Washing textile riding gear

[Frump]

Now days I usually just look for a rain cloud and ride into it... that gets most of the bugs and dust off. Technique seems to work best during the warmer summer months though. After that I just try to ride fast enough that I can't smell myself. Considering that you are a farmer and only have time to ride when it rains anyways, this strategy might actually work well for you. I tried the technique a couple weeks ago, my jacket looks great, but when I was opening my modular helmet the other day in the parking lot at work, I noticed my favorite gloves now smell like a Labrador who spent a morning swimming in a gravel pit (e.g. like a labradoodle Scoot/T-Bone). Wasn't sure how to deal with that until one the ladies at work overheard my grumbling to myself and suggested spraying them with Febreze ... she might be on to something, that stuff works!!

You can just let the gear soak for a while in luke warm water, wash on gentle w/o detergent, and then air dry in a dryer or on a line. I have have mixed results with both Nikwax Tech Wash/TX.Direct and Campdry. It probably won't hurt to try the Nikwax once.

Stuff some dryer sheets in your pockets and you will smell like a new man. As a bonus deer don't like dryer sheets, so you can throw away your deer whistles and just go with the sheets.

PS - There is no simple method to fix fading, but if you only ride when it rains they won't fade as fast.