How to Wash Your GORE-TEX Jacket
How to wash your GORE-TEX jacket.
Your GORE-TEX jacket is built to last you many adventures to come, but to extend its lifetime and keep it performing at its best, regular washing and reproofing is essential. It helps to remove sweat and dirt that has become impregnated into the fabric, restore its water repellency, and maximise breathability.
As we transition to using fluorocarbon-free DWRs on our GORE-TEX jackets, it’s more crucial than ever that you regularly wash and reproof your shell to refresh the DWR and extend the life of your kit. We would advise washing your GORE-TEX jacket after every trip, whenever it becomes visibly dirty, or if you notice the DWR starting to lose its effectiveness.
Follow our step-by-step instructions below to wash your GORE-TEX jacket. Alternatively, if you’d rather be climbing mountains and hiking trails than hang around washing and drying your shells, why not have your GORE-TEX jacket professionally washed by the experts at our Service Centre?
Washing tips for your GORE-TEX jacket.
Before you start, rinse out your washing machine out to clear any leftover detergent and softeners that might damage the fabrics and coatings. Clean the detergent drawer and run one or two rinse cycles.
Empty all the pockets and close any zips and fastenings.
Place a non-biological liquid detergent, liquid pure soap, or specially formulated cleaner in the detergent drawer. Add a technical proofer to the conditioner compartment if you are reproofing at the same time.
Machine wash your GORE-TEX jacket on a gentle, cool setting according to the white care label (usually 30ºC).
Spin at a low speed (400) and then hang the GORE-TEX jacket out to dry.
If the care label allows, you can activate the proofer by tumble drying your shell for 20-30 minutes on a low heat setting. If you don’t have access to a tumble dryer, simply iron on a medium heat, using a clean tea towel (or similar) as a barrier between the iron and jacket.
You can also hand wash your jacket If you are out in the mountains and don’t have access to a washing machine. Use cool water and a gentle detergent. Rinse the jacket well, then allow plenty of time to dry out of direct sunlight.