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Washing a fleece? step-by-step instructions

A functional jacket with lots of benefits

Fans of the outdoors, in particular, love the benefits of a fleece, as it will keep you warm, is breathable and yet is extremely hard-wearing. To keep your fleece in good condition, you should wash it correctly. The jackets are normally made of polyester or cotton and are very easy-care. There are different types of functional jackets, ranging from a classic fleece to a knitted, honeycomb or stretch fleece.

Prior to washing: pretreat spots and stains

Does your fleece have some stains from your last hike? Never mind. It makes sense to treat oil and grease stains before putting the fleece in the washing machine. It doesn’t take very long.

Moisten the spot with lukewarm water.
Rub some washing-up liquid over the spot/stain.
Then put the fleece directly into the washing machine.

Washing fleeces: step-by-step instructions

Take a look at the care label inside your fleece before washing the item. It will give you advice on the correct temperature for the wash. If the care label has a ‘hand wash’ symbol, you should only put your favourite fleece into the washing machine if you have a special ‘hand wash’ programme. But don’t worry, you can normally wash a fleece in the washing machine on a low temperature (30 degrees). Proceed as follows:

Empty out all the pockets prior to putting it in the washing machine.
Fasten all zips and Velcro fastenings.
Turn the fleece inside out to minimise possible pilling.
Use a mild detergent for functional clothing such as the Universal Cleaner Plus from Jack Wolfskin. It was developed specifically for functional wear and cleans very gently.
Do not use fabric conditioner as it can impair the breathability of the fleece.
Do not put on a fast spin, 600 to 800 revs per minute are sufficient.

Environmentally friendly when washing with Guppyfriend

Have you ever thought about making a contribution towards the environment when washing your fleece? You’ll find this is easy to do with the Guppyfriend wash bag. The very fine mesh wash bag captures the minute fibres that break away when synthetic items are put in the wash. If these are not filtered, they enter the water waste system and end up in lakes and the seas, thereby contributing to environmental damage. How to use the smart wash bag:

Put your fleece into the Guppyfriend before putting both into the washing machine.
The fibres that break away from the garment during the wash remain inside the wash bag.
After the wash cycle, the fibre residue inside the wash bag can then be disposed of in the household.

By the way, as the Guppyfriend stops the garment from rubbing against the washing machine drum, there will be less tangled fibres, meaning your fleece will stay fleecy for longer.

Drying a fleece: a no-brainer

So you’ve washed your fleece? Then it’s best to hang the fleece out to dry in the fresh air. Maybe you’ve already noticed that the fleece feels almost dry as soon as you take it out of the washing machine, so it won’t need long.

Place your fleece on a clothes horse or hang up on the washing line for a couple of hours.
Don’t dry it in a tumble dryer, as this will put a strain on the material.
Putting your fleece on the radiator to dry is also not a good idea.

How to prevent pilling and eradicate it

You may find that undesirable balls of fluff form on your fleece after a while. This is known as pilling, which begins to appear after the item has been washed several times. The formation of so-called ‘bobbles’ can also mean that the fleece is not of high quality. It pays to keep an eye out for a good quality product.
They may be more expensive in the first instance but you’ll be able to wear them for much longer. If these fuzz balls have formed, you can always get rid of them using a fabric shaver. What’s more, you can reduce the amount of pilling by always turning your garment inside out before putting it in the washing machine.

How to get your fleece fleecy again

Your fleece feels wonderfully fluffy when you first get it. However, this soft and cuddly feeling against the skin tends to disappear over time. This is normal and is due to the natural wear and tear of the item as well as natural ageing and washing. You can, however, do something to regain the fluffiness in the fleece.

Let your fleece hang out on the line for a while after the next wash.
Put it in the tumble dryer at a low temperature and slow spin.
Take it out again after a few minutes.

This short tumble-dry will straighten the fibres, making them nice and fluffy once more, ready for your next trip.

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