Discovered this by pure chance when my washing machine screwed up...
One normal 40 deg washing cycle
Small amount of detergent and softener
Half a scoop of any Oxy-type stain remover (I used tesco's own)
40 mins later - one delighfuly just-back-from-the-islands looking P42 suit. 
I'm going to experiment on the M42 next when I get around to badging up the jacket!
Discovered this by pure chance when my washing machine screwed up...
One normal 40 deg washing cycle
Small amount of detergent and softener
Half a scoop of any Oxy-type stain remover (I used tesco's own)40 mins later - one delighfuly just-back-from-the-islands looking P42 suit.
I'm going to experiment on the M42 next when I get around to badging up the jacket!
WARNING
Be careful what you do with your M42 suit 
Might depend on whose suit you have i suppose but i got lovely new one from HK-looked too new so bunged it in the wash on either a 40 or 50 cycle and it ruined my suit 
Colour all ran from the reinforcing patches and pocket edges leaving them grey but worst bit was all the colour ran to the surrounding areas leaving nice lime green streaks/patches
Maybe just a one off-i dont know but please be careful 
Also if you have any replicaters stuff... he doesn't use colourfast dyes...
Even rain could fade it, never mind using a washing machine.
Fade stuff at your peril!
The best thing to do is to wear it at events...
washing kit inside out makes it fade less
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Non colourfast dyes, give em a soak in a salt bath to "fix" the dye. Doesnt work all the time, but definitely worth trying!
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
I generally give canvas webbing (eg MP40s pouches) a 5minute soak in dilute bleach followed by a scrub with a brush . It takes the newness off and softens them up no end .
Pers don't like the "just from barracks" look unless poncing around in my mess dress .
I'd rather age stuff by using it.
It was brand new in 1944 and would have looked so then, no ones kit would have been 'wrong' for being all new, all knakcered or a mix.
You could be a new recruit wiht new issue, an old vet who'se had all his old kit shredded in the last batle and had a new issue etc.
I'd rather let gaming shag up my kit than wear it or age it prematurely.
I try and *prevent* wear on kit whenever possible.
I'm always wary about even the smallest ammiuunt of bleach on kit having seen poor stitching dissolve with bleach before.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
100% agreed there Gadge! 
Each to their own , I wouldn't do it to proper dated kit, but the cheapo repro stuff seems to take it well .
Maybe the cheap German repro stuff...
But not all the brit stuff does... (especially sanjay's)
I agree as well, mainly on the grounds that it would be sods law the person it would fluff up on would be me. My "cheap" HK stuff has been getting the lived in look at events and if its needed washing (more to get the bonfire smoke honk out) then its been hand washed as has everything else, I daren't even put stuff in the washer. Only things I've used the machine for is waterproofing the zelts 2nd time around and I'm going back to painting them with fabsil as the wash in stuff was PANTS. Rest of my kit has been weathered to lived in look so I am far from matching, a proper mishmash of shades/tones/hues 
