It’s one thing to buy new FR clothing but it’s also one thing to know how to extend the life of FR Clothing. Let’s face it, as much as we want to buy new welding clothing for work, we also need to be smart and know how to make sure we maximize its use. Here are some ways to extend the life of FR clothing.
5 ways to Extend the Life of FR Clothing
Whether you weld for business or just for a hobby, the responsibility of taking care of your welding clothing falls on you. FR Clothing is designed to withstand heat and damage that is caused by fire. With the proper care, it can last you around 1 year and a half. But with proper care, you will be able to extend that to a few more months.
Inspect Regularly
Make sure you inspect your FR clothing on a regular basis for wear and tear. This isn’t just to extend the life of your FR clothing, this is also for your safety every day at work.
Timely Repairs
Do some timely repairs. If there are visible problems, make sure you fix them right away. If not, you risk having more problems in the future. If it’s as simple as missing a button, do the repairs immediately. If there are bigger tears, you can have an expert repair them for you.
Wash them Properly
The key to extending the life of your FR clothing is to know how to wash them properly. Make sure you do not use soap and fabric softeners, you don’t use chlorine bleach or liquid non-chlorine bleach, you don’t use starches, peroxides, or vinegar, and you don’t use hard water.
Wash FR clothing separately in a Cotton or Normal cycle at any water temperature (maximum of 140ºF or 60ºC) and tumble dry on low. Use a liquid detergent and make sure you turn the FR clothing inside out before you wash to reduce streaking from abrasion. Also, make sure that all soils or stains are removed from the garments before the wash process.
Store them Properly
Apart from knowing how to wash FR clothing properly, you need to know how to store them as well. It’s always best to have a storage space that is clean with sturdy pegs or closets for gloves, coveralls, shirts, and other welding clothing. You also need a proper shelf for footwear.
Make sure the storage space is away from direct sunlight and is in a dry spot where moisture does not gather.
Educate Yourself
Make sure you educate yourself on what FR clothing is and what makes it a different fabric. That way, you would know what to do and what not to do with it. Also know and do research in buying the best FR clothing.
