Caring for Ski Apparel

Never fear, avid skiers, there’s still plenty of time left in this year’s season to hit the slopes.  But when the season is over, it will be time to deal with putting away and storing all that gear.  We’ve repeatedly said to never store any garment away without washing or dry cleaning it first, and the same holds true with ski-wear.  Whether you’ve only been once this season or a dozen times, ski clothes take a beating from both the elements and your body’s sweat and natural oils.

Of course, these garments can be bulky and awkward to wash in your home washing machine.  Shores has commercial-sized equipment, so wet cleaning these items is no problem for us.  If you’d like for us to handle your ski-wear after the season is over, simply drop everything off at one of our locations, and we’ll gladly take care of everything for you.  But if you’d like to clean your ski apparel at home, we’ve pulled together a few tips to help you make this process a bit easier.

• Before you begin the washing process, make sure all your pockets have been emptied, remove inner linings and hoods, and zip zippers and close any Velcro to help prevent tears or snags.
• Most ski-related garments are machine washable, but be sure to check all care labels before cleaning.
• Pre-treat any stains before washing, and then launder according to the manufacturer’s instructions using care to not overload your machine.  Only wash similar fabrics and weights together.
• Avoid placing ski clothes in the dryer.  Instead, allow them to air dry by hanging them on a plastic or wooden hanger away from light and heat.
• Ski-wear is typically treated with some sort of water repellent.  If you feel like the treatment has worn off, check with the manufacturer as to their recommendations.  There are a few options here, like using a wash-in waterproofing product, spraying on a water repellent, or bringing them by one of our locations so we can apply a water repellent product for you.  If you choose to do this at home, be sure that the waterproofing solution is for clothing and not tents or sleeping bags.
• Finally, make sure that all items are completely dry before storing them away.  This just helps prevent mildew, and be sure to store items in a cool, dry place.

Taking proper care of your ski clothes now ensures they will be ready and waiting for you to wear next season.