How to Wash Outdoor Gear
Written By COLORADO with KIDS
If you’ve got kids, you probably know how to wash clothes.
Light, Darks, Delicates. Repeat. Or is it Stuffed Animals. Pajamas. Sheets. Repeat?
But what about technical clothes? How do I get ice cream and chocolate off a down puffy or make gloves waterproof again? Should I just toss our wool socks in with the kids’ sheets or wash them all separately? It can feel as intimidating as when my Mom first told me I had to do my own laundry. I stared at a pile of dirty clothes wondering what to do next.
How Often to Wash Your Gear
Try not to wash your gear too often. It increases the wear and tear on the garment and makes more work for you! So wait till it’s good and dirty and then follow these instructions. At the beginning and end of the season works great.
First separate
You’ll need to separate your outdoor clothes into three categories: Waterproof Outerwear, Down-Filled Jackets, and Technical Layers. Always check labels before washing or drying technical gear.
how to wash waterproof outerwear
Think rain jackets, ski jackets, gloves. Anything that’s meant to wear on the outside and protect your other clothes from getting wet. Duh.
How to Wash Down-filled or Synthetic Down Jackets
Think puffy jackets and anything where loft is essential to the item’s warmth.
Detergent: Nikwax Tech Wash
Washing: Zip zippers, turn items inside out, and place clothes in the washer. Place 2-4 capfuls of Nikwax in your machines dispenser. Wash on delicate with cool water and low spin cycle. Down will be clumpy from the washer.
Drying: Start jackets in dryer on lowest heat setting. Be patient, this can take a couple of hours. Alternatively, you can hang dry the jackets and then toss them into the dryer for 10-15 minutes.
Pro Tip: Add a few dryer balls like these to fluff up those down clumps, restore it’s loft, and make it as warm as new.
how to wash Technical Base and Mid Layers
Think wool socks, synthetic-blend base layers, fleece jackets, everyday pants ahem yoga pants.
Detergent: Regular Detergent. We recommend Defunkify for heavy use items.
Washing: We saved the best for last, because it’s the easiest. You could sort out synthetics and natural fibers. But ain’t nobody got time for that. So we just turn them inside out, toss them all in together, and use the delicate cycle. You can use regular detergent in this load, but we like Defunkify. It really helps to keep base and mid-layers from that persistent funk even after a long weekend of skiing.
Drying: Before tossing in the dryer, remove any wool or items likely to shrink. Lay those flat to dry. Dry the rest on low.
Pro Tip: Be very careful as you sort this load into the dryer. I have a horror story of how I shrunk my special-edition wool fjallraven jacket. I had a sinking feeling it was ruined forever, but I managed to restore it to it’s perfect fit. Lesson learned: be careful when you sort.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? SUBMIT A TOPIC!
If you have other tips and tricks for washing outdoor technical clothing, leave a comment below. And remember to connect with Colorado with Kids on social media, it makes a huge difference in helping us provide more great articles and reach a broader audience.
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Hi. Thanks for including Nikwax in your washing articles! I can’t tell you how often I have to wash my 7-year old’s down puffies and ski jackets! If you’re ever working on a similar piece and need some tips and tricks, please give us a shout. Thanks again and please keep in touch.
Hi Kate, Thanks for the comment! I know, my kids wear theirs constantly. I made the change you suggested. I will definitely be reaching out as we have a need.