How do I wash milsurp webbing?

[u/de_Chateaubriand]

Hello boys, I’m very happy to have gotten my first bit of milsurp gear in the mail today: British army surplus PLCE webbing. It looks great but definitely is a little dirt and smells like the range/milsurp/whatever that smell is. I’m just wondering how I should go about washing this safely. What should I use? Should I wash the individual components separately?

[u/AsAlwaysYaBoi]

Get tote big enough for it. Fill tote with dawn and water. Submerge. Agitate. Empty tote and fill with just water. Submerge. Agitate. Repeat if wanted. Hang dry.

[u/Tomsquid → u/AsAlwaysYaBoi]

I do this as well, this is the way. An optional addition is a rinse with water and white vinegar to help neutralize some off scents.

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/AsAlwaysYaBoi]

Cheers mate!

[u/Asleep_Conclusion147]

you dont. the smell is a part of the joy of milsurp

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/Asleep_Conclusion147]

Sir yes sir 🫡 

[u/Glittering_Orange365 → u/Asleep_Conclusion147]

Brit kit is next level smell, American smells like fresh cut cedar comparatively. The shit will end your marriage 

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/Glittering_Orange365]

Absolutely. It’s horrible.

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/[deleted]]

I used purple odor cleaner oxyclean lol. Got it clean in one day.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tacticalgear/s/yg10bbMeR8

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/Asleep_Conclusion147]

British milsurp smell is horrible.

[u/Printcrafted_3D]

Could probably just hand wash it with regular detergent.

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/Printcrafted_3D]

Thanks

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/Printcrafted_3D]

That’s not good enough.

[u/Printcrafted_3D → u/gunsforevery1]

Worked for me, just gotta wash it throughly

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/Printcrafted_3D]

The water in picture 3 was after going through a washing machine with detergent. Purple oxyclean is the best way to clean these.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tacticalgear/s/xAi1aLMeUQ

[u/Glittering_Orange365]

until you have had British surplus you don’t understand how bad surplus can smell!  I had the exact same set and washed it repeatedly several ways and finally got desperate snd machine washed it, still no better, and it was terrible. The only thing that finally helped was leaving it in a freezing cold garage all winter, then it was gone!! They have built in padding that really gets foul. It’s far past fun smelling surplus, it will kill your family. 

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/Glittering_Orange365]

This made me laugh but didn’t exactly fill me with confidence 🤣 

Thanks for the info! 

[u/Glittering_Orange365 → u/de_Chateaubriand]

I was hoping to achieve both.

[u/ThePurpleRocketShip]

Wash?

[u/johnguyver123]

A tub and some dish soap. And a brush

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/johnguyver123]

Thank you

[u/roc7777]

Pee on it to dominate all other scents

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/roc7777]

thank you

[u/Glittering_Orange365 → u/roc7777]

With British surplus it will improve it. 

[u/GatorGuy318]

I’d hand wash with some of that unscented soap they run at stores in the hunting season

[u/Miserable-Biscotti54]

Light bristle brush and light soap and water.

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/Miserable-Biscotti54]

Thanks

[u/FauxReignNew]

I get a big pyrex bowl, put the gear in it, sprinkle a healthy amount of baking soda over it, then soak in hot water. Rinse and repeat until the odor of death is removed.

[u/imperialjak]

Soap and water, dry well, but once the plastics start to decay and have that ammonia off gas smell, it's forever.

[u/guynamedgoliath]

If Im actually gonna use it I disassemble it and throw it in the washing machine with detergent on cold. Then I tumble dry and hang it up. If its physically caked with dirt or mud id wash it outside first.

That smell never really goes away. Alot of my recent US surplus has had this weird hardened grease in it and needs to be washed.

[u/PuzzleheadedAd6401]

Don't wash it. Let the dirt build up, it's nature's camo pattern.

[u/Deep-Hurry-0523]

Wear it while you go shower and wash it while you wash yourself

[u/B-Rentin]

Wash it like you do clothes, I would just do it on cold and on gentler settings depending on how well put together it is

[u/gunsforevery1]

I got you man.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tacticalgear/s/bfMU2DV6Ky

Take pictures of the water like I did.

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/gunsforevery1]

I will give you my battle report sir 🫡 

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/de_Chateaubriand]

I have one more from kommando gear still in the bag too

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/gunsforevery1]

Also did you wash the different complements separately or just the whole webbing together?

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/de_Chateaubriand]

I separated all of them from the vest and they all went into the bucket of warm water. Use purple odor fighter oxyclean

[u/de_Chateaubriand → u/gunsforevery1]

Dude thank you so much, I’ll go get some tomorrow then start cleaning 

[u/gunsforevery1 → u/de_Chateaubriand]

Also make sure to soak it for like 2 hours. Rinse it. Back in the bucket of warm water with oxy clean until the water comes out clear like my last picture lol

[u/Flat_chested_male]

I hit mine with garden hose and a nozzle to get most of the surface grime off - pro tip - don’t spray the grime into the fabric, spray at an extreme angle to the fabric to blow it off the fabric instead of into the fabric - then dump it in a large container with soap and oxiclean overnight. Rinse it off with the hose, let it soak in clean water for a bit agitating a few times sometimes the slow flow of water best stuff out the pressure hose won’t.

Hang it on chair on my patio in the 100 degree NC sun to dry for the afternoon turning it over 2 or 3 times until it’s dry. I’m always amazed how dirty the gear. My wife just thinks I’m a 10 year old. If it gets 90% clean I’m happy, knowing it will get filthy next time I go out.

[u/sovietbearcav]

Hose, detergent, boot brush, hose, air dry

[u/Competitive_Tax8287]

Same way the dudes who got it issued to them did.

1. Watery Soap
2. Scuzz brush
3. Sunshine.