Taking care of your motorcycle apparel will make it last longer, maintain the looks, and protect you well. Just like you need a good shower etc. after a long motorcycle tour your motorcycle apparel and luggage do too. But before we begin on how you can take care of your apparel here is a tip. Take a few wipes and clean your apparel when you stop for food or make a stay for sleep. Remove any bugs and dirt when you can because once they are dried up it’s difficult to clean and retain the beauty especially for leather jackets, chaps, etc. The following are a few tips on how to clean textile and leather apparel. Cleaning each one is different from other

Jean Apparel

We will start with jeans! Remove any armor, open the zippers, and empty your pockets, now turn the apparel inside out. Coldwater wash is recommended for jeans but you can use Lukewarm water if you like. Hot water can make the jeans saggy so be careful. Once you are don’t with detergent do one more cycle with just water. In case of handwash don’t rub too much in one spot, be gentle, and don’t forget to clean spots that need detailed cleanup. Use a soft nylon brush. The detergent should not be harsh and also don’t use fabric softeners. After you are done the washing, put the apparel on a plain surface and let it dry. I prefer not to tumble dry or hand dry even if the fabric is safe to do so.

Textile Apparel

Most of the motorcycle textile apparel is made of GORE-TEX and Cordura. Almost all of the textile is machine washable, the above two definitely. Want to make sure of it? Check the garment’s care label. If you are still in doubt, hand wash is a doable option. Note, if the apparel has suede or leather, it is not machine washable. Make sure to remove and open armors, zippers, fasteners, and any items in the pockets. 

For machine wash add soft detergent into Luke's warm water and run the wash cycle, once the wash is done now do another one with just water. By the way, cold water is also just as fine. This makes sure of the complete removal of soap and detergent. The use of fabric softener is not recommended! Bleaches are strongly prohibited.

For hand wash, use a soft bristle brush and be gentle. Don’t scrub too much in one spot but be sure to take out the dirt etc. from stained areas. Rubbing hard will make the dirt get deep into the fabric. Instead of rubbing madly go for hacks like citrus for grease and oils, water and salt for blood, etc. Talking about hacks, here are a few motorcycle trips and tour hacks that will come in handy. Make sure to rinse off any left-over soap and detergent. 

You can tumble dry the apparel if the garment label says so, but don’t use too much heat. I prefer air dry by hanging the apparel for some time. This process takes time but the apparel is safe. 

Leather Apparel

Leather apparels are not as easy and simple to clean. The interior side of leather apparel contains other materials like mesh or other fabrics. So, they have separate caring and cleaning rules. Taking care of the leather and removing the odor is a real challenge here.  The antimicrobial liner helps keep the odor low but only for some time. letting it hand in the air for some time is the best way to reduce the stink, you can spray it lightly with some air fresheners if you like. Some brands offer de-salter spray, try that, it is for removing the sweat salt odors.

For spraying purposes, make sure to turn the jacket inside out and then apply. Don’t use too much spray and leave the jacket as it is for some time before turning it back. Use leather apparel cleaner and soft microfiber cloth to clean the leather. Again, don’t apply too much or rub hard. Be gentle like you are with your skin! Leave it for some time and now apply leather conditioner, this gives it the needed shine and freshness. Never apply these products directly to the jacket. No drying under sunlight or placing leather in moist conditions. Let it dry for at least a day before using it again. Clean your gear once a year, at least.