Touring Gear
Washing and Drying Riding Gear on a Multi-Day Trip: Laundromat, Hotel Room and Camp Methods
How to dry wet motorcycle gear on tour: hotel room, laundromat and camp methods for leather, textile, gloves and boots, with what the care sources say.
On a multi-day tour, dry wet riding gear slowly: hang it on a wide hanger in a shaded, ventilated spot and keep it away from heaters, hair dryers and direct sun. Leather should not go in a machine unless its care label allows it. For textile and waterproof-breathable gear, follow the label and keep heat low.
This is the on-the-road version. For the ride itself, see how to ride a motorcycle in the rain; for tent and camp problems, see motorcycle camping in the rain. Both sit under our touring gear and packing essentials hub.
Key takeaways- Read the care label first. It decides whether a machine is allowed.- Heat is the enemy of leather: no radiators, heaters or hair dryers.- Don't leave wet kit balled up in a bag. Damp encourages mold.- We found no sourced drying times, so the timings below come from real trips only.
Which method for which gear
| Gear | Laundromat | Hotel room | Camp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leather jacket or pants | No machine unless the label allows | Wide hanger, ventilated spot, away from heaters | Hang in shade with air moving, out of direct sun |
| Textile or waterproof-breathable jacket | Check the label; the one maker page we read says cold wash, liquid detergent, no softener | Hang to dry completely | Hang to dry completely |
| Leather gloves | Check the label; we would not risk a machine | Dry slowly at room temperature, no hair dryer or heater | Same, out of direct sun |
| Boots | Not covered by any source we read | Our method, to be confirmed on trips | Our method, to be confirmed on trips |
What you need
- A wide hanger or two, plus a compact travel line or cord
- Dry bags or a mesh bag to keep wet items apart from dry ones
- Liquid sports detergent for textile gear, not powder or fabric softener
- Coins or a card for the laundromat, and clean towels
Step by step: hotel room
- Check the label on each piece before anything goes near water.
- Take off removable liners and armor only if the maker allows it, and dry them separately.
- Hang leather on a wide hanger in a ventilated spot, away from heaters and direct sunlight. Turn the air conditioning or a fan to low rather than using a heater.
- Stuff gloves loosely with paper and leave them at room temperature. Never use a hair dryer or heater, because fast heat can stiffen leather.
- Use towels to press out surface water from textile gear, then hang it to dry completely.
- Check in the morning. Anything still damp rides on the outside of the bike or stays hung until the next stop.
Step by step: laundromat
A laundromat suits textile gear and base layers, not leather. For textile and waterproof-breathable jackets, Mammut's care page for its own hardshells says to close the zippers and fasteners, use liquid detergent, skip powder detergent, bleach and fabric softener, and wash cold at no more than 85°F (30°C). That page is for hardshell jackets, not riding gear, so your own label wins.
Drying is where it goes wrong. The same page says to hang the jacket to dry completely first; the tumble-dry step at no more than 125°F (55°C) for 20 minutes is meant to reactivate the water repellent. We can't check a public dryer's temperature, so we skip the machine for anything we can't verify.
Step by step: camp
- Choose shade with a breeze. Wet leather should dry in a shaded, ventilated place, not in direct sunlight.
- String a line between the bike and a tree, and hang jackets over it on their hangers.
- Dry before you pack. Packing wet gear tight lets damp build; a damp place encourages mold.
- Pack wet items last in their own bag, outside the dry kit. Our camping in the rain guide covers the tent and wet-pack routine.
- Unpack and hang at the first stop, instead of leaving it balled up in a bag.
Common mistakes
- Using a heater, radiator or hair dryer. Keep wet leather away from heaters; fast heat can stiffen it.
- Machine-washing leather without checking the label.
- Fabric softener on waterproof kit. It leaves residues that attract water.
- Applying a coating to perforated or stretch panels without checking the label.
- Bagging damp gear overnight. Damp encourages mold.
Dirt and sweat also wear down water repellency over time. Packing and folding your jacket well matters too; see how to fold a jacket for travel packing.
Printable checklist
Care background
For the longer version of caring for leather gear, Leather Collection's guide to caring for leather gear covers cleaning, drying and storage, and repeats that the maker's instructions come first.
FAQ
How do you dry wet motorcycle gear quickly? Slowly is safer. Hang it in a ventilated, shaded spot and keep it away from heaters. A fan on low helps; heat does not.
Can you put a motorcycle jacket in the washing machine? Only if the care label says so. Leather should not be machine washed unless the label allows it. For textile jackets, follow the label; one maker advises cold, liquid detergent and no fabric softener.
Can you tumble dry waterproof gear? Check the label. One maker's page for its hardshells allows a 20-minute tumble at no more than 125°F (55°C) after hanging to dry, to reactivate the water repellent.
margumi Editorial Team
margumi articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.