Color Brightening detergent and hunting clothes?

[Marc]

I posted a similar thread, but had an experience that will make me revisit it...

I believe I could wear a white t-shirt, hold still and still have a bird come in...  But there is something about our (color-brightening) detergent that must make me look like a scary glowing creature.

Wife does NOT wanting me touching the laundry machine (which I am actually more than fine with).  She normally washes my hunting clothes in some non-UV detergent I purchase.  But since I do not do laundry, unbeknownst to me, we were out, and she washed my hunting clothes in her standard detergent...

I came home from my hunt yesterday, and said "you washed the clothes in regular detergent, didn't you?"  Her reply "How did you know THAT?"

Quiet day with no gobbles yesterday, but after sitting and calling, I see two birds coming from different directions on the opposite ridge, about 200 yards away...

One bird apparently sees the other, and begins a dead run towards my direction...  (Neither gobbled at all).  I am hiding behind a fallen tree, with all kinds of cover and branches, fairly well hiding me...  Gun leaned over the tree, so bird can see shoulders up on me...

From a dead run, he crests the ridge, and comes to a screeching halt.  Eyes things over, and goes into a dead run opposite direction.  Never saw the fan or beard, but have a feeling he was a jake.

Second bird takes his time, and I can see his fan cresting the ridge (obvious jake)...  He pokes is head over, eyes things up, and turns and walks away a bit faster than he came in...

Ground is pretty broken up, and a hen could have been anywhere...  And the way I got eyeballed, I feel pretty certain they saw me...

I know that turkeys have the photoreceptors to see well into the UV spectrum (which we do NOT have).  I will be more careful in the future to wash clothes in non-UV detergents...

[outdoorsmen]

I always use the atsko soap. I figure it can't hurt

[bbcoach]

My question is, How can we tell if our clothes are giving off UV light since we can't see it?  Also, how do we know that these so-called detergents that advertise they protect against UV light really do what they claim?  Are they a scam?

[vt35mag]

I also make sure to run a load of my regular/street clothes thru the wash and dryer with my hunting detergent before doing a load of hunting clothes. Do what I can to neutralize the UV brighteners in standard detergent as much as I can.

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[Zobo]

The secret is to never wash your clothes. I haven't ever washed my vest in over 10 years. Ten years of bug spray treatments and never been bit.

[bwhana]

I bought a UV flashlight that will make your clothes light up if they have brighteners used on them. The only way to remove it that I know of is to use Atsko UV killer spray and you can see it work immediately with the light.

I use their wash or any of the other hunting specific soaps and have never detected an issue with them. I have also used regular scent and dye free detergent that states no dyes or brighteners and saw zero issues with the light on them. 

https://cleansehive.com/home-environment/5-best-laundry-detergents-without-optical-brighteners/

[Sungrazer]

I use the free&clear/sensitive skin/hypoallergenic detergent 24-7/365. Whatever brand is on sale, it's always a white container. Started using it for deer hunting clothing, liked it, use it all the time now. I figure I'm bombarded with enough chemicals at work and in my shop as it is, no sense in dressing in them also.

[eddie234]

I had a picture, which I can't find now, of me walking past my trail camera in the dark and I glowed like the sun. My cotton stuff was fine, it was the slick stuff that lit up.
I sprayed everything with uv killer and wash it in sports wash.


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[Ihuntoldschool]

Maybe.
How long have these brighteners been in use in detergents?

Just curious. They pretty much wiped the turkeys out wearing blue bib overalls. 

[Marc]

My question is, How can we tell if our clothes are giving off UV light since we can't see it?  Also, how do we know that these so-called detergents that advertise they protect against UV light really do what they claim?  Are they a scam?

I think we have to take some things for granted.  If the detergent advertises that they do not put in color brightener, I would imagine they do not.  I would think it more expensive to add than to leave out?  We are looking to purchase something that is NOT there.

Couple years back had the same situation occur, and it was obvious that birds were seeing me as if I had a light beacon on my hat.

Got some new detergent, and sprayed with UV protector, and ended that issue.

[Ihuntoldschool]

It'd be interesting if you re wash them in non UV brightener detergent and see if anything like this ever happens again.

Otherwise hard to say what spooked them.

[Greg Massey]

My wife washes all my hunting clothes in Baking Soda ...

[Candyman]

My wife washes all my hunting clothes in Baking Soda ...

I have been using baking soda for 15+ years. Works for me.

[joey46]

My camo is washed with zero soap then air dried.  Been doing this for 40 years and was mostly done for archery deer.  Just an IMO. 

[Bottomland OG]

I am not saying that it doesn't make a difference in a bird seeing your clothes or not but I have always washed my turkey hunting clothes in regular clothes detergent. Never put that much thought in it I don't guess.