Washing your ski gear is something all of us wait far too long to do. While some clothing simply gets dirty and stinky, a lot of outdoor gear needs to be clear to function properly. Technical waterproof gear won’t bead water if it hasn’t been washed in a while, base layers won’t wick sweat properly, and down can struggle to keep you as warm as you’d like.
So, in honor of ski season just now getting going, it’s a great time to bust out your clothing and run it through the wash. Some gear can be cleaned with basic laundry detergent and a regular wash cycle, while other gear, like down, needs a bit more care.
The first thing you should do to wash your down gear is to get your hands on some down detergent, something like the Nikwax Down Wash or Arc’teryx Nu Down Detergent. You should only wash your down if it’s dirty or the down is clumping and has no loft.
If you’ve decided it’s time to give that gear a wash, start off by emptying any pockets and zipping up the front zipper (if there is one). Loosen up any draw chords, release any velcro, and place the down clothing into a mesh laundry bag.
Use a down specific detergent/make sure your using nothing with fabric softener, fragrance, whitener, or colorants and wash the clothing at medium heat on a gentle cycle. Rinse the clothing twice to ensure all of the soap is completely removed.
Once the wash and rinse cycles are done, flip the garment inside out and place it in the dryer with two clean, new tennis balls. Dry the gear on normal/low heat and run it until it’s completely dry. Then, boom! You’re down is clean.
