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Dry Cleaning Rider Wear

tonynace

New member
Has anybody tried dry cleaning rider wear items like jackets and pants? Mine badly need cleaning, but it's a real pain removing the pads and getting them back in when I just throw them in the wash, especially the pants and BMW ones at that. I wonder if I could have them just dry cleaned and leave the pads in place? Would the chemicals have a negative effect on the pads? I'm not even sure how the dry cleaning process works. Is it like a washing machine, only they use chemicals instead of water?
 
I wouldn't try it. You could ask the dry cleaner though, about the pads.
But washing my stuff at home works great, stop being so lazy and remove the pads. Anyhow, do a lookup of dry cleaning chemicals and I believe then you wouldn't want them on your body.
 
I wouldn't try it. You could ask the dry cleaner though, about the pads.
But washing my stuff at home works great, stop being so lazy and remove the pads. Anyhow, do a lookup of dry cleaning chemicals and I believe then you wouldn't want them on your body.
Like I said, it's a real pain, as the BMW pants have a variety of positions to move the knee pads up and down and you have to play around to get them back to where they were before. It's not that easy as the knee pads are pretty big and hard to get back in there. So it's not a matter of being lazy. Besides, I have plenty of other stuff to do.
 
Don't think the chemicals in dry cleaning will do the garments or pads any good, might even be down right harmful to the pads
I throw mine in the wash with a cup of Woolite gentle cycle with extra rinse, then hang dry smell pretty good for awhile
 
If you have read the labels of laundry detergents, you will often come across the word, "surfactants". A surfactant is a material, (chemical), that can significantly reduce the surface tension of water.

Surfactants: Detergent Chemistry

If an individual uses "plain old laundry detergent" to wash their "waterproof" riding gear, they will nearly eliminate the waterproof-ability of the garment, unless they use a HUGE amount of water to rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse, rinse, and rinse, ALL of the surfactant out of the fabric.

This is why, a product like, "Woolite" or "Nikwax" is recommended for washing riding gear.
 
Has anybody tried dry cleaning rider wear items like jackets and pants? Mine badly need cleaning, but it's a real pain removing the pads and getting them back in when I just throw them in the wash, especially the pants and BMW ones at that. I wonder if I could have them just dry cleaned and leave the pads in place? Would the chemicals have a negative effect on the pads? I'm not even sure how the dry cleaning process works. Is it like a washing machine, only they use chemicals instead of water?

All garments contain care labels that list the appropriate method of cleaning.

See: http://www.textileaffairs.com/c-common.htm

The manufacturers make these recommendations with good reason. Dry cleaning solvents can particularly cause damage to synthetic fabrics and the waterproofing coatings/membranes applied to them. Read the label and clean accordingly or you risk damage.
 
Easy Clean

Get a plastic box - the size that will fit your gear - put the gear in it and add water and detergent. Put the box in the trunk of your car and drive around for a day. Take out the CLEAN gear, rinse, dry, and wear.

I've done it with my Tourmaster jacket - worked good.

Tom
 
Has anybody tried dry cleaning rider wear items like jackets and pants? Mine badly need cleaning, but it's a real pain removing the pads and getting them back in when I just throw them in the wash, especially the pants and BMW ones at that. I wonder if I could have them just dry cleaned and leave the pads in place? Would the chemicals have a negative effect on the pads? I'm not even sure how the dry cleaning process works. Is it like a washing machine, only they use chemicals instead of water?


What is the brand and model of the gear ?

If it is BMW like the Santiago, Savanna, Ralley suits then you can take the
Gore-Tex liner out and scrub the suits with a detergent mix and spray the suit off.
You don't have to take the pads out to spray them off.

Rince the Gore-Tex liner in clean water, no soap of any kind. Hang up and let dry.

Do not use any chemicals.

If the suits shell is waterproof with out a liner, maybe call the manufacturer.
 
Get a plastic box - the size that will fit your gear - put the gear in it and add water and detergent. Put the box in the trunk of your car and drive around for a day. Take out the CLEAN gear, rinse, dry, and wear.

I've done it with my Tourmaster jacket - worked good.

Tom

Did you take the pads out? Sounds like an easy way to do it but during riding season I'm not usually in the car all that much.
 
Did you take the pads out? Sounds like an easy way to do it but during riding season I'm not usually in the car all that much.

I use the delicate or hand wash cycle, with extra rinse on cold and leave the pads in.
 
Did you take the pads out? Sounds like an easy way to do it but during riding season I'm not usually in the car all that much.

I did. But I don't see how it would hurt to leave them in.

This is an old motorhome washing trick. Before they had washers and dryers. Doesn't have to be a car, just the vibration and sloshing agitating the water soap mixture and lifting the nasty stuff.

Tom
 
Has anybody tried dry cleaning rider wear items like jackets and pants? Mine badly need cleaning, but it's a real pain removing the pads and getting them back in when I just throw them in the wash, especially the pants and BMW ones at that. I wonder if I could have them just dry cleaned and leave the pads in place? Would the chemicals have a negative effect on the pads? I'm not even sure how the dry cleaning process works. Is it like a washing machine, only they use chemicals instead of water?

I would NEVER dry clean riding gear. I have BMW City Pants and Olympia mesh jacket. I take all the armor out...wash the pants in cold water, delicate cycle...hang to dry after a 10 tumble on NO HEAT in dryer. The Olympia jacket gets hand washed in the bathtub...lukewarm water...hang to dry...no dryer. Works great for both. Takes almost no time and they're dry the next day...and no chemicals, not only on the fabric, but on me!

Yeah...the armor's a pain, but it's not THAT big a pain.
 
I use the delicate or hand wash cycle, with extra rinse on cold and leave the pads in.

Sameo, with Dark Woolite & I take the pads out as the drying goes faster & they're easy to put back.
Dry cleaning fluid is a solvent & no no for foam or plastics like my Revit has in it
 
I have a method that works great for me, not only for my Rallye 2 Pro but my normal everyday riding gear as well as street clothes.
  1. Empty Adventure cases
  2. Put a ZipLoc Big Bag (SC Johnson http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/BigBags.aspx?sid=SEM_G_218.kw32548) in each case, size XLarge
  3. Fill 1 case with water and add woolite
  4. Fill other case with water
  5. Put Rallye 2 pro jacket in case with woolite
  6. Go for ride down abandoned railroad tracks for agitation
  7. At end of a few miles, take jacket out of woolite and place in other case for rinse, put Rallye 2 Pro pant in case with woolite
  8. Repeat until clothes are clean. I usually leave the pads in place because they are such a pain to take out and put back in.:rofl
 
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