Car enthusiasts love to see water beading on their cars after giving it a coating of wax because it’s an indicator the wax is working. Hikers should also relish seeing water beading on their water repellent hiking jackets and clothing because it means the water resistant treatment is working.
Quality waterproof hiking jackets (and trousers) perform for many years but in order to achieve this you need to take care of them. Over time, perspiration, dirt and general wear leads to waterproof membranes and Durable Water Repellency (DWR) treatments being compromised.
The good news is that revitalising waterproof or water resistant hiking clothing to its former self is not difficult. All it needs is a proper clean, sometimes followed by a waterproofing treatment.
In this guide we’ll show you how to take care of your waterproof hiking jackets, trousers, and other waterproofs. If you've got footwear in need to similar treatment, head to our footwear care guide.
What makes clothing waterproof?
Beneath the outer fabric (sometimes called 'face fabric') of waterproof jackets or trousers is a porous membrane (like Gore-Tex). The pores are tiny, millions fit into a square centimetre, and are far smaller than a droplet of water but large enough for moisture vapour to pass through. This means liquid water is blocked, but perspiration isn't.
In addition to the membrane, the outer fabric used on waterproof garments is treated with a water repellent coating (also called a durable water repellent coating, or DWR for short), which is what causes water to bead on the material.
Many hiking jackets, including softshells and some insulated jackets have a DWR treatment for extra weather resistance, but no membrane. Most DWRs eventually wear off the fabric and require reapplying. Likewise, dirt and sweat compromise the effectiveness of a waterproof membrane.
How to clean waterproof hiking clothing
When you notice that your waterproof clothing is soaking up water instead of repelling it, it’s time for a clean. Regular laundry detergents are no good here because these make the problem worse. They leave behind residue that attracts water, thus being completely counterproductive.
There are specialist cleaners for waterproof garments and the two we recommend are Grangers Performance Wash and Nikwax Tech Wash. Both of these are water-based and PFC-free products that remove dirt and sweat from waterproof gear but without damaging the DWR coating or leaving behind water-attracting residues.
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The process for these cleaners is the same, although you use far less Performance Wash per load than you do Tech Wash, which is something in favour of Grangers.
1. Put your waterproof gear into the washing machine and add the suggested amount of Grangers or Nikwax into the detergent dispenser, removing any leftover of regular detergent if you need to.
2. Run a cycle in accordance with the garment’s care label.
3. Once the cycle is done, you can either apply a reproofing solution if needed, or you can dry it. When drying, you can just leave waterproof gear on the washing line or tumble dry. It’s a fallacy that waterproof gear can’t be put through the dryer, but you can if the care label allows.
Reproofing waterproof clothing
Having cleaned your waterproof clothing as above, you can then apply a waterproofing treatment to revitalise the DWR coating if water is penetrating the fabric rather than beading on the surface.
Turn to Grangers and Nikwax once again to provide effective, eco-friendly, and easy-to-apply reproofing products. But you have options here. Either you can go for a spray-on application, or a 'wash in' application where the garment goes through another wash cycle in the machine.
We tend to prefer a spray because it's faster and uses less water, but it's up to you. Grangers also offers a 2-in-1 cleaner and reproofing wash as timesaving option, although it's not as effective.
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1. When freshly cleaned gear is still damp from washing, spray Grangers Performance Repel Plus or Nikwax TX.Direct Spray On directly onto the outside of it, making sure no areas are missed. You may want to add extra to areas prone to more abrasion, such as around the shoulders on a jacket.
2. Remove any excess with a clean, damp cloth.
3. Allow the garment to dry naturally.
If using a wash-in, the process will be very similar to the other wash products. Place gear in the washing machine, use the volume of solution suggested, and follow the garment's wash cycle instructions.
Repairs
Thoroughly engineered gear that is constructed to a high standard will last a very long time, and if something goes awry, such as a tear, zip, or piece of stitching, it can certainly be repaired, even on waterproof garments. In fact, you’d be surprised at what can be repaired.
A lot of outfits offer repairs for outdoor gear, from small individual businesses to large nationwide retailers. Increasing numbers of outdoor gear brands are introducing or expanding the repair services too, so it pays to check these out. Some only cover their own brand but some, like Alpkit, will repair any brand.
Make the most of these services. They prolong the life of good gear and it’s cheaper for you than getting a new garment.