Most of us keep a waterproof jacket or two in our wardrobes ready for the wet weather, but do we all look after them as we should to ensure they’ll keep us dry at the first sight of rain?

Have you found yourself outside in a sudden rain shower and noticed that your waterproof is clinging to you; the water is not beading and running off, and underneath you start to feel cold and damp? That’s enough to put you off being outside and more importantly is signalling that your jacket needs some urgent TLC! Caring for your outdoor clothing can mean the difference between continuing to enjoy being outdoors and hibernating away inside during autumn and winter.

Below are some handy tips and guidance on prepping your rain jacket to ensure you can venture outside, whatever the weather!

Firstly, standard household detergents should be avoided when caring for your waterproof garments. It’s a common mistake to pop your dirty waterproofs in with your normal washing load, but this will result in them not performing as they should. Household detergents leave water-attracting residues on the fabric, meaning that instead of repelling the water in a rain shower the garments soak it up instead – an effect known as ‘wetting out’. As a result a garment’s breathability decreases – by up to 70% – so it gets sweaty inside as moisture can’t escape. And you? You end up feeling clammy, wet and uncomfortable.

Clean the garments with Nikwax Tech Wash, which has been specifically designed to safely remove dirt and other contaminants from breathable waterproof garments, helping to maintain the durable water repellency (DWR) on the outer fabric of the garment, rather than mask it. DWR will stop water being absorbed, meaning that moisture vapour can escape through the fibres, rain will bead and run off the garment and you remain dry.

Thoroughly worn garments should be re-waterproofed using Nikwax TX.Direct following cleaning with Tech Wash. TX.Direct will replenish the DWR on your garments, ensuring that they perform to the highest standard. After cleaning with Tech Wash simply wash with TX.Direct in a separate cycle, with no drying required in-between. The treatment will penetrate right through – including seams, tapes and cords. Your waterproofs will be breathable, comfortable and work much longer for all those outdoor activities, no matter how routine they are!

If your jacket is relatively new or has recently been treated with TX.Direct, then you should suffice with simply cleaning with Tech Wash on its own 4 to 6 times to revive the DWR before reproofing is necessary.

Tech Wash and TX.Direct can be used easily in your washing machine; just ensure you clean out the detergent drawer in advance to remove any standard detergent build-up. There is no need to tumble dry the garments following the cycles – the DWR treatment develops easily upon air-drying.

Look after yours and your family’s garments now and getting caught in the rain will not be such an unpleasant experience!

Clean and reproof with Nikwax – safe for the garments and safe for the environment, containing no harmful solvents and no fluorocarbons.