How to wash and dry tactical pants

Your 5.11 tactical pants are high quality, durable pants. Taking care of them in a proper way will make them last even longer. Follow this guide for how to wash and dry your tactical pants. 

BEFORE PUTTING YOUR TACTICAL PANTS IN THE WASHER, MAKE SURE TO:

• Read the label on your garment for best washing and drying practices
• Remove any gear you have in your pockets, kneepads, patches or other attachments
• Turn your pants inside out before putting
• Close zippers and buttons
• Brush away/shake out as much ground-in dirt as possible
• Spot treat any stubborn stains and/or pre-soak them if they are heavy soiled

THROW THEM IN THE WASHER, WITH THIS IN MIND:

• Use ordinary laundry soap or detergent. Don’t use fabric softener, bleach or other harmful chemicals
• Don’t overload your washing machine, it will make a better job cleaning your gear when not overloaded
• Wash on a gentle cycle.
• Follow the temperature recommendations on the label in your pants. Never wash your pants in hot water since this will make them loose their fit and bleed away colour

DRYING TIPS:

• Shake out and re-shape your pants before hanging them to dry
• Hang pants up-side-down, pinning them by the hems. Folding your pants over a clothesline can cause unsightly creases
• Don’t tumble dry your pants if they have reflective trim
• Follow tumble instructions on the label of your garment
• Remove your pants from the dryer as soon as they are finished drying. Fold or hang them immediately. Leaving your pants in the dryer can cause wrinkles settling into the fabric

STILL FEEL YOU NEED A NEW PAIR OF PANTS? GET THEM HERE

How to take care of tactical boots

Taking good care of your boots helps ensure that you’ll get plenty of mileage out of them. While the life span of your boots depends on many different factors such as the climate and terrain you use them in, what material they are made from or what activities you perform while wearing them, maintaining your boots well will make them last longer.

WHEN TO CLEAN YOUR BOOTS
Clean your tactical boots every time they start to appear dirty. Proper maintenance doesn’t take long but will make all the difference for your boots.

If you’re not wearing them often, slip a sock over each boot as if it were a foot to keep the dust away.

CLEANING AND POLISHING LEATHER BOOTS

Keep in mind that your tactical boots need a smooth foundation with a thick base coat before you’ll get a mirror shine. These instructions on how to polish tactical boots need to happen in the right order or you won’t get the gleaming finish you’re after.

Here are a few things to remember when it comes to polishing tactical boots:

• Use small, circular motions in every step.
• Work with the thinnest layer of polish possible.
• The first shine is always the hardest – after that, you’ll have a solid base coat and the process will become faster and easier

You will need:

• Damp cloth
• Soft-bristled brush
• Dry cotton cloth
• Wax shoe polish
• Cotton swabs and cotton balls

STEP 1 – Clean your leather boots
This sets the foundation for successfully polishing your boots in step 2 and 3. Cleaning your boots is done in two simple steps:

1. Remove dust and dirt from your boots with a soft-bristled brush. Pay special attention to the crevices, and use gentle, back-and-forth motions
2. Wipe your boots with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or debris that's left over after brushing

STEP 2 – Apply a base coat
If your boots already have a base coat, fast-forward to Step 3. If not, use the following steps to give your tactical boots a solid base coat:

1. Apply a thick layer of polish in small, circular motions with a dry cotton cloth
2. Let the base coat dry for 15 minutes
3. Thoroughly brush the boot or vigorously scrub it with a clean, dry cotton cloth to remove excess polish. Don’t expect a great shine yet – a base coat smooths out the leather’s bumps and irregularities so you can get a spit-shine finish later
4. Let the base coat dry for another 5 minutes

STEP 3 – Polish your boots

1. Wrap the tips of your index and middle fingers with a soft, clean, dry cotton cloth. Pick up a small amount of polish with your covered fingers, and apply with small, circular motions all over the boot, picking up more polish whenever necessary
2. Complete the previous step on the other boot. Switching back and forth between boots allows each boot to dry between steps
3. Dampen a new clean cotton cloth in water, wring it out, and wrap it around your index and middle fingers as before. Dampening the cloth prevents it from absorbing polish. For an old-fashioned spit shine, you can use your own saliva instead of water
4. With the damp cloth wrapped around your fingers, pick up a small amount of polish and rub it into the boot using small, circular motions. When the polish turns grey or stops transferring to your boot, shift your fingers to a new part of the cloth, pick up more polish, and repeat until you've covered the entire boot
5. Switching back and forth between boots, apply six or seven coats of polish with the dampened cloth, re-dampening as necessary. You’ll see the boot’s hazy shine become glossier and more even each time you add a new layer of polish
6. After all the polish is dry, use a clean, dry cloth made from cotton or nylon to buff your boots

NOTICING CRACKS OR TEARS IN YOUR BOOTS? IT MIGHT BE TIME TO LOOK FOR A NEW PAIR

HOW TO CLEAN TACTICAL SUEDE BOOTS

Suede tactical boots, like those worn with daily military uniforms, require a different cleaning process than leather boots do.

You will need:

• A soft-bristled brush
• 2 clean white cloths
• An eraser
• White vinegar or dish detergent
• Warm water
• Silicone spray 

CLEAN YOUR SUEDE BOOTS IN SIX STEPS:

1. Brush away any clumps of mud or dirt with a towel
2. Gently rub away scuffs with an eraser
3. Lightly dampen one of the clean cloths and run it over the entire boot surface to remove surface dirt and debris
4. Scrub the suede with a horsehair or similar soft-bristled brush to work out ground-in dirt. Brush the suede in one direction
5. Dip the damp cloth in white vinegar or a mixture of gentle dish detergent and warm water to remove any lingering stains. Use small, circular motions on the stain to gently remove it. If your suede tactical boots are oil-stained, mix cornstarch and water into a paste. Apply it to the stain and let it dry, then brush it away with a soft-bristled brush
6. Apply silicone spray to the suede and buff it with a soft, dry cloth

ARE YOUR BOOTS BEYOND SAVING? GET A NEW PAIR HERE

How to take care of nylon gear

Most of the time a soft brush and rinsing in cold water will be enough to get your nylon gear clean. But if needed, your bag can be machine washed. Follow these steps to keep your backpacks, bags and pouches in good shape.

1. Read the label on your gear for best washing and drying practices
2. Remove any loose items such as aluminum bars, PE plates, patches. This not to damage the backpack or the machine
3. Place your gear in a washing bag. This prevents the machine getting in direct contact with the fabric and helps to prevent pilling. It also helps prevent straps getting entangled in the machine.
4. Set your machine to cold and reduce the spinning rate to the minimum setting to spare the nylon gear from unnecessary stress and help keep the coated backsides of the nylon fabric, coatings and dyes in good condition
5. Do not tumble dry

If you are uncertain in any way - just wash the product by hand in cold water.

TIME TO LOOK FOR A NEW BACKPACK DESPITE YOUR CLEANING EFFORTS? LOOK HERE