Do you wash your wet socks?

[Babyhagrid]

Some info gathering to support an argument I'm having

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

I don't wash

 

[dougle89]

Why wash them? Cave water does the washing

 

[Fulk]

I only rarely wear them, but when I do I bung them in the washing machine with the rest of the dirty clobber.

 

[Stones]

I have a dedicated caving washing machine, and i don't use any detergent in it

 

[caving_fox]

I wish I had a dedicated caving washing machine, but for caving gear I don't use detergent in my home one.

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

I can't believe 46% of people wash their caving socks this is outrageous

 

[MJenkinson]

I put them, my pants and my oversuit in the wash after most trips.

 

[Fulk]

Why do some of you not use detergent to wash your caving gear? We always do.

 

[cavemanmike]

I can't believe 46% of people wash their caving socks this is outrageous

Thats probably because
(a)you’re a student
(B) you used to be a student
😉😉

 

[cavemanmike]

Same as stones. I have a caving washing machine😇😇

 

[Fulk]

We wash our kit after most trips, but we use detergent, and I'm intrigued to see that a cople of people have said that they don't. Why is that?

 

[Babyhagrid]

Soap and detergent isn't supposed to do neoprene any good I believe

 

[kay]

I wash them under the tap

 

[Mr Mike]

Wash in stream to get the worst out, then rinse a few times under tap, into washing machine.

 

[Steve Clark]

Soap and detergent isn't supposed to do neoprene any good I believe

I’m not sure that stuffing neoprene into wellies and repeatedly crushing it by hiking up hills is particularly good for it either. I doubt an occasional ride in a washing machine and a bit of soap is going drastically shorten its life.

Unfortunately an expensive consumable.

I soak wellies and neoprene in cheapo disinfectant occasionally, if it’s been left to sit for any time before hanging up.

 

[paul]

They get chucked in the washing machine with furry suit etc. after each use (unless away when they get chucked in when arriving home again) and have done for years. Doesn't seem to do them any harm as I only need to replace them when they start to get worn out after a few years.

 

[tobyk]

Why wouldn’t you wash them? Chuck a bit of fabric softener in every now and again (read about that bit of knowledge on UKC)

 

[Fulk]

Soap and detergent isn't supposed to do neoprene any good I believe

Well, it doesn't seem to do much harm.

 

[Wardy]

Funny thread
It never occurred to me that you could wash caving gear
I always thought it was clean just the once
Now I know it's possible, we need to create a new thread to figure out why!