GoreTex Washing Tutorial
Ever wonder how often, and how to properly wash your Goretex items?
Despite the popular misconception that you should avoid washing your items as much as possible, or wash them infrequently, actually the opposite is true. Your Gore Tex needs regular washing to help preserve it’s longevity and improve it’s performance. That’s right – wash your jacket when it’s dirty. So how do you know when it’s time to wash your jacket? Here are some things to look for.
The moisture should bead on your jacket and roll off. Remember when you first bought your jacket how you could literally ‘shake’ the water off the surface? And now does it simply get absorbed into the material?
1. Dirt on the cuffs
Dirt tends to collect and concentrate on the cuffs of the jacket since it’s a high use area. Look for dirt and grease spots on the cuffs, as the dirt will decrease fabric performance.
2. Dirt on the collar
After awhile, you will notice signs of sweat and contamination on the collar. This comes from having your collar zipped up and breathing into it, as well as the fabric rubbing against your face, picking up some oils from your skin. This is bad for the GoreTex and should be cleaned.
3. Dirt anywhere else on the jacket
Though dirt tends to concentrate on high use areas such as cuffs and collars, dirt or staining can collect on other parts of the jacket from use. Dirt spots anywhere on the jacket decrease the effectiveness of the fabric, so keep an eye out for stains and dirt and wash accordingly.
4. Loss of waterproofness
The waterproof coating on your jacket should last a long long time with proper care. For example, my Arc’teryx Beta LT jacket is over 5 years old and I wear it year round and regularly in the mountains for high output activities such as backcountry skiing, climbing and hiking, and it is still waterproof.
So if you notice that water is getting absorbed and not beading off, wash it and also treat it with a waterproofing spray to restore this beading. GoreTex is treated with a Durable Water Repellant, or DWR, finish, which can wear out over time.
GoreTex fibres are meant to be thrown into a hot dryer. The tiny fibers need to stand up straight to achieve the waterproofness, and a hot dryer will allow them to expand and stand straight. If you air dry the jacket you will not achieve the same level of performance.
How to Wash Your Jacket
To wash your jacket, follow these steps:
1. Prepare your jacket:
- Close the zipper vents
- Close the front zipper
- Open the two front pocket zippers
- Singe the hood
- Close the cuffs
2. Washing. In the washing machine, use a special technical washing detergent like Nikwax Tech Wash or Granger’s Performance Wash. These detergents are made specifically for these types of fabrics and you will achieve the best performance if you use them. You can also use a detergent that you have at home, but make sure it is mild.
3. Extra Waterproofing.
Do you notice that your jacket has lost some of it’s waterproofness? Then you should restore this by using a DWR spray. The DWR is a coating that goes on the outside of your jacket to create waterproofness. Your jacket is treated with a DWR coating when new, but over time, washing and abrasion will wash off this coating and you will notice high abrasion areas, such as sleeves, and your shoulders, where you have your backpack straps, will loose waterproofness first.
To restore waterproofness, hang it on a rack and make sure all zippers are closed. Use a DWR waterproofing spray, such as the Granger’s Performance Waterproofing spray, or a similar one is made by Nikwax. When you spray it on, focus on a few areas where your jacket gets the most abrasion. Spray it on evenly, and you can focus on higher wear areas.
4. Dryer.
Always dry your jacket in the dryer. Do this right after washing if you are not treating it with waterproofing spray. If you are treating it, throw it in the dryer right after the treatment.
Don’t skip this step. It’s very important to dry your jacket in the dryer.
This video by Arc’teryx shows how to take care of your garments.
Remember, the more often you wash your Goretex, the better they will perform. Washing increasing both the longevity and the performance of the clothing.