Riding kit gets dirty – fact! But nobody wants to be the scruffy one. Here are three ways to deal with dirt on your textile riding kit.
Riding a motorcycle in the UK means that you are unlikely to avoid weather that makes a mess of your riding kit – in the winter it’s road grime and salt, in the summer it’s bugs and sweat. In other words, unless you’re going for that unwashed biker smell, you’ll need to clean your kit sooner or later. Waterproofing and breathability also deteriorate when your kit is dirty, so even if it’s not yet pongy, it might need a clean to keep working as it should.
Here are three ways to tackle the job of cleaning your riding kit. They all work; the choice is yours.
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The full works: Wash it
If you want to wash your textile kit, there are a few key considerations before you do it. The first one is to check if the garment has removable thermal or waterproof layers. These often have different washing instructions to the main textile, so be sure to check the labels or instructions that came with the item. For instance, thermal lining can often be washed in a machine just like normal clothes, but that’s not always the case depending on the materials used and whether the layer also has waterproofing.
The next check is the armour. In most jackets and trousers the armour is removable, which means that you can take it out before the wash, then replace it after the garment has dried. It’s a good idea to take photos of the armour as you take it out, so you remember which way it goes back in after the wash.
Once you have removed the liners and armour (and emptied the pockets!), check if the jacket or trousers have areas that are particularly dirty, and give them a little scrub before the main wash to loosen the dirt.
After all the prep, it’s time for the wash. Check the label on the garment for specific options. In many cases a hand wash or a cool, gentle machine wash is recommended. You will also need to use specific technical washing detergent, such as Nikwax or similar, designed for items like this – do not use normal detergent or fabric conditioner.
Some garments require tumble drying to reactivate the waterproofing after a wash, but this depends on the item, so check the label again.
Once your kit is dry, it’s time to put the liners and armour back, and the job is done. It’s a long, laboursome process but it does get the garments as clean as possible.
The easy way: Spray and wipe
If washing your kit sounds like a bit of a bother, there’s an easier and quicker way to freshen up your kit. A dedicated kit care spray, such as the MotoClean Apparel Care (£11.99, www.motoclean.co.uk) foam cleaner, is a fast and effective way to freshen up motorcycle riding gear with no need to remove the armour or lining or even empty the pockets. The foam cleaner can be used on riding kit straight after any large debris has first been removed, making it easy to keep all the gear clean and fresh.
Rather than washing, which is usually only done on rare occasions, using a spray and wipe approach is a good way to keep your kit looking great with regular, quick and easy cleans. All you need to do is to spray your kit, allow a short moment for the foam to grip onto the dirt, then rub clean and wipe off the excess foam (it looks a bit like shaving foam, but don’t worry, it won’t leave any mess behind). Then just let the item dry, sit back and enjoy your clean kit. It’s that simple!
MotoClean Apparel Care even leaves the cleaned kit with a crisp fresh linen scent like it’s clean out of the washing machine, and its silicone-free formula protects fabrics from damage. What’s more, you can use it to clean your leathers, helmet, boots, gloves and mid-layers too.
The last resort: Bin it and buy new
We would never recommend buying new clothing just to avoid cleaning your existing kit.
That’s neither environmentally friendly nor financially sensible. But sometimes, after lots of use, the time comes when you have to admit that the garment has done its job, and it’s time to move on.
When you start to notice zips or straps starting to give, waterproofing no longer working and the whole garment looking a bit sad, it might be time to say goodbye. In addition to the outer appearance, once the armour in the garments starts to get brittle or crumbly, it no longer offers the protection you need, and if it’s not replaceable, you’ll need to replace the whole garment.
If it looks like your kit has had it, don’t forget to check the warranty on it, as some manufacturers have several years’ warranty. If you’re still covered, you won’t even have to part with cash to get a new (or fixed) jacket or trousers.
The choice is yours
All these different ways to tackle grubby kit have their own merits, and it really depends on what state your garments are in, what the manufacturer recommendations are, and how you want to go about it. Whatever you do, don’t just leave your kit to rot with a layer of grime on it as you will make it unsafe. Plus, nobody likes a stinky biker!
MotoClean is a UK-based company offering a range of motorcycle cleaning and maintenance products. It’s run by real bikers with deep understanding of what it takes to keep your pride and joy clean, shiny and protected.
MotoClean products are made in the UK to offer the best possible care and protection against our testing climate.
For further information, visit www.motoclean.co.uk
