How to Iron a Waterproof Jacket

Introduction

You may want to iron your waterproof jacket if it's gotten a little wrinkly, or if it's just been washed and you don’t have access to a dryer but still want to restore its water-repellent finish. Applying heat is key to both smoothing out the fabric and reactivating the DWR coating. While a dryer is ideal for both of these purposes because it evenly distributes heat across the entire garment, using an iron is better than no heat at all!

Every jacket is different, so pay close attention as you iron. Avoid ironing over drawcords, zippers, or other closures that can create a bumpy surface or risk damage. If you don’t have an ironing board, no problem—just fold up a towel on a solid heat-resistant surface like a table or countertop to create a makeshift ironing station.

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What you need

Step 1 Prepare the jacket

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Unzip your clean jacket and slide one half over your ironing board or towel-covered surface.
You only want to iron through one layer of the jacket at a time. Ironing through two layers can create creases in the bottom layer.
Flatten your jacket with your hands.

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Step 2 Set up the iron

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Set the iron to its lowest heat setting, below 230 °F.
Turn off the steam function. Steam can damage the fabric and the DWR coating. If you can't turn off the steam function on your iron, drain the water chamber completely.

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Step 3 Protect the jacket

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Lay a dry towel over the area of your jacket that you'll be ironing.
If you're reapplying your jacket's durable water repellant (DWR) coating, use a damp towel. In all other cases, use a dry towel.
Smooth out the towel with your hands.

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Step 4 Iron the jacket

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Iron in one smooth stroke, running parallel to the zipper.
Only iron in one direction, don't go back and forth or you risk creating creases. Change directions only when you move to a new section of the jacket.
Don't press down. Let the heat and weight of the iron do the work.
Keep the iron moving continuously to avoid melting or burning the fabric.

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Step 5 Check your progress

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Remove the towel and inspect the jacket.
If the fabric looks unchanged, increase the heat slightly and try again.
If the area looks smooth, move on to the next section.

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Step 6 Work slowly and cover every area

To fully reactivate the DWR coating, heat must make contact with every part of the jacket. Go slowly and work in small, manageable sections to ensure even coverage.
Be extra careful around tight or curved areas like hoods, cuffs, and sleeves.
For the sleeves, slide a tailor’s ham, sleeve board, or folded towel inside the sleeve to separate the two sides.
Continue repositioning the jacket and repeating the ironing process until the entire surface has been treated.
Don't forget to turn off the iron when you're finished.