Wash & Care

Softshells & Hardshells

For best performance, keep your soft or hard shell clean and its durable water repellent (DWR) finish fresh. This means keeping oil and grease away from the garment, washing it when it is dirty and re-applying its DWR finish. To make sure that you don’t damage your garment or the membrane (if featured) in the care process, always follow the care instructions on the label.

Most soft and hardshells can be machine-washed in warm or cold (never hot) water, on a gentle cycle using a specialty washing product like McKINLEY MULTI WASH or regular powdered laundry detergent. Do not use regular liquid detergent as this can block the breathable pores of the fabric or membrane. Also, do not use cleaners containing any kind of oil, or fabric softener. Put the garment through at least two rinse cycles, as the detergent can interact with the DWR finish and needs to be totally rinsed out of the material.
After your shell has been washed, re-apply the DWR finish while the garment is still damp according to the product instructions.

Re-treat your shell at the beginning of the wet weather season. However, if you wash your garment often, or if it is regularly in contact with abrasive surfaces, the DWR finish should be re-applied more frequently. For best results, use a designated spray-on product like McKINLEY UNI PROOF and follow the product instructions for application.

Specialty care products are the safest way to add or renew water repellency or waterproofness, revive breathability of all shell garments, prolong the life of the gear, maintain the look and feel of the fabric and to optimize the performance in wet conditions.

Fleece jackets

For the best results, zip the jacket up, turn it inside out, and wash on a cold cycle. This will prevent the fleece from pilling. Use only a very small amount of laundry detergent, as this will keep your fleece fluffy and soft. Avoid tumble-drying and never dry close to a direct source of heat.