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Monday, March 19, 2012

Olympia Bushwacker - Cleaning

I've owned an Olympia Bushwacker jacket for just over a year now. It's hi-viz and I've been pretty impressed by its versatility. One thing I haven't been impressed with is its ability to attract and show dirt. I'm currently using a Seal-Line messenger bag to haul a few things to work and back. The sling conveniently grinds dirt into the shoulder and chest areas with which it comes into contact. Additionally, the hem, cuffs and elbows tend to get dirty as well. I use Nikwax Tech Wash to keep the jacket somewhat water repellant (the liner is what's waterproof). However, that does not do a very good job when it comes to removing dirt. So, this time around, I chose to try SHOUT stain remover on the dirtiest areas. It did a really nice job. I sprayed it on just before throwing the jacket into the washer (manufacturer's recommendations indicate the jacket should be hand washed or use the "hand wash" agitation setting on your washing machine). I add the Tech Wash to the water and then use the 'normal' agitation setting so that the water and detergent are well mixed. Then, I switch to the hand wash setting and put the jacket in the washer. There does not appear to be any fading and the majority of the dirt is gone. The next time I wash the jacket, I'll probably try using a soft bristle brush (like an old toothbrush) on the dirtiest areas. This should keep my Bushwacker in its brightest hi-viz condition for a few years, I would hope.

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