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How to re-waterproof an old rain jacket

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Feel the inside of the fabric behind the dark patches. Does it feel wet? If so (and you’re sure it’s not just sweat), you may need to wet the water and get a new DWR application for your jackets or pants.

A note about getting wet after heavy rains: New, hard jackets can also get wet after long, hard rains. So if you see dark, wet stains after a long time in a storm, it’s not necessarily means you need a new DWR coverage. Do a little detective work to find out for sure. When you have the option to take the clothes home and dry them, spray them with a spray bottle filled with gold to see if moisture is generated. If it gets wet again, it’s time for more DWR.

Wash clothes first

Wash clothes before waterproofing again to remove body oils and old dirt. The new DWR coating will help it adhere better to the fabric. Buy a cleaning product specifically made for technical outerwear, for example Nikwax Tech WashYou can even use a small amount of detergent in ordinary washing machines instead.

You want to wash these separately from regular outerwear. Then you are ready to apply DWR treatment. You have two options here: spray or cleaning.

How to Apply Spray-On DWR

Photo: Gear Aid

For spray-on options, there is Gear Aid ReviveX Spray, Grangers Performance Repel Plus Spray, and Nikwax TX.Spray Direct.

Whatever you choose, take it out to apply; it is not good to breathe these things. Hang your clothes off the hanger, zip up the front and close your pockets and throw on the outside of your jacket or pants.

A spray-boot is enough to make a garment waterproof again, which is a jacket and pants. In my experience, it’s almost enough, so don’t waste it throwing a certain place in your outfits for too long. If you are left over when finished, apply to areas that see a lot of abrasion, such as the shoulder, armpit, and upper extremity / thigh.

How to apply Wash-In DWR

Typically, you may want to use a DWR cleaning treatment in a top-loading or front-loading washing machine set in a gentle warm water cycle, but consult the bottle of product you are using. They are your best options Gear Aid ReviveX cleaning, Grangers Repel Cleaning, and Nikwax TX. Direct cleaning.

If you do not have a washing machine available, you can apply the product by hand with a sink or with warm water and some gloves. Some DWR treatments tell you to continue by throwing the garments in a low heat cycle to seal the coating. First check the bottle instructions for the things you are using.

How long it will last

Re-application of DWR does not last as long as factory applied treatments. There’s no way out: you’ll need to check your rain gear before you travel and get used to re-applying DWR. High-impact areas such as the shoulders and armpits are more prone to abrasion, and these areas lose their waterproof coverage earlier than others.

DWR treatments, for a long time, used long-chain perfluorocarbons (PFCs), which produced toxic by-products during manufacture and spread to the environment as the product was worn. The recommended DWR treatments — ReviveX, Grangers, and Nikwax — use fluorocarbon-free formulas. You can also reject the idea of ​​adding more synthetic chemicals to your equipment, as these treatments increase the life of your clothes several times, creating less waste over time.

The more clothes you use, the faster the DWR coating will wear out. But there is no limit to how many times you can reapply the DWR. While the clothes are in good condition, you can continue to waterproof them again for several years and not have to replace a raincoat for hundreds of dollars.


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