Laundering Hunting Clothing

[9.1]

My hunting clothes get washed when they get noticeably sweaty, snotty, bloody, or muddy. I have a crunchy wife who prefers to have all our clothes washed using a mix of soap flakes, baking soda, wash soda, and Borax. I have always wondered if the Borax acts as a UV brightener.

 

[Buckhead]

I use the Dead Down Wind liquid detergent that is unscented and does not contain UV brightners. Usually wash underwear and direct skin baselayers after wearing 2-3 times. Other outer garments are washed as needed (visibly soiled, etc...) When at camp, I normally change out of my hunting clothes to prevent the absorption of odors (campfire smoke, food, gasoline) All of my clothes are synthetic fabric, mostly Sitka. Several of them are marked as being (Polygiene) odor resistant. Don't know if that is a marketing gimmick or if it really works. In general, synthetic fabrics do not hold scent nearly as much as cotton or cotton blends.

 

[guitarpreston]

This sept I lived in my merino base layers for a week without a shower sleeping in my truck...I had a very specific funk going on and tbh the actual fabrics didnt smell nearly as bad as I did. But I washed everything when I got home anyway. Throughout whitetail season I dont think I washed at all until it was over for the year...

 

[Stickmark]

good thread.
I have done ASKO years ago. Hard to find.
I hate UV brightners. Probably all my stuff has it from first manufacturing, but will not wash any clothes in it.
I often will turn my clothes inside out, vs washing them, and let them sit in the sunshine on a work day.
air out, wash bino strap, but never the leather quiver, so there is that fact.

 

[nomadicbohunk]

Like 15 years ago I had this fleece where whitetails would peg me and spot me from 75 yards away and just stare at me when it was getting very dark. I hunted in a place where I'd see multiple deer a day so it wasn't a one off thing. They'd generally walk right under me. Every single time.

I'm super nerdy, so I dug deep in scientific literature. There's a study (probably more now), that indicates that some deer species can see into the UV spectrum.

If your camo is cheap (that piece was not...realtree something or other), it can be made with UV brighteners.
So I'm really careful about that now. Oh yeah, if you want to know what soap to use...look at the Army's list of non UV brightener detergents. I use 7th generation non scented.

I keep my clothes in totes. During a hunt or if I'm hunting locally I'll just keep this in the tote: I'll cut some branches off a stinky plant that's common and put it in the tote as a cover scent. Generally I go for red cedar, balsam fir, big sage, or engleman spruce. I've been known to use corn as well.