Sometimes fabrics cannot be used for their intended purpose without first using impregnating agents. This is usually necessary to make the fabrics water-repellent or fire-resistant before being sewn into clothes or other products.

Also, impregnation is used in the processing of fabrics for furniture, so that the material becomes practical, is less exposed to external influences and lasts longer.

There are different types of impregnations that differ in purpose, cost and properties. The choice of impregnation agents depends on the further use of the treated material.

According to their function, fabric impregnations are divided into three types:

• waterproof;
• refractory;
• biostable.

The third type prevents rotting and multiplication of bacteria and is rarely used for fabrics (mainly for jute and semi-jute materials). Refractory and water-repellent impregnations are more in demand.

Water-repellent impregnation

After processing with such compounds, moisture and water do not penetrate the fabric. Depending on the material and the purpose of fabric processing, one of the types of water-repellent impregnation is selected:

Impregnation type WR

The most popular type is WR impregnation, which is applied only to the outside of the material. The treated fabric is not susceptible to getting wet, as water droplets roll down the protective layer.

Also, the fabric does not damp at high humidity, since the impregnation layer does not allow even the smallest water molecules in the form of steam or fog to pass through.

Polyurethane impregnation (PU)

It is applied to the inside of the material, which can get wet on the outside, but the moisture will not seep through.

DuPont Impregnation

Teflon impregnation (DuPont) is an analogue of WR impregnation, but unlike it, it is applied to products that are operated in more severe conditions. Teflon impregnation is more often used for impregnating furniture fabrics, tents and outerwear.

PD impregnation

The PD impregnation is applied to the inner surface of the fabric and not only prevents moisture penetration, but also makes the material more durable. In clothing, it is often used in combination with other types of impregnation.

Silver and Ultra Foil impregnations are also used for clothing. The first one is applied to clothes from the outside and, in addition to water-repellent, has sun-protective properties, preventing material fading. Ultra Foil is applied from the inside and forms a durable high-gloss protective layer.

Separately, there is a silicone impregnation, which is applied to tents and is not used for clothing. This is due to the high cost of the product, the complexity of the application process and low efficiency compared to polyurethane counterparts.

Impregnation for membrane fabrics

Despite the positioning of membrane fabrics as a material that is itself waterproof, sometimes it is additionally treated with DWR-type impregnations. This agent protects the face of the membrane from water penetration.

The principle of operation of the membrane fabric is based on the fact that it absorbs moisture without letting it in. But the water accumulated inside the membranes prevents heat from escaping to the outside, therefore, although such a hydrophobic fabric is effective, a person quickly begins to sweat in clothes made of such material.

In addition, if moisture does not roll down the impregnation layer, but is absorbed into the fabric, the clothes become heavier. DWR is mainly applied to the processing of clothing and accessories for tourists, as well as some types of military uniforms.

Due to its water-repellent properties, DWR impregnation is water-soluble. Under normal conditions, the protective layer is damaged very slowly, but such things need to be washed using special means that do not damage the protection.

Fire retardant impregnation

Fireproofing impregnation is used for processing workwear, but sometimes it is used for processing tents (tourist and military). This impregnation does not guarantee complete protection against fire and burns: at high temperatures, such a layer melts, but this can happen over a different period of time, depending on the composition of the impregnation.

The fabric itself plays an important role. So, tarpaulin, which itself is a waterproof and fireproof canvas, will not burn.

If you treat cotton or other knitted fabric with the strongest fire retardant impregnation, sooner or later the protective layer will collapse and the material will start to burn.

Application area

Refractory impregnations are mainly used for the processing of overalls for firefighters, workers, metallurgists and representatives of other hazardous professions. But the scope of application of water-repellent agents is wider, and they are used for processing:

• protective clothing;
• jacket fabric;
• tents;
• backpacks and bags;
• belts;
• furniture;
• tablecloths;
• awnings and awnings for the street;
• raincoat fabric.

The water-repellent treatment not only retains moisture, but is also dirt-repellent. Most light to medium soiling is not scary for this material, since the dirt, consisting of large molecules, does not absorb into the fibers and is easily cleaned off.

DIY water-repellent impregnation for fabric

All impregnations are applied during the manufacturing process or sold separately. But it is not profitable to buy impregnation separately, since they are mainly supplied in bulk, and if it becomes necessary to process clothes with such a composition, it is easier to prepare it yourself.

There are several recipes for impregnations that can be made at home by purchasing inexpensive ingredients from a hardware store and pharmacy. For example, alum used in medicine is sold in pharmacies.

Here are several options for making your own impregnation:

1. Take 500 grams of rosin powder, rubbed with shavings of laundry soap, acetone and linen soda. Five liters of water is heated almost to a boil, after which soap chips and soda are mixed in a container with water. Then rosin powder is dissolved in acetone, and the mixture is added to a general container, where everything is thoroughly mixed. In such a solution, the fabric is soaked for 12 hours. Conifer resin can be used instead of rosin powder.
2. In five liters of warm water, 500 grams of soap shavings are dissolved, after which the fabric is immersed there. While the material is soaked, alum is dissolved in another container in five liters of water - a product already soaked in a soap solution is placed here.
3. The product can be soaked for five days in a solution of copper sulfate (this substance is added in an amount of 300 grams per 12 liters of water). After this time, the fabric will become water-repellent.

If it is necessary to make a reliable impregnation for the tent, it is better to soak the fabric in a solution, for the preparation of which they use:

• alum (120 grams);
• quicklime (300 grams);
• 12.5 liters of water.

The solution does not need to be boiled, but it must be mixed thoroughly. It is enough to withstand the fabric for 12 hours.

If you are a tourist, hunter, fisherman or, for sure you have a tent, awning, raincoat or any other piece of equipment, clothing, which you count on in case of rainy weather, snow. Then this information may be relevant.

Before buying a tent, you need to know that for its manufacture, manufacturers must use materials of increased strength. Nylon and polyester are perfect for these purposes. More recently, tent manufacturers preferred polyester, but due to the constant development of the textile industry, new technologies for processing fabrics appear and today nylon is ahead of polyester in a number of important characteristics. Besides the fact that nylon is softer and more resistant to tearing, an important aspect is its lower production cost in comparison with polyester.

In production conditions, three main types of impregnation and processing of fabrics are now used, which make it possible to improve the quality of product exploitation. The task of such manipulations is to maximize the quality of the fabric used: to increase the degree of waterproofness, resistance to possible loads, protection from ultraviolet radiation, increase the service life, etc.

The main types of modern fabric impregnation include PU - coating (polyurethane impregnation), PU / SI - coating (polyurethane impregnation with silicone) and W / R - water-repellent impregnation. Each of the above types of coatings has its own advantages and disadvantages, which affect, among other things, the cost of the product.

Tents of the “past generation” made of tarpaulin or reps, raincoat - tent fabric get wet even when they are new. Products made of rubberized percale or water-repellent fabrics begin to get wet after several seasons, and they are supposed to serve much longer. If a tent has already been bought from you and it usually gets wet in the rain, what advice can you give in such a case? First, it is good to stretch the tent. Secondly, do not touch her when she is wet. In this case, water will begin to flow through the pores, drop by drop.

In directories for tourists, they often write the preparation of compounds for impregnating tents at home. But in practice, it is much more convenient to use plastic capes than the above recipes - this is too troublesome process. But if you are determined to try home fabrication, these tips are for you.

There are three known options for impregnating materials to increase their strength and water-repellent properties. The first method is treatment with chemical compounds. The disadvantage is that with this treatment, the gaps between the threads of the fabric are not filled and when the wet fabric is touched, it will begin to leak. In addition, impregnation will need to be carried out annually. The next method is to impregnate the fabric with a composition of oil or wax, which fills in the gaps between the threads of the fabric. Although the end result is that the fabric becomes impervious to both air and moisture, the weight increases significantly and the flexibility decreases. With careful handling of the fabric, the impregnation can last for several years. The third method is impregnation with compounds that contain fish oil, casein, glue (preferably carpentry). After such impregnation, the material of the tent becomes much denser.

So, actually the recipes.

Chemical compositions:

Dissolve 500 grams of laundry soap in 5 liters of boiling water. It is good to let the material soak, squeeze out a little water. For a short time, soak a damp cloth in water diluted with ordinary (potassium-aluminum) alum (500 grams per 5 liters of water, to enhance the impregnation, you need to take 1000 grams or a saturated solution). Dry gently without squeezing out the water.

Dissolve 450 grams of brown soap in 4.5 liters of boiling water, add 250 grams of linen soda and process 450 grams of rosin powder in the same way. The above impregnation methods are good, but the first has two advantages: simplicity and little time (often used for processing nets).

The most optimal in terms of simplicity and efficiency is the treatment with a mixture of alum with the addition of lead acetate. In the first container, 150 grams of lead acetate and three liters of water are dissolved, in the second - 150 grams of ordinary alum. After the mixtures have settled, we combine them. Pour out the sediment. After a precipitate has formed, the procedure is repeated after a couple of hours. We soak the material in this liquid for a day. Dry gently, without spinning. Rinse the dishes well from the toxic solution!

Dissolve 400 grams of alum in 2.25 liters of hot water, add 9.125 liters of water. We keep the fabric in this mixture for 24 hours, then we lower it into the following composition for 6-7 hours: 225 grams of lead acetate with the addition of 9.125 liters of water.

Soak the material in a 40% mixture of laundry soap, squeeze out a little water and lower it in a 15 - 20% solution of copper sulfate. Squeeze lightly and dry. The material is painted in a khaki color.

Oil and paraffin based impregnations:

We mix two liters of gasoline, carefully warmed up, with 300 grams of paraffin, 300 grams of petroleum jelly, 100 grams of glycerin. Soak the material in the heated mixture for 25-30 minutes. Observe safety rules during processing and drying - flammable!

Bring 1 kilogram of drying oil and 200 grams of paraffin until completely dissolved. Treat the tent with this hot mixture, paying particular attention to the seams. Dry.

Cook 150 grams of litter (lead oxide), 130 grams of umber and 11 liters of flaxseed oil over the fire for two hours, stirring constantly. Grease the fabric with the prepared hot mixture.

Casein and glue mixes:

Prepare three mixtures (50 grams of fish glue in boiling water; 10 grams of alum in 0.3 liters of water; and a gram of white soap in 0.15-0.20 liters of water). Combine them together in one bowl. Lubricate the fabric with this solution. Lubricate the inside with the mixture until the top gets wet.

Mix 40 grams of alum, 20 grams of fish glue and 10 grams of white soap in 1 liter of water. The fabric treated with this composition, squeeze out, moisten with a 4% solution of lead acetic acid.

Any fabric can be made water-repellent and suitable for making the covering of a kayak, awning, tent. The fabric is carefully smoothed with an iron. A bag is made of two layers of ironed fabric and a PVC film laid between them and ironed with an iron heated to 120-130 °. After the material has cooled, it is rubbed with technical wax and ironed again. The fabric is not only waterproof, but also airtight. In order for these properties to be preserved in finished products, their seams must be wiped with wax and ironed.

Waxed cotton -Barbour international
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waxed_cotton

Chemical method.

By impregnating the fabric with various "chemicals" we essentially process the threads themselves, affect their properties. Between the threads there are "pores" that allow the clothes to "breathe". Therefore, in order to achieve the maximum effect, it is necessary to take a very dense fabric. According to rumors that we have not personally verified, the fabric after such processing becomes more fire-resistant.
The only disadvantage of such processing is the need to repeat the processing at least once a year.

So, one of the "recipes" is the use of soap and rope. We take half a kilogram of laundry soap, dissolve this heap in 5 liters of hot water. We throw our fabric into this "soup" so that it is thoroughly soaked. At this time, we take another 5 liters of water and potash-aluminum alum from half a kilogram to 1 kg. Well, for yourself, of course, you can take another half liter of something like that, but this is not for everybody =) We sipped half a liter of juice and took our fabric out of the soap solution. We squeeze out a little and lower it into the alum solution. We soak it there for about 12 hours. Then we take out and dry without wringing.
If it is necessary to make ropes, nets, slings waterproof, then it is enough to soak them for five to six days in a solution of copper sulfate. How to cook this bumblebee? We take 300 g of vitriol and dissolve it in 12 liters of water. After soaking, take out, dry and rinse in soapy water. After such processing, our ropes become stronger and more resistant to decay.
How can you make yourself a waterproof tent? Very simple! Bodyajim in 12 liters of water 110 g of alum, 280 g of quicklime. We soak our fabric in this broth for 12 hours. We take out and dry without squeezing.
Another option for impregnating the fabric: dissolve 450 g of alum in 2.5 liters of hot water. Then add another 9.5 liters of water at room temperature. We run a cloth into our solution and soak it for a day. At the end of this period, we take out our fabric, squeeze it slightly and place it for 6 hours in the following solution: 220 g of lead sugar (lead acetate) diluted in 9 liters of water. Then we take out the fabric and dry it.
Well, for lovers of everything army and green. The following composition makes the fabric waterproof and dyes it in a protective green color. For several hours, the fabric is placed in a 40% solution of laundry soap. Squeeze lightly and place in a 20% solution of copper sulfate. Dry the fabric without wringing.
And the most kosher alum-based recipe is:
impregnation with lead acetate and alum. The fabric becomes very, very refractory and does not rot for a long time. Separately, 75-150 g of alum and 75-150 g of lead acetate are diluted in three liters of water (the proportions should be the same). We put these bottles to settle. When the solutions dissolve, we pour them into one large container, separating them from the sediment and again defend. Soak our fabric in the resulting solution for about a day. Next, we take out the fabric and hang it to dry, without squeezing!

Wax-paraffin-oil impregnation.

Such impregnation makes the fabric much heavier, because the plastic composition not only covers the threads, but also fills the spaces ("pores") between them. The fabric accordingly ceases to pass both water and air. It hardens at low temperatures. Moreover, another significant drawback appears - the fabric becomes fire hazardous when using oils. Considering all these disadvantages, a similar method is best used for processing the outer skin of backpacks, bags, sleeping bags, for the floor of the tent.
The easiest way is to stretch the fabric on a flat surface (like a table) and rub it with paraffin. To make everything more Orthodox, iron it. Then the melted paraffin will fill the space between the threads.
A better way is to dissolve 0.5 kg of paraffin in 4 liters of turpentine. Ahtung! Ahtung! Turpentine is heated only in a water bath and melted paraffin is poured into it. You should not heat turpentine on the fire =) While our mixture is hot, cover the existing fabric with it.
Next, we move on to more dangerous (from the point of view of Russian laws) reagents. 100 g of glycerin (which seems to be prohibited for sale in pharmacies), 300 g of petroleum jelly and 300 g of paraffin are dissolved in 2 liters of gasoline. We soak our fabric for half an hour in the resulting solution. Dry in the fresh air, away from open fire.
To impregnate the felt, you can use the following mixture: "mix" 10 g of wax, 70 g of kerosene, 70 g of linseed oil (now the knife-makers shuddered reverently), 30 g of turpentine. We heat the mixture in a water bath and apply a thin layer to the felt. And then we take a steam bath to wait for this damn felt to dry =)
A more brutal method - put 200 g of wax or paraffin in a metal bottle-jar-canister, pour 1 kg of drying oil. Then we heat it up until everything dissolves. We do not bring to a boil, but we maintain a constant high temperature of the mixture! Next, we pretend to be Pipiskasso and apply the mixture to the fabric with a brush. Great for seams.
Linseed oil preserves fabric well (by the way, wood too, only the method is different). It is boiled. Then hands, while warm, rub the fabric vigorously. Consumption: 0.25 l of oil per 1 m2 of canvas. Dried in the fresh air until the smell disappears completely.
If we need to make waterproof canvas or other rough fabric, it is enough to mix petroleum jelly and talcum 50-50 and rub the fabric carefully.
For the tarpaulin, the doctor prescribed the following composition for us: boil 300 g of wax in 7.5 kg of linseed oil for two hours.

Well, we come to the last method, toxicomaniac -

Adhesives.

Clothes, tents and capes can be treated with casein, fish and carpentry adhesives. Such fabric becomes dense and light enough.
Namba solution 1: 10 g of potassium dichromate, 10 g of acetic acid and 100 g of wood glue in one liter of water. Soak the fabric in it. Afterwards we hang out to dry, without spinning.
In a liter of warm water, dissolve 10 g of animal fat soap, 20 g of fish glue and 40 g of alum. We soak the cloth, wring it out and rinse it in a 4% solution of lead acetate.
Separately dissolve 50 g of fish glue, 10 g of soap in 200 ml of warm water, 10 g of alum in 300 ml of water. Then we mix and heat everything. The composition is applied with a clothing brush on the stretched fabric from the inside until the outside is wet.
Separately, dissolve 12 g of slaked lime and 0.5 kg of milk casein in 0.5 l of water; in 3 liters of water 25 g of neutral soap. We mix the solutions. After soaking, the fabric is dried. Then it is additionally soaked in a 2% solution of aluminum acetate (2 g per 100 ml of water). After that, we take out the fabric and rinse it in hot water. We dry it.
For example, you can use more ruthless rubber adhesives to create a waterproof tarpaulin awning.
We mix glue-88 and aviation gasoline (well, of course, if we can get such a wild rarity) in a 1 to 1 ratio and soak our tarp. Some advise using solvent gasoline instead of aviation BR.

What can be learned from the good old Soviet journalism on our topic:

1. 160 g of soap is dissolved in a little hot water. In another container, melt 40 g of paraffin and pour it into a soapy solution, stirring occasionally. Then gradually add hot water to a liter. The resulting emulsion is diluted with three liters of hot water. A cloth is dipped into a solution (70 ° C) and kept there for about an hour. Then the fabric is wrung out, dipped in a solution of potassium alum (100 g per 1 liter of water) for an hour, squeezed again, rinsed in warm and cold water, dried and ironed with a hot iron ( "Chemistry and Life", 1969, no. 12, p. 67).

2. The touring cotton suit can be converted into a waterproof one. Dissolve 20 g of lead acetate in 3 liters of water. Separately, dissolve 40 g of alum (potassium alum, KAl (SO4) 2) in the same amount of water. Mix both solutions and filter. Then put a suit in this refined mixture for a few hours. After drying, it will become waterproof, and retain its air permeability ( "Science and Life, 1973, No. 5, p. 156).

3. Parachute nylon - a common material for tourist homemade products - can be made waterproof by soaking it with a solution of polyvinyl chloride in cyclohexanone or tetrahydrofuran. To prepare the impregnation, 70-100 g of finely chopped polyvinyl chloride (color can be used) is placed in 1 liter of solvent for two, three days. The fabric to be impregnated is dipped in the solution, removed and dried on stretchers. By repeating the impregnation several times, it is possible to obtain a fabric with different properties: from those similar to calendered nylon to those close to rubberized. To restore the impregnation properties, damaged areas of fabric or seams are re-coated with a solution of vinyl chloride. You should have it in your travel repair kit. Please note that the solvent is flammable and has a strong odor. You need to work with him outdoors or under traction, wearing rubber gloves ( "Tourist", 1984, no. 11, p. fourteen).

4. If you do not have the necessary fabric for your tent or rain cover, you can make one out of cotton fabric by processing it as follows. Soak a clean cloth in a hot (70-80 ° C) solution of 30 g of laundry soap in 1 liter of water. The fabric is then wrung out four times and dried. The dried cloth is placed in a solution of aluminum chloride (concentration 20 g / l) so that it is completely immersed, but not compacted, and kept there for 25 minutes, after which it is wrung out and dried. It is advisable to repeat this operation. The fabric treated with soap and salts is impregnated with a paraffin emulsion. The emulsion is prepared as follows: for 200 g of molten paraffin, take 20 g of laundry soap dissolved in 675 g of water. Pour the soap solution into the molten paraffin. Then add a solution of wood glue at the rate of 5 g per 100 g of water. Heat the mixture to 90 ° С, mix thoroughly and cool to room temperature. Apply the resulting emulsion to the fabric in a thin layer, dry the fabric and iron it with an iron at 80-120 ° C. The fabric processed in this way will serve for at least two years. If the water resistance is broken, it can be restored again ( "Fish farming and fishing", 1971, no. 4, p. 29).

5. A good result is obtained by impregnating the material with natural linseed oil. But this method takes much longer, since it sometimes takes a good three to four weeks to completely dry the drying oil, and the impregnation must be repeated at least two times. So, you should resort to this method only when there are two or three months in stock ( "Fish farming and fishing", 1982, No. 6, p. 24).

6. Tents and sails, awnings and backpacks can be made waterproof if they are treated with a special solution. Dissolve 250 g of casein glue, stirring, in 0.75 l of water and add 12 g of ground lime. Then 13 g of laundry soap is diluted in 1.5 l of water and soapy water is poured into the first solution. The fabric is immersed in the resulting liquid or thoroughly moistened, then dried well. Thus, any dense fabric can be impregnated, and it will become waterproof ( "Fisherman", 1985, no. 2, p. 42).

7. In 3 liters of water, dissolve with gentle stirring, 100 g of sound soap (best of all for children), heating the solution to 60-70 ° C. The material to be processed is immersed in a warm solution. After 20-30 minutes it is taken out, lightly rinsed with cold water and immersed for 20-30 minutes in a warm 8-10% solution of potassium alum. Then the material is again well rinsed in cold water, again immersed in a warm soap solution for 10-15 minutes, then put in an alum solution for 10-15 minutes. With this treatment, insoluble aluminum soap is formed in the pores of the material. The first time the material is rinsed with water so that the aluminum soap settles inside the material, otherwise it will linger on the surface and further access of alum inside will stop. Rinse a second time with water to remove excess alum, then dry ( V. Sabunaev. "Sports fishing". L. Lenizdat, 1957).

8. Free the inner film from the broken glass triplex, dissolve in solvent no. 647 (18 g of film per bottle of solvent). There are five bottles on the tent. Spread the resulting composition with a brush on a stretched parachute silk and let it dry in the wind (from the reader's letter).
You can check the quality of the impregnation as follows. Place a piece of cloth on a saucepan with the cloth hanging down and gently pour a glass of water onto the surface. If the water-repellent impregnation is good, then water drops will not appear on the back of the fabric, and the fabric itself will not absorb it ( "Chemistry and Life", 1967, no. 9, p. 90).

Article in f. "Chemistry and Life" No. 5, 1987, pp. 58-59.
Waterproof fabric can be made in one of the following ways ( according to S. V. Obruchev "Traveler's Guide"):
1. Put the cloth in warm soapy water (500 g of soap for 4 liters of water). Then squeeze it out and immerse it in a saturated solution of alum (potassium alum, KAl (SO4) 2). Even better, add 25 g of linen soda and 450 g of rosin powder to the soap solution.
2. Put the cloth in a 40% solution of laundry soap and, when it is soaked, take it out and immerse it in a 20% solution of copper sulfate. Then dry (the fabric turns green).
3. Mix a solution of lead acetate (30 g per 1 l of water) and a solution of aluminum sulfate (21 g per 0.35 l of water), shake and strain through muslin. Then put the fabric in this mixture for a quarter of an hour and dry without squeezing.
4. Soak a cloth in a solution of 100 parts water, 4 parts alum (potassium alum, KAl (SO4) 2), 2 parts fish glue and 1 part laundry soap. Then wring out the cloth and rinse it in 4% lead acetate solution.
Chapter from the book: L. A. Erlykin, "Fisherman's Laboratory".

Waterproof fabric for clothing and equipment of a hunter is not a luxury, but a necessary attribute. You can make a waterproof fabric yourself, and already from it you can sew a tent, a hunting backpack, a cape. There are several ways to impregnate fabric with water-repellent compounds: chemical compounds, wax, paraffin, oil solution, casein, carpentry, fish glue, etc.

Chemical Compositions

The fabric of the chemical treatment field does not become completely waterproof.
That is, pores remain between the fibers, due to which the fabric "breathes". But yourself
the threads do not absorb moisture. Therefore, for better waterproofing, it is recommended
use a thick cloth. When setting up a tent made of "chemical" fabric, the angle
the slope of the walls should be more than 35 ° - in this case, the water will roll down.
However, other things should not adjoin the walls, otherwise they will absorb
moisture through micropores between fibers. By the way, after treatment with chemical
with the compounds, the fabric becomes more fire-resistant. Chemical compositions are excellent for
impregnation of ropes, sling. This method does not make the fabric heavier, but to preserve
the effect of waterproofness, fabrics must be processed annually.

• Lead and alum impregnation is considered the most
  effective. The fabric does not rot for a long time and hardly burns. Separately in three
  liters of water are diluted with 75-150 g of alum and 75-150 g of lead acetate.
  The proportions must be the same. When the solutions have settled, we merge them into one
  separating the capacity from the sediment and again defend. Attention! The composition is unsafe,
  therefore we take precautions. In this solution, the selected tissue
  soaked for about a day. Then we take out the fabric and without wringing it out, we hang it
  dry.
• Dissolve half a kilo of household water in five liters of hot water
  soap. Soak the fabric in soapy water. While it is soaking, dissolve in
  five liters of 0.5-1 kg of potash-aluminum alum. We take out the fabric from the soap
  solution, slightly squeeze and place in a solution of alum. In 12 hours we get it
  and dry without wringing.
• To make waterproof slings, ropes, fishing nets
  it is enough for five days to hold them in a solution of copper sulfate. Solution: 300 g vitriol
  for 12 liters of water. Then we dry the ropes and additionally rinse them in soapy water. After
  chemical treatment products become more durable and do not rot.
• In five liters of hot water dissolve 450 g of rosin, 250 g
  soda and 0.5 kg of laundry soap. We saturate fabrics, ropes and dry them.
• Dissolve 450 g of alum in 2.5 l of hot water. Then add
  another 9.5 liters of water at room temperature. We soak the fabrics for about a day. We take out and
  wrung out. Then we put 220 g of lead sugar in a solution for 6 hours
  (lead acetate) in nine liters of water. We dry it.
• For tents: dissolve 110 g of alum and 280 g of quicklime in 12 liters of water
  lime. We soak the fabric for 12 hours. Dry without wringing.
• The following composition makes the fabric waterproof and dyes in
  protective green. For several hours, the fabric is placed in a 40% solution.
  laundry soap. Squeeze lightly and place in a 20% solution of copper
  vitriol. Dry the fabric without wringing.

Impregnation with wax,
paraffin, oil

The plastic composition not only covers the threads, but also fills
the space between them. The fabric becomes a single fabric that does not pass through
no water, no air. It hardens in winter. As it becomes very heavy,
such fabrics are mainly used for
sewing or outer sheathing of backpacks, bags, sleeping bags, for the floor of the tent.
When using oils, the fabric becomes flammable. Protective covering
lasts for several years.

• The most basic way is to stretch the fabric on the table and
  rub it with paraffin. Iron to fill the pores better.
• A more effective way: dissolve 0.5 kg of paraffin in 4 liters
  turpentine. To do this, turpentine is heated in a water bath and poured into it
  molten paraffin. While the mixture is hot, cover the fabric with it.
• Dissolve 100 g of glycerin, 300 g of petroleum jelly and 300 g of paraffin in
  two liters of gasoline. We keep the fabric in the solution for half an hour. When impregnating and drying
  beware of fire!
• 130 g of umber and 150 g of lead oxide (litharge) are placed in 11 liters
  flaxseed oil and cook for two hours, stirring regularly. Rub the stretched
  the cloth.
• Composition of impregnation for felt: mix 10 g of wax, 70 g
  kerosene, 70 g of linseed oil, 30 g of turpentine. We heat the mixture in a water bath
  and apply a thin layer to the felt. Felt dries for a long time.
• Put 200 g of wax (or paraffin) in a metal container and
  pour 1 kg of drying oil. Heat gently until everything dissolves. Without bringing
  until boiling, but maintaining a high temperature with a low fire, dip in the composition
  wide brush and paint over the fabric. This compound is ideal for processing fabrics
  tents, especially seams.
• Linseed oil preserves the fabric well. It is boiled. Then
  hands, while warm, rub the fabric vigorously. Consumption: 0.25 l of oil per 1 m3
  canvases. Dried in the fresh air until the smell disappears completely.
• To make a rough canvas or canvas waterproof,
  it is enough to mix petroleum jelly and talc in equal proportions and grate well
  the cloth.
• To impregnate the canvas fabric, prepare the following composition: two
  hours boil 300 g of wax in 7.5 kg of linseed oil.

Adhesives

Impregnations made of casein, fish and wood glue are suitable for
impregnation of clothes and tents. The fabric becomes dense, but light enough.

• Soak the fabric in a warm solution of 1 liter
  water, 10 g of potassium dichromate, 10 g of acetic acid and 100 g of wood glue.
  After soaking, we hang the fabric to dry without wringing it out.
• In a liter of warm water, dissolve 10 g of soap from animal fats,
  20 g of fish glue and 40 g of alum. Soak the fabric, wring it out and rinse it in 4%
  lead acetate solution.
• Separately dissolve 50 g of fish glue, 10 g of soap in
  200 ml of warm water, 10 g of alum in 300 ml of water. Then we mix and heat everything.
  The composition is applied with a clothing brush on the stretched fabric from the inside until
  the outside will not get wet.
• Separately dissolve 12 g of slaked lime in 0.5 l of water
  and 0.5 kg of milk casein; in 3 liters of water 25 g of neutral soap. We mix the solutions.
  After soaking, the fabric is dried. Then it is additionally soaked in 2%
  a solution of aluminum acetate (2 g per 100 ml of water). After that we take out the fabric
  and rinse in hot water. We dry it.

To avoid fire when heating flammable substances
(turpentine, gasoline, etc.), use a water bath. That is, a container with the composition
put in hot water, not on open fire!

• Technical paraffin can be replaced with ordinary household wax
  candles.
• To impregnate the tent, the protective compound can be made less concentrated,
  than for cloth clothing.
• To protect the seams of the tent, it is enough to coat with rubber
  glue.
• It is better to dissolve soap in hot water, after cutting
  into small pieces or grind.
• When immersing fabrics, ropes, slings, nets in solutions
  it is necessary to ensure that they are completely saturated. To do this, it is recommended to wear
  squeeze rubber gloves and a cloth with your hands to remove air bubbles.