Should You Wash Your Ghillie Suit?

Should You Wash Your Ghillie Suit?

This is an odd question: should a ghillie suit, which is a suit made to resemble dirt and foliage, be washed like any other costume?  It’s not quite the same as putting leaves and twigs inside your washing machine; after all, these suits are actually suits—they are shirts, jackets, pants, or entire wardrobes that are sewn together using materials such as twine and burlap cloth.  The leaves and twigs that you see on a costume are usually synthetic; otherwise they would wilt in just a few hours.  (However, it should be noted that some hunters put authentic leaves on their costumes, which they replace every few hours)

Be that as it may, ghillie suits are not recommended for wash because while the base clothing itself is durable, the attachments are usually too fragile to put in a washing machine or dryer.  Most hunters or snipers don’t concern themselves with cleanliness.  Odors on the interior of the costume can be dealt with without a wash, though the problem here is that the more you wash or clean the costume the less earthy it will smell.

Some brands of ghillie suits that are synthetically constructed are washable.  For a game like paintball, or even for military operations, this may be suitable garb.  However, if you’re hunting game from a close distance, you can bet that your target will smell a difference between a freshly washed synthetic suit and an earthy assemblage of foliage.  Also bear in mind that jute thread is highly flammable.  If you wash it you could be washing off the manufacturer’s fire-retardant.  Because of this possibility, some companies recommend dry-cleaning the suits only.

If you are interested in buying new ghillie suits rather than attempting to clean an old one try shopping at SniperGhillies.com.  This Florida-based online store offers a wide selection of ghillie jackets, blankets, backpacks and full suits at affordable prices.