Basic care and use

KoolTies are robust and well made. They will stand up to many cycles of use. They need to be cared for and laundered in the same way that you would care for and launder close collars or underwear. They need to be laundered from the time that you start wearing them. Do not leave them unwashed, even when they look OK in the early days. Once you become aware of an odour, mildew has probably gained a hold,  and the smell will be extremely difficult, or even impossible, to remove.

It may be a good idea when soaking your KoolTie for the first time to set a kitchen or similar  alarm, initially for 30 minutes and then for about an extra 5-10 mins if necessary, though for later re-soakings you can use your own judgement, being careful not to let your KoolTie  develop into too thick and uncomfortablel a sausage. During that time it will change appearance from a 30gram (1oz) piece of cloth to a large squidgy sausage. It is a good idea to check periodically that the crystals are evenly distributed. If you don't do this, or if you leave it too long, there is some danger of bursting the seam of the fabric tube.

Once it is thoroughly soaked, wrap it in a towel, or hang it up from one end for a few minutes, for any surplus water to be removed. The Tie will then be damp, but not wet, to the touch. It should not drip. Tie it round your neck to feel the almost instant cooling effect. DO NOT carry it wrapped in plastic, polythene or other waterproof material, or it may start to smell a little  mouldy. Sue likes to wear a KoolTie when she is out and about on occasions at any time of year when heat, whether internally or externally generated, might be a problem. 

If you wear your KoolTie for a long time and feel the need to refresh the cool effect, just roll it round so that a fresh cool surface is against your neck. Simply soak it for a relatively FEW minutes as seem required and remove excess moisture as before.

Washing

Despite the instructions on the grey card, it is unlikely you will be able to run your machine for 2 minutes and then remove your KoolTie!  Hand washing is the answer. Before washing, you must thoroughly soak the Tie to fully rehydrate it and to minimise the transfer of washing water into the crystals. As the manufacturer advises, hand rinse for about three minutes. Many modern detergents contain phosphates which damage the crystals in KoolTies and must therefore be avoided. We use Ecover DELICATE Washing Liquid. Read their interesting labels!

Storing

It is probably NOT wise to put the KoolTie away in a drawer. If you do feel the need todo this, you must dry it out thoroughly first. In the winter this could probably be best done on top of a radiator.

Never leave it lying around on a kitchen worktop or similar. The resulting dampness which would appear on the worktop under the KoolTie would cause mildew and odour.

Do not be tempted to put your KoolTie in the freezer. The damp gel granules will swell  be damagedl irreparably!

We offer a reduced price for two ties because it is a little easier for us to handle orders for two and most users find it useful to have one to wear and one to soak, even if one colour is enough.

REMEMBER that, while KoolTies can be used with care in a  British climate, they are designed for use somewhere hotter and usually drier!

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Questions or comments about this web site? Send mail to bill@soo-cool.co.uk
Last modified: 22/08/2004 ,