Sunday, March 4, 2012

Care and Maintenance of Body armor clothing


When cleaning the garment, it is always advised to take precautions as this is what today’s modern body armor clothing requires. Every model of armor that complies with NIJ standards has an instruction label indicating how to clean the components. Individuals should follow these instructions, making certain that anyone else who cares for the garment is also aware of the correct cleaning procedures.


Washing Body armor clothing
The protective panels, or inserts, of body armor clothing should be washed by hand with cold water, using a sponge or soft cloth and mild home laundry detergent. Most manufacturers strongly recommend that the protective panel never be submerged in water. Bleach (including nonchlorine or peroxide-based bleach) or starch, even when highly diluted, should not be used as these may reduce the garment''s level of protection. If a model of armor has a removable carrier, it is possible that the carrier may be machine washable. However, it is imperative to follow the manufacturer’s care instructions found on the protective panel and carrier labels.

Body armor clothing fabric should never be dried outdoors, even in the shade, as ultraviolet light is known to cause degradation of certain types of ballistic fabric. Tests have demonstrated that ballistic efficiency is significantly and adversely affected by exposure to sunlight for extended periods of time.

Inspecting for Signs of Damage in Body armor clothing
Each time body armor clothing is washed, it should be inspected for any signs of wear. If the protective materials are not covered with a permanent cover (which is highly uncommon for a typical modern vest), and it appears that the thread used to sew layers together is wearing badly or that the fabric is unraveling, the vest should be returned to the manufacturer for replacement. Officers should never attempt to repair armor themselves under any circumstances.

This is how to properly take care and maintain your body armor clothing clothing including body armor for women.


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