Product Care

As you continue to seek out new adventures, your clothing and shoes will get exposed to elements like mud, sand, water, gravel, grass, snow, and salt, which can degrade your clothing and shoes. We’ve put together some instructions for you to get the most out of your gear in the most environmentally friendly manner possible.

General tips to extend the life of garments:

• Colour: To improve the colorfastness of your clothing, add vinegar to the first wash load of dark colours for natural fibres or cotton/poly blends.
• Stains: To reduce permanent stains, treat as quickly as possible. Start by blotting or sponging the stain to remove as much as possible before treatment. Never rub the stain, as it can cause the stain to spread or force the stain deeper into the fabric. Rubbing can also cause abrasion damage to the fabric.
• Washing: To reduce wear from washing, do not wash clean clothing. Excessive washing causes clothing to wear out faster, so wearing a garment multiple times before washing extends the life of the garment. To reduce snags and damage from washing, ensure that garments are completely closed up: zip up all zippers, secure any hooks or loops, and close all snaps and buttons.
• Drying: To reduce heat damage from drying, hang dry your garments or dry them flat. Heat and agitation in the dryer environment can cause clothing to wear out at an accelerated rate. If you do use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting possible.
• Storage: To keep your gear safe for next season, store it in a clean, dust-free, and dry environment.

• Washing: Wash in cold water on the delicate or hand wash cycle. Separate wash loads by colour and fabric weight. Washing light and dark clothing separately will help to maintain colour integrity. Avoid washing lightweight clothing with heavyweight clothing to avoid friction and damage to lighter-weight fabrics.
• Cleaning solvents: Use mild detergent, preferably non-toxic and biodegradable. Do not bleach or add fabric softener; the strong chemicals can degrade the fleece over time.
• Drying: To reduce shrinkage and reduce energy usage, hang dry or dry flat. If a dryer is used, dry on low heat.
• Ironing: DO NOT IRON 100% poly fleece. Iron on a low setting if needed for cotton-majority fleece.

• • Washing: Wash with cold water on the delicate or hand wash cycle. To avoid friction and pilling, ensure all hooks and loops (velcro) are closed. Washing your jacket will help to maintain its water-repellent features. If you have a high-efficiency (HE) top-loader washing machine, check the machine manual since waterproof clothing can interfere with or cause damage to HE washing machines.
  • Cleaning solvents: Use mild detergent, preferably non-toxic and biodegradable. Do not bleach or add fabric softener; the strong chemicals can break down the waterproofing elements that keep you dry and happy.
  • Drying: When drying, hang dry or dry flat in areas with plenty of ventilation. This will prevent peeling or melting of the inner waterproof coatings. Garment can be tumble dried on low heat, but ensure garment is right side out and zipped up. The inner coating can stick to the walls of the dryer and cause friction, which may tear or melt the waterproof coating. If you are using the dryer, add a towel or two to absorb some of the moisture and help tumble the garment softer.
  • Ironing: DO NOT IRON. The inner coating and seam sealing are applied by heat and will melt if they come in contact with high heat, which may ruin your iron.
  • Storing: Make sure to hang your jacket until dry after use. Storing a wet, crumpled garment can cause mould and mildew.

• Washing: Wash with cold water on the delicate or hand wash cycle. To avoid friction and pilling, ensure all hooks and loops (velcro) are closed.
• Cleaning solvents: Use mild detergent, preferably non-toxic and biodegradable. Do not bleach or add fabric softener; the strong chemicals can break down the waterproofing elements that keep you dry and happy.
• Drying: When drying, hang dry or dry flat in areas with plenty of ventilation.
• Ironing: DO NOT IRON. The inner coating and seam sealing are applied by heat and will melt if they come in contact with high heat, which may ruin your iron.
• Storing: Make sure to hang your jacket until dry after use. Storing a wet, crumpled garment can cause mould and mildew.

• Washing: Before washing, close all zippers and flaps and brush off any loose dirt or grime. Then, turn your garment inside out if possible. Wash in a front-load washing machine in cold water on a gentle cycle. The agitator in top-loading machines could damage your garment.
• Cleaning solvents: Use mild detergent or down-specific detergent to preserve the feathers and extend the life of the garment, preferably non-toxic and biodegradable. Do not bleach or add fabric softener; the strong chemicals can degrade the materials over time.
• Drying: Dry on low to no heat; this might take a few cycles, but high heat can damage the feathers or the fabric.
• To help restore the fluffiness of the down, add two or three clean tennis balls to your dryer. Check the garment every 15–20 minutes to pull apart clumps. This process will help ensure that feathers are distributed evenly and the garment is completely dry, which will prevent mould.
• Ironing: DO NOT IRON. The inner coating and seam sealing may be applied by heat and will melt if in contact with high heat, which may ruin your iron.
• Storing: Before storing, ensure your garment is clean and completely dry.

• Washing: Before washing, close all zippers and flaps and brush off any loose dirt or grime. Then, turn your garment inside out. Wash in a front-load washing machine in cold water on a gentle cycle. The agitator in top-loading machines could damage your garment.
• Cleaning solvents: Use mild detergent or down-specific detergent to preserve the feathers and extend the life of the garment, preferably non-toxic and biodegradable. Do not bleach or add fabric softener; the strong chemicals can degrade the materials over time.
• Drying: Tumble dry on low heat; remove promptly after the dry cycle.
• Ironing: DO NOT IRON. The inner coating and seam sealing may be applied by heat and will melt if in contact with high heat, which may ruin your iron.
• Storing: Before storing, ensure your garment is clean and completely dry.

Special Care Instructions for Columbia Technologies
In addition to the product care instructions on our website and on the care label of your garment, the following instructions will help to enhance performance for Columbia technologies:

Omni-Freeze Zero
Do not bleach, use fabric softeners, or stain removers, as the chemicals can degrade the cooling performance of Omni-Freeze Zero.

Omni-Shield
To best maintain Omni-Shield’s stain-resistant properties, do not wash in hot water or iron.

Omni-Shield Blood ‘N Guts
To best maintain Omni-Shield’s stain-resistant properties, do not wash in hot water or iron.

OutDry
To best protect the OutDry water-repellent membrane, make sure your gear is clean and dry before storing.

The best way to regularly clean your Columbia shoes
If your footwear becomes damp and covered with mud, clean it immediately after use; do not leave it to dry. Corrosive natural chemicals such as acids and alkalis, which are found in different soils and dirt, can work their way into the material and start to slowly decay and rot it, thus weakening the overall strength of the boots. This also prevents damage to any waterproof linings and membranes that are inside. The most effective way to clean your footwear is to immediately rinse them under clean tap water with a soft-bristled brush. If possible, remove the insoles inside the shoe and let them dry naturally. Do not under any circumstances put them in a washing machine or clothes dryer, on top of a heater, near an open flame, or in direct hot sunlight.

Removing stains from Columbia shoes
Generally, a mild dishwashing detergent can remove most stains. For oil, grease, ink, sap, or gum, denatured or isopropyl alcohol is considered a degreasing agent, works best as a spot cleaner, and can safely remove stains from many fabrics and leather that aren’t affected by soap or detergent.
To remove stubborn stains, moisten a cotton cloth with a few drops of denatured alcohol. First, test the alcohol on an inconspicuous part of the boot and allow it to dry. If there isn’t any discoloration, repeat and rub the stain, but do not saturate the fabric. Allow it to dry. Using a toothbrush or light-bristled brush, clean the stain with a drop of dishwashing detergent and scrub until the stain disappears. Rinse the boot in warm water and dampen it with a clean towel. Fully let it dry naturally!

Reapplying waterproof finishes to Columbia shoes
Most waterproof and breathable materials are treated with a water-repellent finish, which keeps the outer material from becoming saturated with water so the breathable barrier can do its job. This coating needs to be reapplied every so often. A simple water drop test can be performed to see if the boot should be recoated. If water no longer beads up on the outside of the boot, it’s time for another surface treatment. There are several spray products on the market that can restore water repellency. Whichever you choose, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Before these treatments can be applied and work effectively, the footwear should be clean and dry.

Repairing Columbia rubber boots
If a pair of rubber boots is damaged during wear, they can generally be repaired with a simple rubber repair kit or stick-on patch kit. These patch kits are available at any footwear retailer. First, the boots must be clean and dry. Then follow the directions on the repair patch kit.

Repairing Columbia rubber outsoles
Over time, rubber outsoles can separate from the foam cushioning midsole or upper part of the footwear. This can also be repaired with a simple adhesive solution. Many footwear retailers offer various types of adhesives that can help repair this issue. Urethane adhesives work by coating both sides of the separation, letting it dry for a period of time, and then reactivating it with a heat source such as a blow dryer. A rubber-based adhesive is used more as a contact cement. The adhesive is applied to both sides of the separation, allowed to dry for a short period of time, and then pressed together. Again, the area should be clean, dry, and prepared. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Repairing leather or synthetic materials in Columbia shoes
There are leather repair kits available on the market that can repair rips, burns, cuts, and tears. Some can even touch up and re-dye worn or faded spots. There are specific kits for footwear. Upholstery repair kits can also work on leather boots and usually come with coloured dyes to help mask the repair.

Disclaimer: Please check with the Warranty Department before submitting previously repaired garments for warranty claims. Repairs done outside of the Columbia Warranty Department may void Columbia’s limited warranty applicable to your product.