Motorcycle Jacket Cleaining?

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

How do you go about cleaning your motorcycle jacket, without taking it to the cleaners?

I have an Icon Contra (white) : Icon Contra Jacket - Street Bike - Motorcycle Superstore

Any ideas? I just don't want to end up damaging it.

 

[FIZZER6]

I just lightly wet my textile/mesh jackets and then scrub them down with a brush a small amount of dishsoap, then rinse them off lightly, hang to dry outside. Works well enough. The only thing that gets on them is a little bugs and they start to smell a little less than new after a few years. :Flash:

 

[Motogiro]

I use a product called Folex I use it on carpet and just about anything that I need to get stains out of. You can buy a quart? in a spray bottle but I buy it by the gallon and buy a spray bottle for the economy. Available at Home Depot.

On my textiles I use a brush in the tough spots. Let it set in and then wash with regular laundry soap. :thumbup:

 

[zg fazer600]

Just wash it in washing machine on 30 degrees and nothing will happen. I do it all the time, although mine is not white...

 

[greg]

textile jacket i just ride in the rain

for my leathers i use dainese leather cleaner

 

[ZaGhost]

Will be checking the HD's north of the border for Folex....
Got some stains in my grey textile that will not come out.....

 

[SovietRobot]

For my leather I use a damp cloth to remove dead bugs and dirt, then rub some leather lotion in.

 

[tejkowskit]

First time I cleaned my textile jacket I just threw it in the wash machine.. Turned out fine. Just let it hang dry. I was worried about it effecting the waterproof-ness, but it still keeps me dry.

 

[FinalImpact]

textile jacket i just ride in the rain

That would be my response but it takes to long to clean the bike afterwards!

Apply some soap first! haha - perhaps even hair shampoo - less caustic than dish soap!

 

[fenderfreek]

Textiles get washed normally, cold. Leathers get a rag and dishsoap followed by conditioner or saddlesoap.

 

[FizzySix]

It's motorcycling gear, and needs to be treated totally differently than any other clothing you own!!!1!!one!!!

---> (kidding) :BLAA:

Honestly, your best bet is to follow the manufacturer's instructions on how they intended it to be cleaned so you can enjoy their product and be satisfied with it for a long time.

But if you want the opinion of a netizen on the intarwebz:

My leather jacket is wiped down with a damp cloth to get rid of bug guts, and treated with a leather conditioner prior to storage for the winter.

My Tourmaster "all season" mesh shell/liner system is washed on gentle cycle and air-dried, then reassembled with the armor and hung in a dry closet until spring.

Everything else is as-needed.

My feeling is that it's meant to be worn regularly, and potentially take a crash, so dry-cleaning it in solvents and then pressing a crease into it is not recommended (unless you're wearing it to a board meeting instead of riding). Gently laundering it and air-drying textiles, or using typical leather treatments for that material, would make sense. Beyond that, I don't think you can do much harm. It's tough stuff by design.

 

[Grainbelt]

For textiles, remove the pads, machine wash, then while it is still wet spray it with revive-x, then tumble dry.

Just be sure to remove the pads.

 

[Dave.TX]

For textiles, remove the pads, machine wash, then while it is still wet spray it with revive-x, then tumble dry.

Just be sure to remove the pads.

Ditto. I've warshed my textile once in the warshing machine (cold setting) then let it hang dry. Took the pads/armor (armour for the Europeans) out first. Normally just spot it with water and something like Folex to get the bugs periodically. Laundry soap is fine.

 

[Susan]

Mine says it's hand wash only. But I think that may be because of the glitter and rhinestones.

ETA: OK, so I washed it for the first time today. By hand, of course. No way could I get the dragonfly stains out until I used an enzyme stain remover. It looks like new now, yay! And my hands and arms are very clean.

 

[regder]

This is the reason why I buy black bike gear, the occasional rain ride washes the bugs away and that's it. Have a Joe Rocket leather jacket that's seen six seasons, a lot of miles, and still looks pretty decent. Without once being washed, cleaned, or paid any particular attention to

Otherwise, have heard saddlesoap is good from a number of sources

 

[Susan]

This is the reason why I buy black bike gear, the occasional rain ride washes the bugs away and that's it. Have a Joe Rocket leather jacket that's seen six seasons, a lot of miles, and still looks pretty decent. Without once being washed, cleaned, or paid any particular attention to

Otherwise, have heard saddlesoap is good from a number of sources

You use Febreeze or something on the inside of it, right?

 

[regder]

You use Febreeze or something on the inside of it, right?

Nah, I air it out once in a while, doesn't smell funky though

 

[Susan]

Nah, I air it out once in a while, doesn't smell funky though

I wish I knew how you manage that. Mine doesn't get funky when it's cool out, but in the summer... Febreeze is a good thing.