How to Clean HiVis Safety Vests and the HiVis StayFrosty® Vest featuring IcePlate®
How do I keep my HiVis StayFrosty® Vest Clean?
For IcePlates®, the cleaning is simple. The act of freezing the IcePlates® kills off bacteria. Once you are finished with the IcePlates® for the season, there are two recommended storage options. The first is to simply leave them frozen in your freezer until they are needed again. The second option is to drain the IcePlates® completely, run them through your Dishwasher one time, dry them out, and store them somewhere dry.
Here is what we recommend for the Vests. As often as you like (even as frequently as between uses) you can simply wipe the surfaces down with a Clorox antibacterial wipe to remove the dust and dirt and kill anything on the surface. Also, if you are throwing the entire Vest into the freezer this will have the same effect (preventing bacterial growth). For a more thorough cleaning we recommend you remove the IcePlates® and leave them in your freezer. Then unhook the Shoulder Straps and Tool Belt, breaking the Vest up into two individual Sleeves. Simply wipe down the Shoulder Straps and Tool Belt with a Clorox wipe, and throw the Sleeves into the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Let them air dry and reassemble. Avoid leaving your Vests unattended in a hot and humid environment, preventing the build-up of mold.
If you leave your Vests unattended in a hot and humid environment (don't do this) and they become covered with mold, don't worry, we also have a solution for that. In this instance you will need some hot water and Oxi-Clean. What you will do is stack your Sleeves in a sink alternating sides, in order to have the same colors facing each other. Example, the first Sleeve will be placed in the sink with the Safety Yellow side facing up. The second Sleeve will be placed on top of the first Sleeve with the Safety Yellow side facing down, and the Black side facing up. The third Sleeve will be Black side down, Safety Yellow side up, and so on. This guarantees that the Black will not bleed into the Yellow, and vice versa. Once you fill your sink with Sleeves, add the Oxi-Clean and the hot water and let the Sleeves soak until the water cools. Drain the water, and then run your Sleeves through the gentle cycle in your washing machine.
You can also try to use the Clorox wipes to kill any bacteria on the Straps and Tool Belt, but in this situation, they could be past the point of no return. This is the beauty of our Safety Vests being built as separate pieces. If any of the pieces are beyond repair, you can order Replacement pieces as needed.
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