tub partially with lukewarm water and a tiny bit of laundry detergent

Step 2. While it fills up, remove armor and empty pocket.

Step 3. Let soak in tub for about 15 minutes

Step 4. Gently hand wash

Step 5. Empty tub of dirty water and refill partially now with just water

Step 6. Put the gear back in and rinse as you gently agitate the gear

Step 7. Attempt to wring and fail miserably,

Step 8. Find a way to hang dry in the tub. (I usually will do half my drying inside, other half outside, preferably not too far from the a/c unit to get some good air circulation)

Step 9. Put the armor back in and go for a ride.
 
I have an Olympia mesh jacket as well.

* Remove and label armour
* Spray heavily soiled areas with a spot cleaner.
* Fill washtub 3/4 with warm water, add detergent and then add a squirt of dishwasher rinse agent solution. This rinse agent is critical IMHO as it minimizes textile surface tension and allows the jacket to be thoroughly wetted. You can't wash something effectively if the fabric is not fully wet.
* Put jacket in tub.
* Run several gentle cycles. On my machine I leave the lid up and the washer will not advance to the rinse cycle so I don't have the babysit the machine. As others have mentioned let soak between cycles.
* Rinse twice, hang outside to dry and reinstall armour and you're good to go.

My 5 year old jacket came out looking like new and and the process did not negatively impact the hi viz colour.
 
Thanks for all the positive suggestions guys. I removed the armour, sprayed Shout on all the heavily soiled areas of the jacket (cuffs, neck, shoulder, arms, elbows, & bottom hem) and let stand for 5 minutes, ran it through the front-load washer on delicate setting with cold water and organic clothes washing soap, and extra rinse option turned on. Came out looking brand new.
 

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