Washing ski clothes – important tips

3 minute reading time
Skikleding wassen – belangrijke tips
You can easily wash your ski clothing yourself, provided you take a number of things into account. Read our tips here.

You perspire while skiing. Good ski clothes breathe, but don't let everything through. That is why it is so fresh to wash your ski suit regularly. It is also nice to wash your ski clothes after the holiday. This way it can go clean and dry in the cupboard. We also recommend washing regularly for the water-repellent layer on ski clothing to work properly. Otherwise, the holes of the water-repellent layer will become clogged. Washing winter sports clothing also has the advantage that your suit will last longer. So you can enjoy your clothes for many years to come.

We have years of experience in washing ski clothing. This way we know that no special detergent is needed to wash your ski pants in a responsible manner. The do's and don'ts below tell you exactly what you can do to get your ski gear clean.

It is wise to impregnate your ski clothing again after washing. Read our important tips about waterproofing your ski clothing later: Waterproofing ski clothing

Don'ts

What should you not do when washing your ski clothes?

  • Using fabric softeners, stain removers or bleach
    The use of these agents affects the material, so that your clothing is no longer water-repellent.
  • Ignore the care label
    Not all ski clothing is made of the same material. The best washing method can therefore differ per item of clothing. The label provides specific information on how best to wash your ski clothing. Therefore, always adhere to these instructions.
  • Wash separately
    This is possible, but not necessary. You can wash your winter sports clothing together with other clothing. It is of course wise to sort by color.
  • Take to the laundromat
    Laundromats often use strong detergents to wash winter sports clothing. It would be a shame if your ski suit is no longer suitable for the next season. It is very simple to clean your clothes at home. You can read below how to do that.

 

Do's

With the tips below you are assured of fresh winter sports clothing that protects well and lasts a long time.

  • Gentle wash
    Set your washing machine on a gentle cycle. With these programs the spin speed is low, which minimizes the strain on your clothes.
  • 30 degrees
    The instructions on the care label tell you exactly how many degrees your ski clothing can be washed at. If there is no information on this, you can assume that your clothes can be washed at 30 degrees.
  • Normal detergent
    Unless otherwise indicated on the care label, you can wash your ski clothing with a normal detergent.
  • Rinse well
    To properly remove all soap residue and dirt from your winter sports clothing, it is recommended to use a second rinse cycle. This makes the water-repellent layer work even better. If necessary, you can rinse your clothes again in the shower after washing.
  • Drying and reactivation
    The use of the dryer is also very suitable for ski clothes. Most dryers stop when the clothes have reached a certain degree of dryness. Heat reactivates the water-repellent effect of the fabric, so it is advisable to dry the clothing for an additional twenty minutes. Preferably do this at a low temperature. If you have dried your clothes outside the dryer, it is still wise to put your clothes in the dryer for twenty minutes to reactivate the impregnated layer.
  • Tip: no dryer?
    If you do not have a dryer, you can dry your ski clothes on a clothes rack, for example. To reactivate the action of the water-repellent layer on the fabric, iron the clothes with a towel between the clothes and the iron after drying. Do not use steam for this. It is important that the fabric is thoroughly dry.

Protect your ski clothes

There are many products to protect your ski clothing. Good but also many bad products. We have developed Outdoor Gear Protector at Ultramar for the professional protection of Gore-Tex against water, dirt, etc. More about Outdoor Gear Protector can be found here.