Most ski jackets that get replaced for “not being waterproof any more” aren’t actually leaking. They’re dirty. Sun cream, sweat, wax and a season of grime clog the outer fabric, the water stops beading off, and the jacket feels damp and clammy from the inside. A proper wash can make a startling difference.
How do you wash a ski jacket?
- Check the care label first, then close every zip and open the vents.
- Use a cleaner made for technical fabrics. Normal detergent leaves residues that attract water, and fabric conditioner is the worst offender of all.
- Clean the detergent drawer before you start if it’s full of the household stuff.
- Wash on a gentle cycle at the temperature on the label, and give it an extra rinse.
- Once or twice a season is about right for most skiers. More if you’re out every weekend.
Why does drying matter?
The water-repellent finish on the outside of the fabric (the DWR, or durable water repellent) often needs gentle heat to work at its best. If the label allows, a short tumble dry on low can bring it back to life. Never dry it hung over a radiator or in front of a fire. Direct heat can damage the membrane and the seam tape.
When should you reproof?
After washing and drying, sprinkle some water on the shoulders. If it beads and rolls off, you’re done. If it soaks into the outer fabric and leaves a dark patch, it’s time to reproof with a wash-in or spray-on treatment. Care specialists such as Nikwax and Grangers both make technical cleaners and reproofers designed for exactly this job.
Tired face fabric or a failed membrane?
This is the question that saves people money.
- Wetting out: the outer fabric looks soaked and darker, and you feel cold and clammy, but you’re not actually wet underneath. That’s tired DWR, and it’s fixable with a wash and reproof.
- Leaking: water is getting right through to your mid layer, often in patches at the shoulders, elbows or seams. If a wash and reproof doesn’t change it, the membrane or the seam tape may have failed. See Repair Before You Replace and When Is a Ski Jacket Actually Finished?
Brand spotlight
Nikwax on keeping your shell working
It happens every season. The jacket has been in the ski bag since April, it comes out on the first morning of the trip, and by the second run the shoulders have gone dark and heavy while the person next to you on the chairlift is shaking off the snow like a duck. Same weather. Very different jacket care.
That is the problem Nikwax has been working on since 1977, when Nick Brown, a recent graduate who wanted dry feet on his backpacking trips, came up with a boot treatment that didn’t soften the leather. The British brand has come a long way from that first tin of wax, but the thinking hasn’t changed much: look after the kit you already have and it will keep working for you.
For a ski jacket, that comes down to two steps, done in the right order.
Clean it first. Dirt, sun cream, body oils and the residue normal detergent leaves behind all sit on the face fabric and attract water. That’s why a jacket can wet out even when the membrane underneath is perfectly fine. Nikwax Tech Wash is made for technical fabrics, so it cleans them without leaving that water-loving residue behind.
Then reproof. Once the jacket is clean, TX.Direct puts the water repellency back. The Wash-In version goes straight in the machine. The Spray-On version is the better bet if your jacket has a fixed lining, because you only treat the outside. Nikwax treatments are water-based, and the company says it has never used PFCs, the so-called forever chemicals much of the outdoor industry has been working to phase out.
None of it is complicated, and it costs a lot less than a new jacket. Do it before the jacket goes away for the summer and you won’t be the one with soggy shoulders on day one.
FIND OUT MORE:
Nikwax how-to guides
Nikwax Tech Wash and TX.Direct Wash-In
The takeaway
Wash and reproof your shell and it keeps working for longer. Most jackets that feel like they’ve stopped working only need a proper clean.
Storing it over the summer
Wash it before you put it away, not in November. Hang it loosely somewhere cool and dry rather than leaving it compressed in a ski bag.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash my ski jacket in the washing machine?
Usually, yes. Check the care label, close every zip, use a cleaner made for technical fabrics rather than normal detergent, and wash on a gentle cycle at the temperature shown.
How do I know if my ski jacket needs reproofing?
After washing and drying, sprinkle some water on the shoulders and sleeves. If it beads up and rolls off, you’re fine. If it soaks in and darkens the fabric, it’s time to reproof.
Why does my ski jacket feel wet on the inside?
It may be wetting out rather than leaking. When the outer fabric is saturated it can’t breathe, so sweat condenses inside and feels like rain getting in. A wash and reproof usually sorts it. If water is coming straight through, the membrane may have failed.
Keep reading in Buy Less, Ski More
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