How to clean and revive your high visibility work clothes?

Good maintenance guarantees the resistance, quality and life of workwear. high-visibility personal protective equipment is also concerned. In fact, when this type of safety clothing is soiled or badly maintained, it could hide its visibility and harm its protective capacities and the safety of the wearer. It is therefore essential to take care of high visibility PPE.

How do I clean high-visibility clothing?

Wearing high-visibility clothing is required in various fields. It can be exposed to extreme soiling on construction sites causing stains on the reflective strips. Here are some cleaning tips to make those stains disappear.

Clean splatter stains

For less stubborn stains like mud or dust splashes, the solution is simple. Rub the stains with a cloth soaked in water. In a few passes, the dirt will disappear.

How to remove large stains

There are many types of stains that can soil safety clothing. Poor maintenance of a high visibility garment can cause a risk of premature wear. This is why it is important to identify the dirt and carry out the appropriate cleaning.

Clean grease stains

To remove grease from high visibility clothing, you will need dishwashing liquid. Pour the product on the spotted part and let it sit for 15 minutes, until it takes effect. Then rub with a damp cloth to make it disappear and rinse. This operation is also valid for drivers of vehicles with work clothes stained with motor oil. Apart from dishwashing liquid, Marseille soap and white vinegar can also be used to remove grease stains.

Clean paint stains on high visibility clothing

Traces of paint can be water-based or oil-based. Water-based paint is easy to remove, just wash off any spills with water and washing-up liquid and the stains will disappear. In the case of oil paint, rub the part with a clean cloth soaked in white spirit.

Cleaning soiled high visibility clothing

If the garment is too dirty, washing the work clothes in a basin is the effective way. To do this, fill the basin with water. Pour dishwashing liquid or baking soda into it. Soak the soiled garment in it and let it sit for a few hours. After the pause time, take a cloth and gently rub the fabric. Once stains are removed, rinse and let dry.

How to dry a high visibility garment?

To preserve the properties of a high-visibility clothing, the solution is to air dry. Tumble drying this garment is not recommended, but if it is to be tumble dried the correct course of action is to interrupt the cycle before it is completely dry. Without its visible bands, the safety garment will no longer play its main role. It should be placed in a dry and well-ventilated place.

Types of cleaning to ban

Work clothes with reflective strips are considered sensitive, because the wrong product or way of washing can deteriorate its properties. It is therefore necessary to avoid using products containing bleaching agents such as bleach or rinsing agents containing fabric softeners.

In case of machine washing, it is forbidden to wash it with your usual clothes. Rigid fabrics can damage the luminescence of reflective strips.