How to wash and care for motorcycle clothing

One bad wash can do more damage to a membrane, coating or piece of leather than a hundred rides in the rain.

In this guide we go through what works for each type: textile, Gore-Tex, leather, gloves and boots. With the advice our experts give every day and the products we use ourselves.

Why wash your motorcycle clothing?

We assume this speaks for itself, but in case you’re still on the fence: sweat, dust and dirt are more than a few stains and a greyer shade. They clog the pores of a breathable membrane, so it can’t do its job as well. And leather that’s never fed dries out and cracks like old wood.

Hygiene aside, a wash is also the perfect moment to give your gear a proper once-over. How are the seams holding up? Does that one zip still run smoothly? Why is my backside always wet in my laminated Gore-Tex? It would be a shame to climb back on the bike in a fresh suit, only to run into the same problem straight away.

Washing motorcycle clothing in a nutshell

• Read the care label first: it always has the final say¹
• Take out all the armour
• Unzip any removable mid layers and membranes
• Close all zips, buttons and Velcro, and empty your pockets
• Use a detergent made for motorcycle clothing, never fabric softener
• Don’t wring, ideally lay flat to dry (hanging is fine too)
• Apply a water-repellent treatment if needed
• Finish with some zip maintenance

Before you start: the rules for every garment

The care label always wins

Every manufacturer builds its clothing differently. The label tells you which temperature, which programme and which drying method are safe. Does your jacket have a removable thermal liner or a separate membrane? Check that layer’s label too, as it often comes with different instructions.

Armour out

Armour left inside rubs against the fabric and the membrane. That does your clothing no favours, and the armour itself gets damaged over time too. It usually sits behind a Velcro or zip opening in the lining. Getting it out can take a bit of patience, but you don’t need to remember what goes where: left and right are marked on each piece. I’ll admit, that was a relief.

Everything closed, pockets empty

An open zip snags the fabric, Velcro grabs onto everything in sight, and those twenty forgotten fuel receipts come out of the wash as confetti all over your gear.

The right detergent, never fabric softener

Regular washing powder is too harsh for technical fabrics and coatings. Fabric softener is even worse: it leaves a film behind that clogs the breathable pores. Use a detergent made specifically for motorcycle clothing, such as S100 Detergent for textile/leather motorbike clothing. It cleans without affecting the breathability of your membrane.

Stubborn stain? Soak it in lukewarm water and brush it out gently. Bleach and stain removers stay in the cupboard.

Washing textile motorcycle clothing

Textile jackets and trousers are the easiest to look after. Hand-wash them like a true adventurer, or embrace the 21st century and put them in the machine at 30°C, ideally on a delicates or easy-care programme with a low spin speed. Rinse thoroughly afterwards, with an extra rinse if needed, so no detergent is left behind.

Don’t wring them out afterwards, however tempting it is to speed up the drying: wringing damages the membrane. Ideally lay your jacket or trousers flat (the washing line or a chair works too) and let them air-dry, out of direct sunlight and away from the radiator. It takes a bit of patience, but so does everything worth having. Remember your licence?

All dry? Then you can add a water-repellent treatment with S100 Textile/leather waterproof. That layer makes rain bead up on the outer fabric instead of soaking in, and dirt struggles to stick to it. Spray outdoors or in a well-ventilated room if you can, and bear in mind that the floor where the mist lands turns as slippery as an ice rink. Finish with some zip maintenance.

Washing laminated Gore-Tex motorcycle clothing

First, let’s bust a stubborn myth: laminated Gore-Tex can simply be washed. In fact, a wash does it good, because a clean membrane breathes better.

The washing itself works the same way: by hand or in the machine at 30 to 40°C, rinse thoroughly and don’t wring. Let everything dry, ideally flat, though hanging is fine too. Then we do things a little differently, because this kit actually benefits from the tumble dryer. Twenty minutes in the dryer² reactivates the Gore-Tex membrane, so it stays waterproof and breathable.

No tumble dryer? Iron the dry garment on a low setting instead, without steam and with a towel between the iron and the fabric.

On areas that have taken a beating and where the outer layer is already worn, use a proofing spray such as S100 Textile/leather waterproof. That gives those zones their water-repellent effect back. Finish with some zip maintenance.

Caring for leather motorcycle clothing

Leather never goes in the washing machine. End of discussion. A leather jacket, pair of trousers or suit is cared for by hand, in three steps: clean, feed and protect.

Clean

Clean the surface with lukewarm water and a soft microfibre cloth. Hot water can strip the natural oils from the leather. Suit properly dirty? Then use S100 Leather cleaner. Apply it, leave it to work for a few minutes, remove the dirt with a damp microfibre cloth and buff with a dry one. Then let the leather air-dry, ideally flat, and definitely not next to the radiator: heat makes leather dry out, shrink and crack.

Nourish

Clean leather is thirsty leather. A thin layer of S100 Leather Balm keeps it supple and prevents cracking. Thin is the key word here: too much grease clogs the pores and leaves marks. Got a large surface to treat, like a full suit? Then S100 Leather care spray gets the job done faster.

Protect

Finish with a dirt- and water-repellent treatment and some zip maintenance.

Washing motorcycle gloves

Gloves have a hard life: sweat on the inside, grip on the bars and rain on the outside. Yet they get forgotten far more often than they get looked after.

Textile motorcycle gloves

Wash them by hand or at 30°C in the machine with S100 Detergent for textile/leather motorbike clothing, then rinse thoroughly. Same as the rest of your kit: no wringing. Ideally lay them flat to dry, then give them a water-repellent treatment. Always on the back of the hand, never on the palm: slippery hands are the last thing you want on the bars.

Leather motorcycle gloves

Leather gloves can be washed by hand or at 30°C, as long as you rinse them well. A simple clean of the leather is still the better option, but sooner or later they’ll end up in the machine. Washed them? Don’t wring them out, pat them dry with a towel instead.

Now for the most important tip: put them on while they’re still a little damp and make a fist a few times. It looks odd at the kitchen table, but it helps them take back the shape of your hands instead of drying stiff. Then let them finish drying, ideally flat.

Leather dry? Feed it with a thin layer of S100 Leather Balm and apply a water-repellent treatment. For those at the back, I’ll say it again: not on the palms of your gloves. You want grip, not slip!

A tip for after every ride: don’t stuff your gloves into your helmet. Let them air out first. It’s better for both of them.

Caring for motorcycle boots and shoes

Boots and shoes don’t go in the machine. After a muddy ride, brush off the worst of the dirt once it’s dry, then clean the leather with a damp cloth or S100 Leather cleaner. Let them air-dry, with some newspaper or kitchen roll stuffed inside if they’re properly soaked. Never put them against the radiator.

Leather dry? Treat it with S100 Leather care spray and apply a dirt- and water-repellent treatment.

Be careful with ordinary shoe polish. Standard shoe care products can damage the waterproof membrane in your motorcycle boots. So always choose a product that’s suitable for boots with a membrane.

Don’t forget the zips

Almost every step above ends with the zips, and that’s no coincidence. Sand, salt and dirt work their way between the teeth. A zip that sticks gets pulled harder, and a zip that gets pulled hard gives up sooner or later. Usually just when you’re in a hurry. So brush the teeth clean after washing and treat them with a zip care product such as DAYTONA Zip Glide if needed.

How often should you wash motorcycle clothing?

Not after every ride, obviously. It’s time for a wash when water no longer beads on the outer fabric, or when your jacket is visibly dirty or simply smells musty. After a dusty summer or a winter on gritted roads, it’s a good moment either way.

Hanging your jacket up for the winter? Store everything clean and dry, ideally on a wide hanger and not in a sealed plastic cover. Leather and membranes need to breathe, even in the wardrobe.

Not sure?

Label worn off, or not sure which membrane is in your jacket? Get in touch with our customer service and we’ll point you in the right direction. The washing, though, is all yours.

¹ The tips in this guide are general guidelines. The manufacturer’s instructions on the care label or in the user manual always take priority.

² Use the drying temperature shown on the care label.

Related links:

• Motorcycle clothing at RAD
• Motorcycle clothing maintenance
• Motorcycle jackets