Your motorcycle clothing isn't a fashion item you swap on a whim. It's a protective system made of parts that are precisely matched: abrasion-resistant outer fabric, armour that absorbs impacts, load-bearing safety seams and a membrane that stays waterproof yet breathes. In a crash, this interplay decides whether skin, joints and bones stay intact. If you wash and care for motorcycle clothing correctly, you make sure it still works after years.
Yet protective clothing is often treated wrongly. Some wear jacket and trousers for months without ever washing them. Others put them in the machine like a T-shirt, with all-purpose detergent, high temperature and fabric softener. Both cost function in the long run.
Unwashed clothing slowly loses its protective effect. Sweat and skin oil settle in the material, the membrane clogs, textile gets stiff, leather dries out and seams are attacked chemically. But washing wrongly can destroy the same properties just as permanently. Often you don't see the damage straight away, but only notice it when it matters.
Here you'll learn step by step how to wash and care for textile clothing, membrane jackets, leather suits and armour properly. You'll read why care is part of safety, which mistakes to avoid and how your gear stays comfortable and protects you for many years.
Why you should wash motorcycle clothing regularly
Many underestimate how heavily their protective clothing is stressed. After just a few rides there are residues in the material that you can't see or smell, but that matter a lot technically. On the road the clothing is constantly exposed to wind, heat, wet and dirt. Inside, body heat and movement create a warm, humid climate at the same time.
Typical stresses are sweat and skin oil, fine dust, brake dust, road abrasion, insect remains and oil and fuel particles. Add to that salt residues from sweat or from rides in the cold season. These substances attack the material from inside and out. Sweat is particularly tricky: its salts and fatty acids damage seams, coatings and membranes.
The result is a creeping loss of function. From the outside the jacket still looks good, but it feels heavier, breathes less well and soaks up rain faster. It insulates less well, you get cold sooner, and the material ages much faster.
Washing correctly is therefore not a question of looks or hygiene. It's part of safety. If you look after your motorcycle clothing, you keep the comfort and the protective effect it was built for.
Before every wash: read the care label and manufacturer's instructions
Motorcycle clothing is technically complex. Depending on the manufacturer, price range and intended use, it contains different materials, membranes and coatings. Care requirements vary accordingly.
So always: read the care label before washing. The instructions there aren't a recommendation, they're part of the product's design. There you'll find the maximum washing temperature, the right programme, the permitted spin speed, whether the tumble dryer is allowed and which detergents and proofing agents are recommended.
Ignore this and you risk permanent damage to membrane, seams and outer fabric. If in doubt, also check the manufacturer's website or ask directly. Reputable manufacturers provide detailed care instructions.
Washing textile motorcycle clothing: step by step
Preparation
Good preparation prevents damage in the machine. First remove all armour from jacket and trousers: shoulders, elbows, back, hips and knees. Empty all pockets and better check twice. A forgotten key can damage zips or the drum.
Close all zips and all Velcro fastenings too. Open Velcro acts like sandpaper and ruins other laundry and the fabric itself. Wipe off coarse dirt such as mud or insect remains with a damp cloth beforehand so the machine doesn't have to scrub unnecessarily.
The right detergent
The detergent decides whether your clothing keeps its function. Washing powder, fabric softener, bleach and products with solvents are unsuitable. Their residues can clog the membrane's pores, attack coatings and reduce breathability.
Use a special detergent for functional or motorcycle clothing. Alternatively, a mild liquid delicates detergent, used sparingly. Fabric softener is always off-limits, manufacturers such as GORE-TEX, Dainese and REV'IT agree on that. It lies over the fibres like a film and seals the membrane's fine pores.
Programme, temperature and spin
Many motorcycle manufacturers such as Dainese or REV'IT specify a maximum of 30 degrees for textile clothing. Only go to 40 degrees if the label allows it, which is common for GORE-TEX clothing, for example. Choose a gentle or delicates programme because it's less mechanically stressful.
Spin only gently or, if the manufacturer says so, not at all. REV'IT and GORE-TEX advise spinning as little as possible. Strong spinning stresses seams, membrane and coating and can deform the armour pockets. An extra rinse is worthwhile so no detergent residue stays in the membrane.
Caring for motorcycle clothing with a membrane
Many believe a membrane mustn't be washed. The opposite is true: regular washing is necessary for it to work. A membrane has tiny pores that let water vapour out but stop liquid water.
Sweat oil and dirt clog these pores. Then the clothing breathes less well, feels clammy and seems as if it were leaking. A wash restores the original function.
Many membrane jackets also like a little heat so the water-repellent outer layer becomes active again. GORE-TEX recommends about 20 minutes in the tumble dryer after air drying, or careful ironing on a low setting with a cloth in between. But only if the label allows it. For normal textile clothing, REV'IT for example rules out the dryer. Too much heat permanently destroys membrane and coating.
Cleaning and caring for motorcycle leather
Leather is a natural material and very abrasion-resistant, but it doesn't forgive incorrect care. A leather suit never goes in the washing machine and shouldn't be soaked through either. Household cleaners, harsh chemicals and direct heat are also off-limits.
Remove coarse dirt dry with a soft cloth, hard brushes and abrasives are off-limits. Then wipe the surface with a slightly damp cloth and cold to lukewarm water, Dainese advises a little neutral soap. It's best to remove insect remains and oil stains straight away. For heavier soiling a special leather cleaner, applied sparingly, helps. Solvents have no place on leather. Always dry at room temperature, away from radiators and direct sun.
Once the leather is completely dry, it needs care to stay supple. Leather balm or wax-based products are well suited. Too much grease makes the leather soft and reduces abrasion resistance. Here too: less is more.
Cleaning, checking and replacing armour
Armour is usually made of viscoelastic plastic or special foam that hardens on impact and absorbs energy. It mustn't go in the washing machine. Wash it by hand with lukewarm water and a mild detergent.
Then it must dry completely, without direct heat, dryer or radiator. Also check it regularly. Cracks, hardened areas or deformation show that the protection is gone. Then new armour is due.
Waterproofing: why you shouldn't do without it
Waterproofing makes water bead off the outer fabric instead of soaking in. Even if the membrane is watertight, you notice missing waterproofing immediately. The outer fabric soaks up water, the clothing gets heavy, cools down and breathes less well.
You need to re-proof when water no longer beads off but soaks into the fabric. First try to reactivate the existing waterproofing with heat (if allowed). If nothing beads off afterwards, a new proofing agent is due. Apply spray or wash-in proofing evenly to the clean, damp clothing. It's activated, if allowed, with a little heat.
Summary
Motorcycle clothing is high-tech. It only provides the protection it's built for when it's clean and well cared for. Correct washing and regular care maintain abrasion resistance, breathability, weather protection, fit and protective effect.
If you take your gear seriously, you look after it regularly. It's worth it: more comfort, longer life and above all more safety on the motorcycle.
Frequently asked questions about washing and care
How often should I wash motorcycle clothing?
Not only when it's visibly dirty or smells. Sweat, skin oil and fine salt residues attack the material from inside. There's no fixed rule. Manufacturers such as Rukka stress that regular washing is important for function and advise brushing or rinsing off fresh dirt right after the ride. After rides in the rain, summer heat or long tours, better sooner, so the protective function is maintained.
Can motorcycle clothing go in the washing machine?
Yes, modern textile clothing is expressly designed for machine washing. Remove all armour beforehand and choose a gentle or delicates programme. If you wash according to the manufacturer's instructions, the machine doesn't harm it. On the contrary: it maintains the function of membrane and material.
At what temperature do I wash motorcycle clothing?
Usually 30 degrees is ideal. That's enough to loosen sweat, dirt and residues without damaging membrane or coating. 40 degrees only if the manufacturer expressly allows it. Always avoid higher temperatures.
Which detergent is suitable for motorcycle clothing?
Ideally a special detergent for motorcycle or functional clothing. Alternatively a mild delicates detergent without fragrances. Washing powder, bleach and fabric softener are off-limits because they can clog the membrane and reduce breathability.
Why is fabric softener so harmful?
Fabric softener lies over the fibres like a film and clogs the tiny pores of a climate membrane. Water vapour can no longer get out, the clothing feels clammy and loses its function. That's often hard to get out again.
Do I have to remove the armour before washing?
Yes, always. In the machine it can deform, lose its damping or damage the armour pockets. It also stops water and detergent building up in the padding.
How hard can I spin?
As little as possible. Manufacturers such as REV'IT and GORE-TEX advise minimal or no spinning. Strong spinning unnecessarily stresses seams, membrane and coating and can shorten the life of the clothing.
Can motorcycle clothing go in the tumble dryer?
It depends on the manufacturer. According to the manufacturer, GORE-TEX clothing benefits from about 20 minutes in the dryer so the water-repellent surface becomes active again. For many other textile jackets, on the other hand, the dryer is off-limits. Temperatures that are too high cause great damage. So only if expressly allowed, and then on the lowest setting.
What's the best way to dry motorcycle clothing?
Safest in the air at room temperature. Hang the clothing in a well-ventilated place, without direct sun or radiator heat. Patience pays off, because drying too quickly harms material and coating.
How do I clean motorcycle leather?
Leather never goes in the washing machine. Remove coarse dirt dry with a soft cloth, then wipe over with a slightly damp cloth. If necessary use a special leather cleaner. After drying at room temperature, sparing leather care is important so the material stays supple.
Do I need to waterproof motorcycle clothing regularly?
Yes, waterproofing is important for comfort and function. It makes water bead off the outer fabric. Without it the clothing soaks up water, gets heavy and breathes less well, even if the membrane is still watertight.
How can I tell it needs re-proofing?
When rain no longer beads off but soaks into the fabric, the waterproofing is used up. If heat (where allowed) no longer helps, you should renew it.
How do I clean armour properly?
By hand with lukewarm water and a mild detergent. Then let it dry completely without heat. Dryer, radiator or direct sun are off-limits.
When should I replace armour?
When it has cracks, has become hard or has lost its shape. Very old armour can also lose protective effect even if it still looks good on the outside.
Does frequent washing harm motorcycle clothing?
No. Correct washing suited to the material extends its life. Dirt, sweat and salt attack the material much more than a proper wash. If you look after it regularly, you ride more safely in the long run.
Sources
- How to wash GORE-TEX clothing correctly (GORE-TEX, German)
- Wash & Care Instructions (REV'IT!)
- Product Care & Cleaning FAQ (Dainese)
- Rukka Motorsport Product Care (Luhta)
Last checked: September 2026. The care label of your product always applies.
