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Washing a drying your hunting clothes

PSE13

Active Member
1,032
91
Shelby
I know I have seen something about this somewhere on here before but how do you guys wash and dry your hunting clothes? Do you dry them in the dryer or hang dry them? What do you wish them in?
 

PSE13

Active Member
1,032
91
Shelby
Okay. I wanna wash mine but wasn't sure what too use. If i remember right should I run an empty load threw the washer and dryer first?
 

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I've got some carbon activation detergent that I wash my Scent Lock stuff in. I usually hang it all out to dry but with Scent Lock, you need to put in the dryer on high for a half hour or so to reactivate the carbon so once it's line dry, I toss it in the dryer. Most of my base layers are silver lined so I wash them in Scent Killer Gold or some other zero UV brightener hunting type detergent, all my other hunting clothes get this as well then get line dried. All this time and effort to walk outside, light up my smoker, and make them smell like I've been fighting fires in them. :smiley_clap:
 

Ricer2231

Senior Member
Okay. I wanna wash mine but wasn't sure what too use. If i remember right should I run an empty load threw the washer and dryer first?
I always do just to make sure all the "usual" laundry stuff is outta there.

I've got some carbon activation detergent that I wash my Scent Lock stuff in. I usually hang it all out to dry but with Scent Lock, you need to put in the dryer on high for a half hour or so to reactivate the carbon so once it's line dry, I toss it in the dryer. Most of my base layers are silver lined so I wash them in Scent Killer Gold or some other zero UV brightener hunting type detergent, all my other hunting clothes get this as well then get line dried. All this time and effort to walk outside, light up my smoker, and make them smell like I've been fighting fires in them. :smiley_clap:

Haha. You're right it's a little more work with the scent Lok stuff. That's why I hunt in regular old camo and save my money.
 
I use good scent free laundry soap like Dead Down Wind or Scent Killer. I start the process by running the machine empty with half a box of baking soda. Then go on to washing two towels that I will later smoke. Wash then dry in the dryer using scent free dryer sheets. From there I then begin washing my inner layers and later the outer Camo and backpacks.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I'm a bit obsessive, but I completely wipe down the soap dispenser (front loading washer), and flush it out with warm water first, then I run several loads of laundry through using scent and up free detergent. I also wipe down the tub of the dryer before I start sending scent free loads through. Once I'm satisfied with that, I wash my hunting clothes and dry them, and then let them air out for a few days hanging outside before I smoke them.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I wash in a scent free sport soap and air dry outside. The wife has been hanging our clothes outside for 50 yrs. now and she isn't about to change.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
I run a load on extra large with hot water and baking soda before adding my clothes. Unscented dryer sheet, then smoke them before my tub and before heading out.
Baking soda works fine to wash your clothes as well.
 
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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I run my towels through the washer with hot water and baking soda to flush the washer. I use warm water and baking soda on my clothes TOO. I clean the lint trap and run the dryer for 20 minutes before I put my clothes in there. Once the clothes are dry, they go outside if the weather is right, or straight in to my Rubbermaid closet where they will be smoked.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Y'all wash your hunting clothes???? Smoke em up and press on......

I mostly wash my underlayers. Maybe a couple times a season My lightweight scent lok jacket and pants might get hand washed with cold water and scent away detergent, then run through the dryer. I don't like to abuse my stuff through the washer. Then I smoke them up
 

doublej

Junior Member
85
0
Scent Free detergent..doesn't have to be a particular outdoor brand..you can get the All Free and Clear or something like that for much cheaper and find it about anywhere..dryer sheets either a unscented dryer sheet or a hunter specialties or something to add some "woods" smell..

Also sometimes just use baking soda and borax to wash my clothes..super cheap and effective.
 
Scent Free detergent..doesn't have to be a particular outdoor brand..you can get the All Free and Clear or something like that for much cheaper and find it about anywhere..dryer sheets either a unscented dryer sheet or a hunter specialties or something to add some "woods" smell..

Also sometimes just use baking soda and borax to wash my clothes..super cheap and effective.

On the detergent just be aware of UV brighteners though. Some say the brighten colors which is an indicator. For me that's why I just stick to buying the detergent made for hunting clothes, just in case.
 

PSE13

Active Member
1,032
91
Shelby
I bought some baking soda today and I'm going too wash my clothes up and resmoke them so I can get back out there!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia


Hunters Specialities laundry soap is $9.97 and 15 of their dryer sheets are $4.97.

4 pounds of baking soda is $2.07 and 160 unscented dryer sheets are $4.57. And to think I feel victim to the hype for several years... :(
 

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
375
58
Central Ohio
I prefer scent away soap to anything else on the market. It's got the enzymes or whatever that kills scent causing bacteria. Also, I almost never run my clothes through the dryer. During warm part of season everything gets washed........no rinse cycle you actually want that stuff left in the fibers of your clothes. Hang outside to dry. Once dry straight to the oversized zip lock vac bags. When it gets to cold to dry outside I will wash my under layers but not my outer camo. I do dry the inner layers but I hate doing it.

No smoke for me.

Had a 1.5 yr old buck straight down wind this morning for at least 5 mins. He never showed the slightest bit of alarm or concern.