How to Wash a Winter Coat, Rain Jacket or Ski Jacket

To wash a winter coat, rain jacket or synthetic ski jacket, read the care label, close every zipper, and wash it on a gentle cycle with a small amount of liquid detergent, then rinse twice (GORE-TEX). Dry it on low or warm heat, and give a waterproof jacket 20 more minutes in the dryer to reactivate its water-repellent finish (GORE-TEX).

The one mistake to avoid: fabric softener, powder detergent and bleach on technical shells (GORE-TEX). Wool coats labeled "Dry Clean Only" go to a dry cleaner (Woolmark), and down puffers have their own method.

Key takeaways

Close all zippers and flaps, and empty the pockets before any coat goes in the washer.
For rain shells and GORE-TEX: 105°F, a gentle cycle, about 1 ounce of liquid detergent, and a second rinse.
Restore water repellency with 20 minutes of tumble drying after the jacket is already dry.
Skip fabric softener, powder detergent and bleach on rain, ski and fleece jackets.
Most coats need washing only once or twice a season; wool coats labeled Dry Clean Only go to a dry cleaner.

How do you wash a winter coat? Start with the type

The right method depends on the outer fabric and the fill, so the care label comes first. US rules require every coat label to give a washing or a dry-cleaning instruction, and the label must cover linings, trim and zippers too (FTC). A zip-out liner with different care needs its own label (FTC).

Here is how the makers of each kind of jacket say to wash their own products. Where a maker's label differs, follow the label.

Jacket type	Wash	Dry
Rain shell, GORE-TEX	Gentle, 105°F, small dose of liquid detergent, rinse twice (GORE-TEX)	Warm gentle tumble or line dry, then 20 minutes in the dryer (GORE-TEX)
Insulated ski jacket	Inside out, low spin, cold or 86°F, liquid detergent (Columbia)	Air dry, or low to medium heat if the label allows (Columbia)
Fleece jacket	Cold, gentle cycle, low spin, with lightweight items (Helly Hansen)	Flat to air dry, or no or low heat (Helly Hansen)
Canvas work coat	Warm, no bleach, zippers closed (Carhartt)	Medium heat, remove promptly (Carhartt)
Wool coat	Dry cleaner if labeled Dry Clean Only (Woolmark)	Room temperature, away from heat, if it gets wet (Woolmark)
Waxed cotton	Never machine wash; spot clean only (Patagonia)	Never machine dry (Patagonia)

Leather and suede jackets don't go in a washer: see how to clean a leather jacket and how to clean suede. Down and puffer coats are covered below.

How do you wash a rain jacket or GORE-TEX jacket?

Wash a rain jacket in warm water with a little liquid detergent, rinse it twice, then use dryer heat to wake up its water-repellent finish (GORE-TEX). Washing doesn't hurt a GORE-TEX shell; it helps the finish work (The North Face).

Prep it. Wipe off loose dirt, empty pockets and close the front zipper (Patagonia). Fasten flaps, straps and hook-and-loop tabs so they don't snag (GORE-TEX; The North Face).
Load it. A front-loader is safer than a top-loader, whose agitator can tangle or tear a jacket (Patagonia). You can add similar items, but not heavily soiled clothes (GORE-TEX).
Add detergent. Use about 1 ounce (30 ml) of liquid detergent (GORE-TEX). A technical wash or a mild detergent for sensitive skin works (Patagonia).
Set the washer. Choose a gentle or permanent press cycle at 105°F (40°C), with the spin at 400 rpm or lower (GORE-TEX).
Rinse twice. A second rinse clears leftover detergent (GORE-TEX; The North Face).
Dry it. Tumble on low or warm, or line dry, then tumble 20 more minutes once it's dry (GORE-TEX).

Skip powder detergent, fabric softener, stain removers and bleach (GORE-TEX). For a spot, rub a little liquid detergent into it before the wash instead (GORE-TEX).

How do you waterproof a jacket after washing?

Test it first: sprinkle water on the jacket. If the drops bead up, the finish is fine; if dark wet patches appear, it needs restoring (GORE-TEX). That finish is DWR (durable water repellent), a thin coating that makes water bead and roll off (GORE-TEX).

Reactivate it with heat. Tumble the dry jacket for 20 minutes (GORE-TEX). No dryer? Iron it on a gentle setting with no steam, with a towel between the iron and the fabric (GORE-TEX). Patagonia says to keep the iron below 230°F (Patagonia).
Reapply it. If water still soaks in after washing and drying, use a spray-on or wash-in water repellent, then heat it the same way (GORE-TEX).
Spray or wash-in? Wash-in products also coat the lining, which can make the jacket less breathable (GORE-TEX).

The North Face suggests a steam iron to touch up the finish (The North Face), but Patagonia warns that steam can break down DWR (Patagonia). Use no steam unless your jacket's own label says otherwise.

Why does a clean rain jacket still feel wet?

Dirt, body oil, sunscreen and smoke wear down the water-repellent finish (Patagonia). Once it fails, the outer fabric soaks through, but the membrane underneath still keeps rain off your skin (The North Face). Restoring the DWR doesn't make the jacket more waterproof; it helps it breathe and feel drier (GORE-TEX).

How do you wash a ski jacket?

Close the zippers, turn the ski jacket inside out, and wash it on its own on a low-spin cycle in cold water, or at 86°F, with a liquid detergent (Columbia). Don't use bleach or fabric softener, even on a white ski jacket (Columbia).

Drying: most ski jackets do best air dried; use low or medium heat only if the label allows (Columbia).
Ski pants: the same method, on a delicate cycle in cold water (Columbia).
A GORE-TEX ski shell: follow the rain-jacket steps above, including the dryer step that restores the finish (GORE-TEX).

How do you wash a winter jacket by hand?

Turn it inside out and fill a tub with cold to lukewarm water and a gentle liquid detergent (Columbia). Swirl the jacket until it's clean, rinse it thoroughly, and hang it to dry away from heat (Columbia). For one dirty cuff or collar, rub detergent on with a damp cloth, then wipe it off with a clean damp cloth (Columbia).

How do you wash a North Face jacket?

Start with the care tag, which The North Face usually stitches into the seam at the waist (The North Face). For its shell jackets, it says to zip every zipper, close the hook-and-loop tabs and run two rinse cycles (The North Face). For its down jackets, it recommends a professional cleaner that specializes in down (The North Face).

Do winter coats need to be dry cleaned?

Only when the label says so. A maker may print "Dry Clean Only" only if it has evidence that washing would damage the coat (FTC). A label that simply says "Dry clean" doesn't rule out washing: if a coat can be both washed and dry cleaned, the label needs to list only one method (FTC).

How do you clean a wool coat?

If a wool coat is labeled Dry Clean Only, take it to a professional dry cleaner (Woolmark). Many other wool items can be machine washed, so check the label (Woolmark). Between cleanings, Woolmark recommends:

Brush it lengthwise with a soft brush after wearing, to lift surface soil (Woolmark).
Air it in fresh air to clear food or smoke smells (Woolmark).
Hang it on a shaped or padded hanger, and rest it 24 hours between wears (Woolmark).
Steam out wrinkles by hanging it in a steamy bathroom (Woolmark).
Dry a wet coat at room temperature, away from direct sun or heat (Woolmark).

Clean the coat before you store it for summer: food stains and body oils attract moths (Woolmark). For sweaters and blankets, see how to wash wool, and for other labels, what to dry clean.

Can a GORE-TEX jacket be dry cleaned?

Dry cleaning doesn't harm GORE-TEX fabric, but check the garment's own label first (GORE-TEX). Ask the cleaner for a clear, distilled hydrocarbon solvent rinse and a new water-repellent treatment, and skip home dry-cleaning kits (GORE-TEX).

How do you wash a fleece, canvas or windbreaker jacket?

Fleece jackets

Wash fleece in cold water on a gentle cycle with a low spin, alongside other lightweight items (Helly Hansen). Heavy items like jeans rub against it and cause pilling (Helly Hansen). Hot water, harsh detergents and fabric softener mat the fibers, and bleach can damage them (Helly Hansen).

Lay it flat to air dry, or tumble it with no or low heat and take it out promptly (Helly Hansen). High heat can melt the synthetic fibers; a soft brush lifts any matted spots (Helly Hansen).

Canvas work jackets (Carhartt and similar)

Carhartt's general instruction for its jackets and coats is to wash warm, skip bleach, tumble dry medium and remove promptly (Carhartt). Close every zipper first, and put long zipper pulls in a laundry net so they don't catch in the drum holes (Carhartt). Let a zipper cool after the dryer before you work it (Carhartt).

Windbreakers and softshells

A thin windproof shell washes like a rain jacket if its label allows machine washing. GORE-TEX applies the same care steps to its non-waterproof WINDSTOPPER wind layers (GORE-TEX).

What if your winter coat is a puffer?

Down and puffer jackets need a different method: leftover soap keeps down from lofting fully, and the fill clumps as it dries (Patagonia). The full steps are in how to wash a down jacket. Patagonia's short list for down is a down soap, a front-load washer and a dryer with reliably low heat (Patagonia). The North Face recommends a cleaner that specializes in down for its own down jackets (The North Face).

How often do coats need to be washed?

Once or twice a season is enough for most coats, according to the American Cleaning Institute. Columbia gives the same advice for ski jackets and says overwashing is the fastest way to shorten their life (Columbia).

Waterproof shells are the exception, because dirt wears down their finish:

Patagonia suggests washing PFAS-free shells after 7 to 10 wears or a long trip, and older PFAS-treated shells after about 30 wears (Patagonia).
GORE-TEX says to wash as often as needed to remove dirt, campfire smoke and cooking odors (GORE-TEX).
Wool resists odor and stains, so it needs washing less often (Woolmark).

Treat a fresh stain right away rather than waiting for the next full wash (American Cleaning Institute).

Can you wash a winter coat at a laundromat?

Yes, and the machines often suit bulky coats better than a home washer. A front-loader is the safer choice for technical jackets, since a top-loader's agitator can tangle or tear them (Patagonia). In the LaundroMaps directory, more than 4,000 laundromats list large-capacity machines and more than 2,000 list front-load washers, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data).

Watch the dryer heat. Patagonia warns that laundromat dryers can run very hot even on low, so check the drum before you load an insulated jacket (Patagonia). Find a self-service laundromat near you, and leave Dry Clean Only coats for a dry cleaner.

Frequently asked questions

Are puffer jackets supposed to be washed?

Yes, if the care label allows it, but they need a down-specific method rather than the steps for a rain or ski jacket. The North Face recommends a professional down cleaner for its own down jackets. Our down jacket guide covers washing one yourself.

How do you wash a puffer coat without ruining it?

Use a front-load washer, a down soap and a dryer with reliably low heat, as Patagonia advises for down. Check a laundromat dryer's heat before loading, since it can run hot even on low. Our down jacket guide has the full steps.

Why do puffer jackets go flat after washing?

Leftover soap keeps down from lofting fully, and the fill clumps as it dries. An extra rinse, low heat and breaking up the clumps help, and our down jacket guide has the full method.

Can I put a winter coat in the dryer?

Many synthetic coats can go in on low or warm heat, but check the label: most ski jackets do best air dried, and wool and waxed cotton never go in the dryer. For rain shells, a short warm tumble after drying restores the water-repellent finish.

Can you use fabric softener on a rain jacket?

No. GORE-TEX and Columbia both say to skip fabric softener on rain and ski jackets, along with bleach and powder detergent. Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent instead.

Should you turn a jacket inside out to wash it?

Columbia says to turn ski jackets inside out and close the zippers before washing, which protects the outer fabric. Woolmark also recommends washing wool garments inside out.

How we researched this

We read the care instructions published by the makers of each jacket type (GORE-TEX, Patagonia, Columbia, The North Face, Helly Hansen and Carhartt) for their own products, along with Woolmark's wool guidance, the FTC's Care Labeling Rule guide and the American Cleaning Institute's laundry basics. We cite 12 pages plus LaundroMaps directory counts, and we note where makers disagree. We didn't lab-test any method; your coat's care label overrides anything here. Down and puffer coats are covered in a separate guide. Researched October 2026.