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Megabite
09-22-2004, 11:04
now that im all done, and my gear is spread all over the back porch... any suggestions for getting the stench off of my pack without beating up on the DWR finish?

--megabite

sloetoe
09-22-2004, 11:29
now that im all done, and my gear is spread all over the back porch... any suggestions for getting the stench off of my pack without beating up on the DWR finish?

--megabite

FaBreeze [sp?] is popularly recommended. I confess that the bottle I bought has not yet made it out of the bag, and the gear is still spread all over the front room... AND the living room.... and a bit in the dining room... and the laundry....
Shoot.

chknfngrs
09-22-2004, 11:49
outdoor stores sell soap designed specifically for outerwear fabrics: techwash or similar. you can also buy revivex which helps reinstate water repellency.

LWOP
09-22-2004, 12:14
I just finished a thru-hike and what I do is I bring my pack to a car wash. No, not the kind you drive through (that may have helped my smell). I use the high pressure hose with lots of soap and then rinse it well. I did my pack about five times on the hike and it showed no ill effects from the cleaning. In fact, I have about 3200 AT miles on that pack and it is holding up fine. It will never smell new again but at least it won't make the non hikers run away...Lwop

Hammock Hanger
09-22-2004, 13:04
I just finished a thru-hike and what I do is I bring my pack to a car wash. No, not the kind you drive through (that may have helped my smell). I use the high pressure hose with lots of soap and then rinse it well. I did my pack about five times on the hike and it showed no ill effects from the cleaning. In fact, I have about 3200 AT miles on that pack and it is holding up fine. It will never smell new again but at least it won't make the non hikers run away...Lwop
Only kidding. I have mine by the front door. It will make it's way to the car wash tomorrow. I have done this with all my packs and it works great. (My packa went thru the gentle cycle and is air drying on the patio.) Sue/HH

orangebug
09-22-2004, 14:48
Fabreeze really works. It is very easy and quick. It is good to spray on as you approach town or a hitch hike.

PKH
09-22-2004, 15:04
Well, I tried Febreze with one of my sweatier, smellier packs in combo with a good scrub brush. Now I have a sweaty smelling pack with a sickening perfume overlay. On really hot days this is worse, believe me. You know what? I don't we're really meant to smell like "flowers and spring"! - or at least Procter and Gamble's version of that scent. The car wash is looking pretty good.

cheers,

PKH

RedneckRye
09-22-2004, 20:18
I talked to Jimmy, the warranty department guy at Osprey the other day about De-Stenching my pack. He gave me 2 options. The first, and easiest, was the carwash. Just hang it on the floormat clip on the wall and blast it with the hose. The second was to take it completely apart (pull out the stays, belt and shoulder straps off, etc) and put it into a front loader with Nikwax Tech Wash.

chknfngrs
09-23-2004, 13:56
retails for under $10...

Hammock Hanger
09-23-2004, 14:52
Just "car washed" my pack this morning. It came out so good. I mean after the Notch and the mud it was pretty black, not to mention the stench. It is now very very clean looking and it does not smell like sweat or fake flowers. I'm happy about it.

NOTE: Be sure to rinse it really well. Soap left to dry in the pack can come back to haunt and irritate you the next time you wear and sweat in it. (I power rinsed my until there was no more foam or suds. Then a little more for the heck of it.) I hung it out to dry on the patio.

Sue/Hammock Hanger

rocket04
09-23-2004, 16:43
now that im all done, and my gear is spread all over the back porch... any suggestions for getting the stench off of my pack without beating up on the DWR finish?

--megabite
Dude, you're taking care of things way too quickly. I saw your web site, you said you finished what, the 20th? Hell, I finished a month ago and I still haven't put all my gear away. So for the sake of making me feel better about myself, wait at least another 2 weeks... :D

Pencil Pusher
09-23-2004, 18:01
Don't put it in a regular washing machine. I did and a lot of the stiching came undone. Someone else mentioned something about how a top loader isn't good for packs because of the twisting motion inside.

Jersey Bob
09-24-2004, 22:02
at least 10 characters