CLEAN FIRST, PROOF AFTER
“Do I really need to clean my gear before I proof it?” This is one of our most asked questions and we understand why. If your jacket looks pretty clean, it’s tempting to skip a step and jump straight into reproofing. But here’s the truth: giving your gear a quick clean first makes a world of difference to how well your re-proof will work and how long it will last for.
The sneaky part is that “clean gear” is usually carrying a thin layer of dust, oils, sweat, or trail grime sitting on the surface. You don’t always see it, but it’s there and it’s enough to prevent the proofing treatment from bonding properly so it sits on top of the surface instead of attaching to the fibres. This means it’ll bead for a bit, but might give up a bit sooner when the weather gets interesting.
Cleaning first with our wash fixes that by stripping away the invisible contaminants without damaging the fabric or membranes. Our wash products are formulated specifically for outdoor gear, pH-neutral, free from optical brighteners and gentle on waterproof membranes. Once everything is clean the proof has a better surface to bond to meaning improved beading and better performance.
When people skip the first step of cleaning, we usually hear something along the lines of: “I proofed it, but it’s still wetting out a bit.” And that almost always happens because the proof never fully bonded, it just sat on top of the dirt. Clean gear on the other hand, proofs better, performs better, and stays waterproof for longer.
You save time, you save money, and you get gear that actually behaves the way it’s supposed to when the weather takes a turn.
So yes, the secret is simple: clean first, proof after. It can be done in the same wash cycle and makes all the difference between gear that shrugs off the rain, and gear that gives up the moment it hits a puddle.
