Repairing and Reproofing Waterproof Jackets at Home

Why a Tired Waterproof Is Usually Worth Saving

Most waterproof jackets do not die of old age. They die of neglect — a build-up of sweat, sun cream and body oils that clogs the fabric, or a worn-out surface finish that lets water sit on the outer layer instead of beading off it. The good news is that both of those problems are fixable at the kitchen sink for the price of a couple of specialised products, and the result is a jacket that feels genuinely new again on a drizzly Pennine morning.

It helps to understand what you are dealing with. A waterproof shell usually has two working parts: a membrane or coating that stops water getting in, and a durable water repellent (DWR) finish on the outer face that makes rain bead and roll away. When the DWR fails, the outer fabric "wets out", goes dark and clammy, and the jacket feels like it is leaking when it is really just breathing badly. That is repairable. A torn membrane or crumbling seam tape is a different matter, but even then, patches and sealant can buy you several more seasons.

Diagnose Before You Spend Anything

Give the jacket a proper look before you buy a single bottle of anything.

• Spray test: Trickle a little water on the shoulder and sleeve. If it beads and rolls, your DWR is fine and the problem is dirt. If it soaks in flat, you need to reproof.
• Check the wear points: Shoulders under rucksack straps, the hood brim, cuffs and the front hem are where waterproofing fails first, because that is where oils and abrasion hit hardest.
• Look at the seams: Run a fingernail along the taped seams inside. If the tape is lifting, cracking or peeling, that needs attention before reproofing.
• Hunt for holes: Hold the jacket up to a window or a torch. Pinprick holes from thorns, embers or crampon spikes show up as tiny points of light and are easy to miss.
• Check for delamination: If the inner lining is bubbling away from the membrane in sheets, the jacket has had it. Small patches are fine; large areas are not.

Wash It First, and Wash It Properly

This is the step almost everyone skips, and it is the one that matters most. You cannot reproof a dirty jacket — the treatment will not bond to fabric coated in sun cream and sweat. Use a dedicated technical wash rather than ordinary detergent, which leaves behind brighteners and softeners that actively destroy DWR.

• Empty every pocket, close all zips and hook-and-loop fastenings, and loosen hood cords.
• Wipe out the detergent drawer of your machine first — residue from normal washing will undo your work.
• Wash at 30°C on a gentle or synthetic cycle with a low spin.
• Add the technical wash to the drum or detergent compartment as directed, never fabric conditioner.
• Run an extra rinse cycle to flush out every trace of soap.

If your machine has a stubborn detergent habit, hand-washing in a bath of lukewarm water works beautifully. Swirl the jacket about, let it soak for fifteen minutes, rinse until the water runs clear, then press the water out gently. Never wring or twist it.

Patching Tears, Holes and Worn Cuffs

Small damage is a home job. Clean, self-adhesive repair patches in a matching or deliberately visible colour will hold for years on shells and trousers — cut them into a circle or oval rather than a square, because rounded edges are far less likely to peel. Press them on firmly and warm the patch gently with a hairdryer afterwards to help the adhesive grip.

For splits along a seam or a small puncture where a patch would be awkward, a flexible seam sealant applied thinly to both sides works well. Allow it to cure fully, ideally overnight, before the jacket goes anywhere near rain. Cuff edges that have frayed can be trimmed back tidily with sharp scissors to stop the damage spreading. If a zip has lost its pull, a short length of cord looped through the slider saves a whole jacket.

Reproofing: Wash-In or Spray-On

Both work; they suit different jackets. A wash-in reproofer treats the whole garment evenly and is brilliant for simple shells with a single fabric. A spray-on treatment is better for jackets with mixed materials — fleece-lined collars, stretch panels, mesh linings — because you can aim it only at the outer face and avoid gumming up the inside. If in doubt, spray.

• Wash-in: run the jacket through a second gentle cycle with the reproofer in the drum, then tumble dry on low or air dry.
• Spray-on: hang the damp jacket on a line, spray evenly from about 20cm away, paying extra attention to shoulders, hood and cuffs, then let it dry.
• Heat is what activates DWR. A tumble dryer on low for twenty minutes, or a warm iron over a tea towel, makes an enormous difference to performance. Always check the care label first.
• Two thin coats beat one thick one. Let the first dry before applying the second.

Keeping It Going for Years

Once reproofed, look after it and you will not be doing this again next month. Wash your jacket two or three times a season if you wear it regularly — counter-intuitively, clean jackets repel water better and last longer than dirty ones. Store it on a hanger rather than crammed into a stuff sack, which crushes the DWR and creases the membrane. Let it dry thoroughly before it goes back in the cupboard, and keep it away from hot radiators and car boots in summer.

Do all that and a decent shell can easily give you eight or ten seasons of British weather. That is better for your wallet, and considerably better for the pile of outdoor clothing that would otherwise be heading for landfill.