Caring for your Camo

[XD9]

How does everyone wash their camo clothing?  I don't like to run my camos through the washer / dryer because it makes them fade faster.  However, after field dressing a deer and getting blood on me, I have to do something.  I've read a few threads where people soak their camos in a five gallon bucket with water and baking soda??  Anyone do this?  Any other methods used to keep camo from fading but to get them clean?

[quickdtoo]

Atsko has some good info on cleaning military camo clothing, it's pretty much what I do using their Sport Wash, the colors still don't last forever, but several years. By that time, I'm looking for new camo anyway!!

Tim

http://www.atsko.com/articles/clothing-care/washing-acu-army.html

1. Before washing, remove all patches from the coat, and all items from the pockets. Close all hook-and-loop fasteners to prevent snagging.

2. Turn the jacket and trousers inside out before you wash them. (This will help avoid damage to the Velcro and reduce color fading.)

3. Machine wash in cold water with SPORT-WASH, using permanent press cycle, or hand wash using SPORT-WASH. (SPORT-WASH does NOT contain optical brighteners.)

4. Rinse completely (SPORT-WASH is the only detergent University tested and proven to rinse completely).

5. DO NOT WRING OR TWIST. Hang dry or machine dry on low to medium setting, between 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit (for cap do not exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit).

6. DO NOT USE BLEACH. (CHLORINE or NON- CHLORINE)

7. DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENERS.

8. DO NOT DRY CLEAN, STARCH, or COMMERCIALLY HOT PRESS.

[XD9]

I did some more research and came across this thread on Bass Pro's web site, if anyone is interested:

http://forums.basspro.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000518

[beemanbeme]

You mean you're supposed to wash the stuff??
If there is a lot of mud and stuff on my camo's, I lay 'em in the yard and turn the hose on them.  Then I put them in the washer --cold/cold-- with a half cup of Gain, no bleach.  Tumble dry.  Then I put them in a foot locker where I try to keep all my hunting clothes, camo, heavy socks, orange vest, hats, compasses, gloves, thermal underwear, etc. Along with a hand full of moth balls. This keeps them in one spot so I won't be tearing the house apart the night before I leave on a hunting trip. A couple of weeks before the first trip of the year, I take out what I'm gonna use, give them a good turn in the dryer, and hang them out in the barn until it's time to pack. 
I don't worry too much about fading as I'm always on the look out for years end sales so I usually have more camo than I need.  I know new crisp colours are supposed to be best but I like the looks of camo that has been washed a couple of times and worn awhile. 

[rickyp]

This is what I do
I take my shorts, socks towels and long johns and wash them first with sports wash this is to remove any left over laundry detergent  and UV brighteners. I then dry them with a plastic scent wafer in pine scent.
I then turn all my camo inside out and put my hats in a hat washer and toss it all in the washer and put it on cold/cold and use sports wash or if they are not dirty just need to be cleaned I use baking soda and wash gentle cycle. If it is below freezing I then dry everything on low but if it is above 40 I line dry everything.

[30-06man]

I wash mine in cold water and baking soda and keep all my camo in a cedar chest so it smells like cedar. As far as fading I don't worry about it. I wear a leafy suit turkey hunting so it is only for 1 month out of a year and it will last about 2 yrs and it gets old and rips. So ill just get another and if it gets dirty i use a water hose and hang it out side and its ready to go. It normally stays clean though. My deer camo if it gets faded then its no big deal. I have never seen it as a problem, since i am normally in a tree or in a blind. But during deer season i spray my camo with hunter specitallys scent away which is basically baking soda and water.

[XD9]

I purchased some sports wash today that I'll start using.  It sounds like it does a good job.  I like the idea of storing the clothes with a pine scent wafer too.  I might have to try that.  I looked at the "scent away" from hunters specialties...does it actually work?  Is it worth getting to spray on right before going into the woods?

[quickdtoo]

Using a pine scent or any other specific scent is great if the area you hunt has pines, or cedars, or whatever, but if not, it'll smell just as foreign to a critters nose as any other odd scent. I prefer earth scent or no scent, it's not out of place anywhere.

Tim

[30-06man]

It really works if you put a good coat on. Granted it doesn't work 100 percent. But cover scents work good also. Use both if you want. Like I said all my Camo smells like ceder and then during the rut ill use tinks or something in that nature on my boots.