How to Waterproof Your Clothing
If the wet weather is sinking right through your clothes and onto your skin, you simply must learn how to waterproof your clothing. Many stores offer waterproof clothing designed to keep you warm and dry, no matter how wet it is outside, but that waterproofing can wear off after multiple washings. Additionally, some people would rather waterproof the clothing they have, instead of replacing their clothes with waterproof alternates. Waterproofing your clothing at home is often a multi-step process, but it's relatively easy to do.
Before you begin to waterproof, look over the clothing carefully and repair any tears or holes that you find. In fact, it's best to sew those holes and then seal the holes completely with iron-on fabric patches. All of the waterproofing in the world won't help you stay dry if the clothing itself contains holes. Once you've repaired all of the holes, you can begin the waterproofing in earnest.
The company Nikwax offers a line of at-home waterproofing products that are inexpensive and easy to use. You'll need to buy two products. One product has a green cap, and it contains a detergent. The other product has a purple cap, and it contains a waterproofing agent. Nikwax offers a variety of waterproofing products that have been adapted to a wide variety of fabrics. You'll need to buy the right type of wash-in waterproofing for the fabric of your clothes, so the waterproofing will stick to the fibers in just the right ratio and provide you with the protection you'll need. You can find most of these products at REI stores, or you can shop online at www.altrec.com and find the products there.
To use the detergent, simply load your clothing into your washing machine and add the amount of detergent recommended on the package. The detergent will wash away dirt, grime, waxes and oils that can keep your clothing from accepting the new waterproofing material. Once the wash cycle is over, add the waterproofing materials directly to the machine and wash the clothing again. In most cases, you'll tumble the clothes in the dryer for a few moments after the waterproofing is complete to help cure the fabrics. Some fabrics, however, should be left to air dry so they don't shrink in the dryer. Follow the recommendations on the Nikwax bottles to the letter.
If this sounds like too much work, you do have one other option. You can wash your clothing in the Nikwax detergent, allow the fabric to dry and then use a spray-on waterproofing agent from Nikwax. You must be careful when using the spray to apply it evenly and get each and every inch of your clothing with the spray. This can be hard to accomplish, which is why most people prefer to use the wash-in treatment. But, a spray-on treatment can be quick to do, if you can't wait for the washer to take two complete cycles. Spray-on treatments are also helpful when you need to do quick touch-ups on waterproofed clothing that is a bit older.
