How to Maintain Gore-Tex Rainwear: Complete Guide to Washing, Restoring Water Repellency, and Care

Routine maintenance & care is essential to the longevity of GORE-TEX rainwear. This article details what specific maintenance & care is required for GORE-TEX rainwear.

Daily Maintenance & Care Process

The following flow is recommended in the “GORE-TEX Products Maintenance Book” published by Gore Japan Ltd.

1. Daily care
2. Washing
3. Rinsing
4. Drying
5. Heat treatment

By following this sequence of steps, routine maintenance can be performed. However, this is not enough to maintain the potential of GORE-TEX rainwear.  It is also important to take care of “water repellents and repairs,” which need to be performed on an irregular basis. Combining these two basics will ensure a long life for your GORE-TEX rainwear.

Washing & Maintenance of GORE-TEX® Rainwear

When to Wash

GORE-TEX rainwear should be washed when soiled. Since some stains may not be visible, regular washing is recommended. It is not necessary to wash frequently, but recommended to wash when you feel soiled or at regular intervals.

Washing and rinsing precautions

Choosing a detergent

Detergents you normally use may contain fabric softeners, air fresheners, or bleach. These can impair the performance of GORE-TEX, so it is preferable to use detergents without additives.

Amount of detergent

A small amount of detergent is sufficient. If the stain is severe, apply detergent directly to the stained area and wash.

Rinsing

Rinse thoroughly, as any detergent residue will adversely affect the performance of the GORE-TEX garment. The maintenance book states “rinse twice as often as normal,” so rinse three times in a household washing machine.

Drying and Heat Treatment

Dehydration

Rainwear is made of water-impermeable materials, so dehydration should only take a short time. It is important to drain accumulated water well when removing from the washing machine.

Drying

Drying should be done in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight for a long time.

Heat treatment

To maintain water repellency, heat-treat the fabric after drying. The key is to use a dryer or an iron to heat treat the garment for about 20 minutes after it is completely dry.

Restoring Water Repellency

Water repellency cannot be fully maintained by daily care alone. Since water repellency decreases with wear and washing, water repellency must be restored with the use of a water repellent agent at irregular intervals.

Water Repellent Treatment Methods

Use commercially available waterproofing sprays and water repellents, or have water repellent treatment performed at a specialty store. However, while household water repellents are easy to use, their staying power is weak, making it difficult to achieve the same performance as a new garment. If you want to get the same performance as a new garment, ask a specialized store to perform water repellent treatment.

We at droproof use an advanced treatment process to revive the water repellency of GORE-TEX and other rain jackets.

Conclusion

Care and maintenance of GORE-TEX rainwear should be a combination of routine and irregular care. This will help maintain the garment's performance for a longer period of time. Be sure to understand how to restore water repellency and wash your garments to ensure proper maintenance.