How to Clean Your Gear

Is your shell not repelling water the way it should? Is your down jacket not as warm as it used to be? There's a good chance you need to wash it! Despite what many people believe, washing your garment is crucial to extending its life and maintaining durability. Over time sweat, dirt and debris build-up which impairs your garments ability to perform the way it's supposed to. 

Shells

Why wash your shell?

All waterproof gear (with the exception of waxed and oil-finished cotton) requires the same wash, heat, and repeat care routine to perform its best. Things like sweat, dirt, smoke, sunscreen, and spills can degrade the shell's water-repellency and compromise its ability to keep you dry.

How do you know when it's time to wash your shell?

How often you wash your shell will depend on how often you wear it and what conditions it is exposed to! If your shell looks dirty or it starts to wet out, it's probably time to wash it. For a general timeline, we recommend you wash your shell after long trips or every 7-10 wears although this can vary.

How to Wash Your Shell

Step 1: Give your jacket a good look over and wipe away as much dirt and debris as possible. Check the pockets and make sure you remove any forgotten wrappers, knick-knacks or other treasures! 

Step 2: Zip up the main zipper for your coat, you'll want to leave the smaller zippers undone to prevent grime from building up inside. 

Step 3: Put your jacket in the washing machine, ideally you will want to use a front-loading machine as top-loading machines can cause tears due to the agitators. Your shell should be the only thing in the machine. Hand-washing your jacket is also a great option!

Step 4: Add your technical or mild detergent as instructed on the bottle. We advise against using regular detergents as they can clog the pores and compromise the performance of your shell. We recommend pH-neutral Storm Clothing wash, which will help to improve the water repellency and restore the breathability of your jacket. 

Step 5: Set the load size to small and the temperature to warm on a regular setting. To ensure there is no detergent left over, add a second rinse cycle to the wash. 

Step 6: Now that your garment is clean, you'll need to dry it! Heat is necessary to reactivate your jacket's water repellency so we advise against air drying. Put your jacket in the dryer on low heat for a minimum of 30 minutes or until fully dry and warm. Do not steam or iron your jacket as this can damage the fabric and degrade the DWR.

Re-Proofing Your Shell

So you've washed your shell and it's still wetting out, now what? You can re-proof it by using a wash-in or spray-on waterproofing solution. We recommend using Storm Proof! 

Step 1: Test your garment by laying it on a flat surface and spraying it with water. If the water absorbs into the fabric it is wetting out and needs to be re-proofed. If the water beads up and rolls off the surface of the jacket, you do not need to re-proof it. 

Step 2: Follow the same wash cycle as outlined above, in addition to adding the detergent you will also add the proofer as instructed on the bottle. We love StormCare products as unlike many other re-proofers, they only require one cycle! 

Step 3: To use a spray-on DWR finish instead, wash the garment as outlined above. Instead of drying immediately, take the garment out of the wash and spray the entire garment evenly with the solution. Rub with a clean cloth to ensure even coverage. Allow to drip dry and finish in the dryer as outlined above. 

Down

Why wash down?

The only time you will want to get your down jacket wet is for a wash! While it's well known that wet down loses its insulating properties, it won't actually damage the jacket. The build-up of sweat, dirt and debris can compromise the feather's ability to puff up and keep you warm. Washing your jacket will help to reinstate any water repellency, restore its loft and break up any clumps that may have formed.

When should you wash your down?

If your jacket isn't keeping you as warm as it used to or it was subjected to a particularly wet and dirty trip, you will want to give it a wash! Jackets worn regularly (at least a few days a week) under normal conditions should be washed every 2 months.

How to Wash Down

Step 1: Wipe away any dirt or debris from the jacket and check the pockets to ensure you haven't forgotten to remove anything. 

Step 2: Place your down jacket in a front-loading washer as top-loading washers can cause tears and snags due to the agitators. If you don't have a front-loading machine hand washing is also a great option! 

Step 3: Add your mild or technical wash as outlined on the bottle. We recommend against using normal detergent as it can cause build-up on the down and prevent it from being able to loft properly. We love the StormCare Down Wash and Down Proofer! 

Step 4: When transferring your down jacket from the washer to the dryer, take care to support the entire jacket as down becomes heavy when wet and can tear. Dry your jacket on the lowest setting with a few tennis balls or dryer balls until it is completely dry. You will want to periodically check on the garment and flatten any clumps that may form. 

While air drying down is possible, it can take up to a week to dry completely. Ensure you periodically check on the jacket and separate clumps to speed up the process.

Waxed Cotton 

How to Clean Waxed Cotton

Unlike regular water-repellant outer layers, you should never put a waxed garment into a washing machine or dryer. Detergents and hot water should not be used on these garments as you risk removing the wax coating. If stains occur, they should be hand-cleaned with a damp rag or soft brush. For particularly stubborn stains, you can use a castile soap and rinse with warm (not hot) water. This area of the garment will need to be re-waxed to maintain water repellency.

Why Re-Proof Waxed Cotton?

Over time the wax coating on your garment will wear off due to exposure to rain, snow and general use. To maintain the garment's ability to repel water and upkeep its durability, you will need to re-apply a layer of wax.

When Should You Re-Proof Your Waxed Cotton?

If your garment begins to lose its ability to repel water and wind or becomes significantly lighter in colour, you probably need to re-wax it. As a general rule of thumb, you want to re-wax your garment every 2 years, more for garments that are put under heavy stress. 

How to Re-Proof Waxed Cotton

Step 1: Lay your garment on a large flat surface and clean dirt and debris from the garment. To do this, you can hose it down or use a stiff nylon brush to wipe away debris. Ensure you mind the seams as these areas can acquire build-up. 

Step 2: Apply a coat of finishing wax, ensuring you spread the wax evenly across the entire garment. We recommend using the Filson Original Oil Finish Wax! Use caution not to over-apply the wax as it will not absorb. If this happens, you can remove the excess with a clean rag after liquifying. 

Step 3: Use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt the wax into the fabric, working slowly across the entire surface. The wax will turn shiny and the fabric will darken as it liquifies. 

Step 4: Areas under high use such as under the arms and the seams can benefit from more frequent touch-ups as these areas are prone to lose their finish faster.