Waterproofing Your Raincoats

By: Charlie Tuzzi
Posted in: Clothing Care
Tagged: clothing care, weather care for garments

Waterproofing Your Raincoats

With the weather as unpredictable as it has recently been, it’s become difficult to know what you’ll need to properly dress on any given day. Raincoats are a wonderful top layer over your suit or dress, as it protects them from the mud and debris that comes with the rain. But, what protects your raincoat from those same elements?

Plastic raincoats will keep their protective, waterproof layer because of the material. For finer fabrics, you will need to maintain this waterproofing. You’ll notice that the initial layer of waterproofing on most fabrics will wear down with time and exposure to weather, which can be easily detected by seeing the water no longer beading up on the fabric but soaking through. To ensure your raincoat is waterproofed, you can apply a new seal of waterproof product. Waterproofing your raincoat will protect and add life to this essential layer throughout the rainy seasons.

Here are a few tips for waterproofing your raincoat:

1) When buying a waterproof product, read the label carefully. Make sure that the fabric of your raincoat is compatible with the waterproof product. Different fabrics need different products to properly re-seal them.
2) Make sure your raincoat is fully clean. Any amount of dirt or grime, no matter how small, can weaken or ruin the waterproofing process.
3) Follow the instructions of the product fully. Spot check at the bottom of the coat first to ensure the product won’t change the fabric’s color or damage the material in any way. Be sure you are in a well-ventilated area, as many store-bought waterproofing products are hazardous to breathe.
4) Let the raincoat dry thoroughly. Sometimes you will need a second–or even a third–coat for full effectiveness. Other times you will need to bind the product to the fabric using heat, needing to iron the raincoat after everything is dry.

At Arthur Copeland Cleansers, we offer full-service raincoat waterproofing. Our products are always organic and top-of-the-line, meaning it won’t damage your fine fabric, change, or fade its colors. We dry clean your raincoat to remove all amounts of soil, and we know which specific treatment each fabric needs. Bring your raincoat in today to preserve it for the next few years, and protect the layer that protects the rest of your superior fashion.