How To Wash Your Winter Clothing?

Are you struggling to clean your ski clothing in front of the washing machine?
Hand or machine wash, temperature, drying... here is everything you need to know about washing your ski clothing.

When you hear the word ""skiing"" you think of pristine white snow... No, skiing is not a very dirty winter sport. There is no need to clean your ski clothing every time you go out, but a good regular wash is essential to make your equipment last over time. In the machine? Washed by hand? What about drying?
We untangle the cleaning puzzle with you.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR SKI CLOTHING?

It is not always easy to find your way around the different indications on the labels. Your first task is to check whether your ski clothing is machine-safe or not.

Washing your ski trousers and jacket in the washing machine
Whatever the composition of your ski trousers and jacket - except for Gore-Tex membranes - you can wash them in the washing machine by following these 6 steps:

1. Empty all the pockets on your ski attire
2. Scrub the stained areas of your attire with a mild soap, water and a brush (such as a nail brush). Insist on the parts that are often blackened by rubbing: the bottom of your ski trousers, the sleeves of your jacket and the collar. If you have a grease stain on your ski clothes, here's how to get rid of it.
3. Before putting your ski attire in the machine, close all zips and velcro. If you have buttons or snaps on your outfit, leave them open.
4. Turn your outfit inside out to protect the covering and decorative elements.
5. Use a standard liquid detergent (not washing powder) in your usual dosage to clean your anorak and ski trousers in the washing machine. Please do not use any other products or fabric softener.
6. Opt for the synthetic programme at 30° on your washing machine with a maximum of 800rpm.

If your ski jacket is a down jacket or is stuffed with feathers, add clean washing balls or tennis balls during the washing process so that the material is not packed. At the end of your first cycle, rinse and spin again to remove any detergent residue that may remain in the upholstery.

Which programme to choose for your clothing?

If your ski clothing is made of Gore-Tex membrane, a few steps are different when it comes to washing.

When washing Gore-Tex waterproof membranes, do not turn your garment inside out: the membrane is on the inside. Then opt for the synthetic programme at 30° with a maximum of 600rpm and repeat the rinse and spin at the end of the first cycle.

Hand-washing your ski clothing

Is your outfit unsuitable for machine washing? Don't have a washing machine? Be patient when washing your ski attire by hand.

1. First, run warm water with mild soap in your bathtub or in a basin that can hold all your clothes.
2. Soak your entire clothing in soapy water.
3. Turn your ski clothing over several times by hand, kneading to remove the stains. For the most stubborn stains, scrub with a brush and soap.
4. Rinse with clean water using the shower head and squeezing the garment to remove the soapy water.
5. Wring out your outfit without twisting (twisting damages the linings and coating). Finally, you can put your garment between two towels to absorb the remaining water.

DRYING YOUR SKI CLOTHING

Drying is an important step if you want to preserve the life of your ski outfit. Find the right gestures to adopt according to the material of your clothes.

Synthetic ski clothing
You have a tumble dryer:
👉 Leave your ski clothing turned inside out (or inside out if it is a Gore-Tex type membrane) to reactivate the water repellency.
👉 Program a delicate synthetic drying cycle at 60° maximum.
👉 If your ski jacket or trousers are not completely dry when you take them out of the dryer, leave them to dry on a hanger in the open air.

Don't have a dryer:
👉 Let your ski clothing air-dry on a hanger. Choose a dry and airy place, but avoid putting your outfit on display in direct sunlight or near a heat source.
👉 To reactivate the water repellency, iron your outfit with a bath towel between the iron and your membrane.

Down-filled ski clothing
For down-filled or feathered ski clothing, a tumble dryer is essential. Your down jacket must be stirred when drying, otherwise feather or down balls will form.

You have a tumble dryer:
👉 Set your tumble dryer to a soft synthetic programme and put tennis balls in the drum again as for machine washing.

Don't have a dryer:
👉 If you do not have a tumble dryer, take your skiwear to a professional dry cleaner.

DO YOU HAVE TO WATERPROOF YOUR SKI CLOTHES AFTER EACH WASH?

Once your ski clothes are clean, are they still waterproof? If you use Gore-Tex membranes, the water repellency will be reactivated by the heat of the tumble dryer. Over time, you will still need to add a water-repellent product to keep your limb waterproof.

The water drop test is a good indicator of when to renew the water repellent treatment. Put a drop on your clothing: if it does not run off and is absorbed by the membrane, it is time to treat your membrane.

CLEANING SKI ACCESSORIES: GLOVES, BASE LAYERS, SKI MASK AND HELMET

Washing & cleaning your ski gloves
Your ski gloves are technological gems: breathable, warm and waterproof. It is not necessary to clean them regularly, but here are our recommendations if they are dirty:

👉 If only the outer surface is dirty, take a brush with a little soapy water and scrub the stained areas. Then rinse with a damp washcloth to remove all the soap.

👉 For effective cleaning of your ski gloves, it is best to wash them by hand. Your gloves are fragile and will be damaged by machine washing.

If your gloves have a bad smell over time, an anti-bacterial spray will suffice.

Washing & cleaning your base layers, ski mask & helmet
Your base layers, fleeces, socks, hats... also deserve some attention for cleaning. If they are made of natural fibres such as wool, you can put them in the washing machine on a "delicate" or special wool programme with a suitable detergent. Then let them air dry.

👉 For your synthetic fibre clothes, put them in the machine at 30° with a suitable programme.

👉 The textile parts of your mask and the foams of your helmet also deserve a little washing from time to time!

👉 Most ski helmets have removable protective foams that can be washed in a mild synthetic programme at 30°.

If you want to clean the headband of your ski mask, you can unclip it from the visor. Then soak it in warm, soapy water and rinse.