How to clean a Drytop

[timberman]

Sorry guys and gals after a Summer of good boating. My drytop has become a little stinky and not real sure how to wash it to get that man smell out new to boating. And i thank you

[Dave Frank]

For best performance, it is a good idea to keep your waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex® or Conduit™ shell clean and its DWR (durable water repellent) finish freshly charged. This means keeping oil and grease away from the garment, washing it when it gets dirty and reapplying its DWR finish.
Shells can be machine-washed in warm (not hot) water using regular powdered laundry detergent. Wash in a front-loading washing machine only. Do not use Woolite, other cleaners with lanolin (or any other oil), or fabric softener. Put the garment through at least two rinse cycles, as the detergent can interact with the DWR finish and needs to be totally rinsed out of the material.
After the shell has been washed, reapply the DWR finish while the garment is still damp. The heat of the dryer will help set the DWR finish into the fabric. Tumble dry on medium heat.
We recommend you re-treat your shell at the beginning of your wet weather season, and at least once during the season. However, if you are washing your shell often, we recommend re-treating the DWR finish more frequently. For best results, use spray-on, rather than wash-in, products. Two brands we suggest are NikWax and Revivex from W.L. Gore. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for application. Once you have successfully cleaned and refinished your shell, it should work as well as new again.
THREE-LAYER TIP
If the lining of your three-layer waterproof/breathable garment becomes coated with condensed moisture when you're working so hard the vapor can't be transported out fast enough, try this: Turn the garment inside out and give it a good shake. This will get rid of most of the moisture and return you to a relatively dry state.

This for a ski coat, but the same should apply to your dry top. I've only done it once myself.

[timberman]

thanks alot i knew there would be great tips on here

[Boatman1]

Originally Posted by timberman

Sorry guys and gals after a Summer of good boating. My drytop has become a little stinky and not real sure how to wash it to get that man smell out new to boating. And i thank you

The best way, i have found, is to dilute simple green (about a cap full of the concentrate to about 10 gallon). Dip your stinky gear and give it a good agitation. rinse with fresh water. then a quick dip in a bleach water solution (about a cap full for 20 gallon). reapply a waterproof spray after fully dried. NRS sells a great 303 garment protector spray that works very well. If this is your first wash, you shouldn't need it, tho if you are going to store it for the winter always a good thing to do to keep gaskets and material in good condition.
I run a raft company and this is how we keep our personal gear and our commercial wetsuits stink free. It will work without the bleach mix if it scares you a bit. just won't kill off the bacteria and stink will return sooner. hope this helps.

[danger]

Sink the Stink: Sink the Stink Home Page

no comparison. i'd be reluctant to put bleach on my gear no matter the dilution.