How to Wash and Care for a Raincoat

How to Wash a Raincoat Detergent Mild or specialty waterproofing detergent Water Temperature Warm or cold Cycle Type Gentle Drying Cycle Type Air-dry Special Treatments Apply waterproofing solution as needed Iron Setting Low heat (breathable fabric only) How Often to Wash As needed or once a month

How to Wash a Raincoat

1. Read the Care Label

   Raincoats come in so many varieties that it is essential to read the care label before you clean your coat for the first time. Some raincoats may have a recommendation of dry cleaning only because of the attached linings or inner fabrics that won't wash well. Some linings can be removed and cleaned separately.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

2. Pretreat Stains

   For vinyl or plastic coats, use a damp microfiber cloth and a dab of laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid to wipe away visible mud and soil.

   For woven fabric raincoats, pretreat food stains and body soil around the inside of the collar and cuffs with a dab of an enzyme-based stain remover or a bit of laundry detergent. Rub in the cleaner with your fingers and allow it to work for at least 10 minutes to loosen the soil before you wash the raincoat.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

3. Machine or Hand-Wash

   If the raincoat is labeled as washable, it can be cleaned in the washer or by hand-washing in a large sink or bathtub. Follow the same recommendations for water temperature and detergents for both types of cleaning.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

4. Select a Water Temperature and Washer Cycle

   Cool or lukewarm water is best for raincoat fabrics. Excessively hot water can soften vinyl and plastic finishes and leave hard to remove wrinkles. Choose the gentle or permanent press cycle for raincoats to limit agitation.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

5. Choose a Detergent

   Use a mild, biodegradable laundry detergent to wash raincoats to help protect the waterproof finishes. Take care not to overdose the detergent. Any residue left in the fibers will reduce the effectiveness of the waterproof finish.

   There are specialty detergents called "tech wash" (Hex Performance, Nikwax, Grangers, ReviveX, Atsko's) that are recommended for raingear because they contain no additives that can interfere with garment performance. However, a mild, natural detergent will also do a good job.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

6. Load the Washer

   Remove any removable linings and belts from the coat and close all zippers or buttons. Be sure that all pockets are empty.

   The raincoat can be washed with raingear made of the same material that can be cleaned with cold water.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

7. Dry the Raincoat

   After washing, the safest drying method is to hang the raincoat on a sturdy hanger to air-dry. The coat should dry within a couple of hours.

   Woven fabric raincoats can go in a dryer set on low to medium heat if you are in a rush. Add some clean towels to help quickly absorb the moisture so the coat can remain in the dryer for the least amount of time possible.

   Rubber, vinyl, and plastic coats are non-breathable, while cotton and synthetic fiber coats treated with a waterproof coating are breathable.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

   Warning

   Never iron or place a plastic, vinyl, or rubber raincoat in an automatic dryer. The heat can destroy or melt the waterproof qualities. If the coat is wrinkled excessively, dip it in clean water and hang to drip dry to pull out the wrinkles.

How to Revive a Raincoat's Water Repellency

Water-resistant coats are made from natural or synthetic fibers treated with a coating that will repel light precipitation for a brief time. These coats are usually breathable and easy to care for and include fabrics such as Gore-Tex, nylon, polyester, and laminated or waxed cotton. If water no longer beads up and rolls off the surface of your raincoat, it has lost its water repellency. Luckily, there are some remedies.

1. Clean the Raincoat

   Washing away surface soil increases the raincoat's water repellency. Read the care label carefully. For some high-tech fabrics, the heat of the clothes dryer can reactivate the durable water-repellent finish (DWR).

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

2. Apply a New DWR Coating

   Durable water-repellent finishes can be reapplied with a spray-on or wash-in product. These DWR products, which are also used for tents, are available in most sporting goods stores and online. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and apply the DWR to a freshly-washed raincoat.

   The Spruce / Sarah Lee

How Often to Wash a Raincoat

If the coat has visible stains from body soil, food, or mud, it's time for a cleaning. A raincoat doesn't need constant cleaning, but if worn regularly, consider washing it once a month or after about 20 uses.

Regular cleaning increases a raincoat's water repellency by removing surface soil that can wear away the protective coating. However, if a raincoat has lost its resistance to water, it should be cleaned and treated with a commercial durable water repellent product.

Treating Stains on a Raincoat

For non-breathable vinyl, rubber, or plastic coats, you can use a damp cloth or towel and a little dishwashing soap or laundry detergent to wipe away mud or stains. Similarly, according to its care label, you can pretreat any stain on a fabric raincoat with a dot of laundry detergent before washing the raincoat. Another option for treating a stain is to sponge a water and vinegar solution directly on the stain.

How to Care For and Repair a Raincoat

Certain tears, rips, and holes in raincoats can be mended depending on the extent of the damage and material. For a tear in a rubber coat, you can carefully apply rubber glue to the tear. If you get a hole in PVC or a vinyl coat, get a matching patch using a glue and patch kit made especially for PVC. Most glues take 24 hours to fully bond.

For waterproof fabrics, you can also find fabric tape or fabric tape patches as a quick fix for a rip or tear. Peel a piece of tape off of the roll (or get a self-adhering patch) and apply it to the outside of your garment at least 24 hours before you plan to use it. Most of these tapes have a waterproof coating.

Ironing a Raincoat

You never want to iron rubber, vinyl, or plastic raincoats. However, if you have a badly wrinkled fabric waterproof jacket, you can likely iron it using the lowest heat setting. Confirm by reading the care label.

Turn off the steam function since steam can melt the fabric. Use a cotton towel as a barrier between the iron and the raincoat fabric. Do not press down hard. Pass the iron evenly over the towel-covered fabric, never stopping or pausing.

Storing a Raincoat

Raincoats are usually a full-year garment, occupying a hanger in the coat closet for when you need it. Before you hang it up in the coat closet, ensure it's fully dry; otherwise, it can develop mold, mildew, and odors. Odors or spores can spread to other objects in your coat closet.

Some packable rain jackets have a carry bag for storing away after they've air-dried. Make sure the jacket is completely dry before folding it away.

Additional Tips for Washing a Raincoat

• For waterproof fabrics, look to see if your raincoat is "wetting out" or if the fabric is absorbing water instead of repelling it. This is a sign that your raincoat needs to be washed. Once washed according to the care label, use a special waterproof fabric detergent or a waterproofing protective spray.
• When washing your raingear, only wash raingear of the same fabric type together. Some waterproofing detergent manufacturers recommend only one or two articles at a time.
• If your raincoat has a removable liner, remove it and wash it separately.
• Some fabric waterproof raincoat manufacturers recommend tumble drying on medium heat to reactivate the water-repellent treatment. However, never use high heat since it can damage seams.
  

FAQ

• Is laundry detergent safe on a raincoat?

  Read care labels before washing, but in most cases, a mild detergent or specialty waterproofing detergent is safe to use on a raincoat.

• Can you wash a raincoat in a washing machine?

  Most raincoats made of breathable fabrics are washable by machine on a gentle setting with warm or cold water. Always check the care label to confirm it's safe to machine wash.
  

• Can you remove a musty, mildew smell from a raincoat?

  If the raincoat is machine washable, use a cup of vinegar instead of laundry detergent to kill and neutralize the mold and its odor. You can also use a cup of baking soda in a second washing to neutralize any remaining odors.