Motorcycle Jacket Cleaning

[Anonymous]

I've got one of those heavy cordura-nylon jackets, and it's gettin' dingy looking. There's a few spots of something (i think) oily on it too.

Nothing I've tried yet seems to work - everything from regular washing-machine stuff, to general purpose cleaners and dish soap.

Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I've used Dawn dish detergent successfully on oil-based stains. Dawn has some ingredient (might be ammonia - I know it's pretty pungent) that does very well against grease. I'd try mixing some in water like I would to wash dishes, then use it with a brush to scrub at the stain. Launder as normal afterward.

Depending on what kind of dirt you're working on, an oxy cleaner might help too.

For recent stains (i.e. still wet), I find that a wet-nap or moist baby wipe is great.

Dave

[bwringer]

I just got back from the Midwest GS Rally (see meetingplace thread). After riding through monsoon rains Friday morning to get to work and the SCUBA rally ride Saturday morning, my formerly disgusting Joe Rocket jacket is squeaky clean.

A couple hundred miles in driving rain ought to do it.


If you live in a desert or something, I'd follow the previous advice, but I'd prefer to use laundry soap instead of dish soap. Scrub with a stiff brush, hose the whole thing off and hang it up to dry.

Most all-textile jackets are machine-washable -- check the label and remove any armor pievces first.

[gsbill]

My letaher jacket came clean and had a wonderful odor, after I took my gas tank off and set it on the jacket(not to scratch the paint), the petcock touched itself open and drained a couple of gals of C-16 all over it, on it and into the jacket. Its no longer safe to smoke or hold an open flame near the jacket. I know its no help, but its darn funny!

[Anonymous]

my joe rocket jacket is hand wash only. actually its worse, hand wash, max temp 40 degress celcius, do not soak, gently squeeze and if necessary carefully rub, rince with care, do not wring, hang to dry, do not iron, do not dry clean, do not bleach.


im gunna be sad when I have to actually wash it *LOL*

[bwringer]

Hm. Upon closer examination, my new, (mostly) waterproof Joe Rocket Ballistic jacket is hand wash only, with a long list of no-nos. (do not wring, do not machine dry, do not bleach, do not pass go.)

Looks like you'll have to check the label on yours to see what's safe to use. I do know some textile jackets are machine washable (I checked this when I was shopping around for one), but some aren't. A brush and some mild soap would be the only safe way to go.

On most fabrics, you can use heavy-duty hand cleaner (like Gojo) to get rid of really stubborn stains. However, I would not get that stuff anywhere near a jacket that's supposed to be waterproof.

Looks like you might have to just live with the grunge or pony up for a new one. I'd suggest the clearance section at New Enough: http://newenough.com

[AOD]

i heard somewhere that some jackets say to clean, ride in rain.

i have to look at my jacket, because i too was in the monsoon riding for about an hour and a half. my jacket has to be clean...

~Adam

[Anonymous]

Yeah, mine's one of those that say no machines, no bleach, no no no no!

Riding in the rain is a fact of life on the West Coast of BC here. We don't call it the Wet Coast for nothing you know.

I got sick of trying to scrub everything out, there's just a few spots left now after I threw it in the machine (naughty me) on delicates, with a couple of towels and a little detergent. I hung it to dry though, but it still didn't get everything out. Most of it, yes. I think i'm going to try that same thing again but use a a little more detergent, maybe liquid detergent or something. *shrug*

[Anonymous]

I use stuff called Sport Wash. It is made for hunters, gets out blood, buffalo grease, wombat droppings, all those kind of things. And it doesn't interfere with any of the waterproofing coatings etc.

Kim