For those who have trouble with washing GORE-TEX or with the water repellent treatment after washing, there are professional cleaning services available in Japan. This section explains how professional cleaning services differ from personal laundering and how they differ from do-it-yourself water repellent treatment.
The Gore-Tex website provides instructions on how to do your own care and maintenance. This is the same in Japan. Every language has instructions for do-it-yourself laundering and care.
However, we often hear about the following problems with do-it-yourself laundry and care methods
- Stains are not removed sufficiently, or not removed properly.
- If you do water-repellent treatment, it is very difficult and takes a whole day.
- The water-repellent effect is not so good even though I spent a lot of time on the treatment.
- Stains are formed after water-repellent treatment.
- The seam tape came off after washing.
There are people in Japan who are not satisfied with their GORE-TEX jackets, and for them, professional cleaning and treatment services exist.
Stain removal differs between personal washing and professional cleaning.
The detergent specially designed for outdoor jackets that can be used for personal laundering is a mild detergent to minimize damage to the fabric, and at the same time, its cleaning power is reduced. This is also the reason why they are neutral detergents.
Even with a mild detergent, if the stains are washed regularly before they set in, they can be removed to some extent, but once they have set in, they can be difficult to remove. It will be difficult to remove the stain by personal washing.
Basically, personal cleaning can only use water and detergent. Professional cleaning, on the other hand, removes stains and dirt using a variety of treatment agents.
The same goes for GORE-TEX jackets. Of course, it is a prerequisite to avoid damaging the fabric, so it is necessary to choose a store that is accustomed to cleaning GORE-TEX jackets.
Water repellent treatment varies from store to store. Some stores use the same waterproofing and water repellent sprays as the general public to treat for water repellency, but we are different. We are a cleaning service specializing in outdoor wear such as Gore-Tex, so we are particularly particular about water repellent treatment.
Most people use water repellent treatments such as waterproofing sprays or water repellents available at specialty stores. These are made to be easily treated without the need for machine treatment. However, this type of water repellent is not used when manufacturing clothing. While water repellents that are only used by the general public are made so that they can be done at home, their performance is sacrificed. This is why some people complain that even if the water repellent performance is effective immediately after treatment, it soon deteriorates.
On the other hand, we perform a treatment similar to the water repellency treatment used in the manufacturing of clothing. Therefore, we are able to provide a high quality water repellent treatment that cannot be achieved by the water repellent treatment done by the general public. This is the difference between a professional and an ordinary person.
When water repellent treatment is performed by ordinary people, water repellent stains may appear on GORE-TEX jackets. This can be caused by applying too much water repellent or improperly treating the jacket after applying the water repellent. It is understandable that people want to apply too much water repellent in order to increase the water repellent effect, but this often results in water repellent stains.
Once these water repellent stains are applied, it is difficult to remove them on your own. We professionals can remove water repellent stains, so please contact us if you have any problems.
It can also happen that the seam tape comes off due to washing. This is not the fault of washing, but rather the storage environment has already weakened the adhesion of the seam tape, and washing is only a trigger for peeling.
Some seam tapes are available for sale to the public and can be purchased at outdoor supply stores and websites. Therefore, individuals may be able to reapply seam tape.
However, the adhesive strength of seam tape used by professionals is different. Seam tape for the general public is designed to be ironed on, whereas professional seam tape is designed to be applied at higher temperatures and pressures. It is made to be applied with a specialized machine called a seam sealer. When re-seaming seam tape, check to see if the store has a seam sealer machine.
Our stores own seam sealers and use specialized seam tapes to handle the process, so we can apply the seam tape with the same quality as when it was new.
Professional cleaning services can handle stains, water repellency, or problems with GORE-TEX jackets that cannot be handled at home. However, it is not essential to rely on professional cleaning services for everything. Normal stains should be washed and removed before they set in. Therefore, it is important to wash your GORE-TEX jacket after each use as part of your daily care routine. Then, when the water repellency begins to decline, it is a good idea to send it to a professional cleaning service once a year or so to ensure that it is well maintained. It is recommended to use a combination of home laundering and professional cleaning services.
Professional GORE-TEX cleaning services are different from those of individuals. Therefore, a professional cleaning service will provide effective results in stain removal, water repellency, water repellent stains, and seam tape removal. On the other hand, regular washing at home is also necessary instead of hiring a professional for everything. By combining home laundering with professional cleaning services, you can use your GORE-TEX for longer and in better condition.