At Rusty Stitches, we love a good leather jacket, but when the skies open up and the seasons turn cold, textiles with waterproof membranes take over.
Commuters and touring riders know the feeling: getting home after two hours in the pouring rain, soaked on the outside, but completely dry underneath because the membrane did its job. Still, textile gear takes a beating on the road. Road spray and greasy muck coat the outer fabric over time. If you ignore it and just throw it in with your regular laundry, you will ruin the breathability and waterproof layers in no time. In this second part of our Gear Care 101 series, we look at textiles and waterproof membranes. Practical steps to clean your jackets and pants without destroying the expensive membranes hidden inside.
Taking out the armor and prepping the zippers
Before you even think about water and soap, open all the pockets and pull out the armor. Take out the elbow, shoulder, knee, and back protectors. Leaving protectors in the wash damages your washing machine drum, bends the armor out of shape, and will rip the internal mesh pockets. Put the armor aside, you can just wipe that down with a damp cloth if it got dirty. Once the protectors are out, close all the main zippers, pocket zips, and Velcro straps again. Leaving open Velcro in a washing machine can shred your lining and snag the outer fabric during the cycle.
if water cannot run off the outside, sweat cannot get out from the inside
Skip the softener and standard soap
This is where some riders go wrong. Never use standard laundry detergent or fabric softeners on riding gear. Fabric softener leaves a thin chemical layer over the fabric that blocks the micro-pores of breathable membranes. Once those pores are clogged, your sweat cannot escape anymore. Your jacket turns into a plastic bag, and you will end up soaked in your own sweat on the next warm day. Use a dedicated wash product made for riding gear, or at least a neutral, non-biological liquid soap with zero perfume and no softeners. Always check the care label inside your jacket for the right temperature, keep the cycle gentle, and turn the spin speed down to 400 or 600 RPM. A violent spin cycle puts stress on the heat-taped seams that keep the water out.
Re-activating the outer layer
Ever noticed how water drops stop rolling off your jacket after a season, and the fabric just drinks it up instead? That happens when the Durable Water Repellent coating wears off. The membrane might still keep you dry, but the jacket gets heavy, cold, and takes days to dry out. Once your gear is washed and still damp, grab a textile waterproofing spray and coat the outer shell evenly. Hang the jacket on a broad hanger and let it air dry naturally at room temperature. Never throw a motorcycle jacket into a tumble dryer, because the heat can melt the taped seams and blister the waterproof liner. Once dry, raindrops will bead up and roll straight off again.
In Gear Care 101, Part 3, we move on to riding jeans and how to treat aramid and Kevlar fibers. Thanks for reading along, and check out the Rusty Stitches collection if you are looking for fresh gear!
Author: Arthur Renkema
