Outerwear guide
Your waterproof jacket may be wetting out, not leaking.
The membrane and the face finish do different jobs. Understanding that split prevents unnecessary reproofing—and prevents the common mistake of avoiding the wash entirely.
Last updated 1 September 2026
Two barriers, two symptoms
A typical waterproof shell has a membrane or coating that resists liquid water passing through, plus a durable water-repellent finish—DWR—on the outer textile. DWR makes drops bead and roll off. When the finish is contaminated or worn, the face fabric darkens and becomes saturated: it has wetted out.
Wetting out feels clammy and reduces breathability because the soaked face obstructs water-vapour movement. That sensation can be mistaken for a membrane leak. A true leak is more local: water enters through a puncture, failed seam tape or delamination even after the clean, correctly finished shell has been tested.
| Test result | Likely issue | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Water beads after washing | Dirt or body oil was suppressing the finish | No reproofing needed |
| Water beads after gentle heat | DWR needed reactivation | Continue normal care |
| Face still absorbs water evenly | DWR is depleted | Apply a compatible treatment |
| Water enters at one seam or damaged patch | Construction failure | Repair, warranty or specialist service |
Wash before you reproof
Skin oil, smoke, sunscreen and dirt can stop water beading and interfere with breathability. GORE-TEX instructs owners to wash as often as needed and says washing and drying help restore the DWR. “Never wash a waterproof” is therefore the opposite of the maker's own advice.
- Read the jacket manufacturer's label; a membrane brand's general method does not override it.
- Close main zips and pocket zips, fasten loose hook-and-loop tabs and empty the pockets.
- Use a small amount of the permitted cleaner. GORE-TEX specifies liquid detergent and says not to use powder, fabric softener or chlorine bleach.
- Choose the labelled gentle or permanent-press programme. GORE-TEX's general outerwear guidance permits warm water up to 40 °C, but some garments specify less.
- Rinse thoroughly. An extra rinse removes surfactant that can make the surface wet more readily.
Heat is a treatment, not a universal rule
For many face fabrics, controlled heat helps reactivate DWR. GORE-TEX recommends line drying, then twenty minutes in a warm dryer, or gentle ironing through a cloth with no steam when the garment label allows it. This is not permission to put every waterproof item on high heat. Membrane types, printed transfers, seam tape and surface constructions differ; SHAKEDRY-style garments are a named exception that must not be tumble dried or ironed.
Use the hierarchy: garment label first, the exact membrane maker's care page second, generic internet advice last.
Reproof only after the clean-and-heat test
If a clean jacket still absorbs rather than beads, apply a compatible pump-spray or wash-in treatment according to both product instructions. Spray-on treatment lets you target the outer face and avoid unnecessary treatment of a moisture-wicking lining; wash-in is simpler for an unlined shell. Neither repairs holes, detached seam tape or delamination.
What not to do
- Do not use fabric softener, which intentionally leaves a surface treatment.
- Do not assume more detergent means a cleaner membrane; incomplete rinsing creates its own contamination.
- Do not repeatedly reproof a dirty garment.
- Do not iron printed logos, exposed membranes or seam tape unless the exact instructions allow it.
- Do not diagnose perspiration by pouring water over a jacket you are wearing; condensation and leakage can look identical from inside.