Washing Ski Clothing
Washing Ski Clothing
How often should you wash ski clothing?
It is advised that you should wash your ski clothing every time you come back from your winter sports holiday, even if it's been relatively good weather, you didn't transpire too much, or if you didn't use it that much. The undermost layers of your ski clothes will have passed on moisture from your body to the outermost layers of your outfits. What's more, ski jackets and ski trousers have breathable properties, the effectiveness of which can be affected if dirt gets on the clothing. This means that the breathable qualities of your clothing will decrease if not washed properly. Furthermore, if dirt is left on the clothing for too long, it becomes harder to get rid of later. That's why we advise cleaning your gear every time you come back.
What's the best way to clean your ski clothing?
It might sound very simply, but the first step in cleaning your ski clothing is reading the labels in each item of clothing. These labels often clearly indicate the temperature at which the item can be washed. Can't find this information on the label? Then don't risk it; wash the item at no higher than 30 degrees Celsius. It's also a good idea to close all buttons, zips, Velcro straps, etc. Be sure to use a milder wash setting on your washing machine, so as not to overburden the clothing, and make sure you use a special detergent. It's also important that the washing machine isn't too full (we'd recommend two items of clothing per wash) and that the detergent tray is very clean. In order to make sure that you get all the soap and detergent residue out of your clothing, we recommend a second rinse cycle. This helps to maintain the water-repellent layers of your clothing.
What should you avoid doing?
There are a number of things that are better to avoid when washing ski clothing. We recommend not using fabric softeners, stain removal chemicals, or bleach. These are much stronger cleaning substances that can actually damage the waterproofing membranes, reducing their effectiveness. We also recommend not taking your ski clothing to launderettes or cleaning services. They tend to use much stronger cleaning products that can damage the quality of your ski clothing. Don't want to wash the clothes yourself? Then do a bit of research first and find a launderette that has experience in washing specialised outdoor sports clothing.
Washing Special Ski Clothing
Washing down jackets
Every type of jacket requires a different kind of treatment, but it is recommended that you take extra care with down-filled jackets. Down jackets are better to be washed at a lower temperature with detergents specifically designed for down products. Don't use spin cycles with a down jacket, because this can ruin the form and shape of the jacket and you could end up with a flat-pressed jacket. To maintain the form as best as possible, it's a good idea to fill your washer or dryer with a few tennis balls that will lightly knock the down back into place.
Washing white ski clothing
White ski trousers and ski jackets need to washed more often than ski clothing in other colours. White clothing is a very difficult colour and white clothing is a lot easier to get dirty. When dirt and marks are visible on white clothing, then it is often already too late and it is even harder to clean the clothing. In this case, the best thing to do is to rub in some extra special detergent in the areas where dirt is visible. NOTE: avoid strong and harsh chemicals, such as bleach, as this can significantly reduce the quality of your clothing and of the waterproofing layers!
Washing Ski Accessories
Washing ski gloves
Ski gloves can also be washed in a washing machine. However, it is strongly recommended to use a special detergent in order to maintain the waterproof and breathable qualities of the gloves. Never wash your gloves inside out. After about five washes, it's a good idea to re-impregnate them in order to maintain their qualities. For this, be sure to use a high quality spray. NOTE:Leather gloves should never be washed in a washing machine! After use, you can wash leather gloves with a wet cloth and afterwards polish them before storing them away.
Drying Ski Clothing
Drying your ski clothing
To dry ski clothing after washing, you can either hang it up on a washing line or use a dryer. Again, FIRST read the label in the clothing in order to see if an item of clothing can be put in a dryer, and also to see what temperature it can be dried at. We recommend that you do not dry your clothing by putting it on a radiator or heater, because this can damage the waterproof membrane. After drying, you can also choose to treat your clothing with re-impregnating sprays or polishes in order to maintain the water-repelling qualities of the clothing as much as possible. We recommend the Hey Textile impregnating agent. Usually it's a good idea to use these products after about 5 washes.
Reactivating the waterproof membrane
After drying your ski clothing, it is necessary to reactivate the water-repellent membrane, for example a GORE-TEX® membrane. You can do this by putting your ski clothing in the dryer again for a further 20 minutes at a warm temperature. This reactivates the water-repelling qualities of the outer fabric. NOTE: Not all clothing suitable for the dryer! So be sure to read the clothing label carefully. Don't have a dryer? Then you can also use an iron to reactivate the membrane. Use a low setting on your iron (without steam) and put a towel over the item of clothing. Place the iron on the towel, not directly on the item, so as to avoid direct contact between the iron and waterproof membrane.
