How to wash a heated jacket, gilet, gloves and socks

Heated clothing gets worn hard: muddy dog walks, wet touchlines, long days outside. Sooner or later it needs a wash. The makers of our jackets, gilets and socks say they can be washed. The catch is that every item has its own rules, and the battery or power bank must never go anywhere near the basin.

This guide goes through our heated jackets, heated gilets, heated socks and heated gloves one by one, using the care information from each supplier. Where we add our own, more cautious advice, we say so.

The one rule: take the power out first

Before anything gets wet:

1. Switch the heat off with the button on the garment.
2. Unplug the power bank from the USB lead and take it out of the pocket. Our jackets and gilets run from a separate power bank, so this takes a few seconds.
3. Tuck the USB lead back into its pocket and close the pocket. This stops the plug from banging around and keeps it out of the way.
4. For socks and gloves with battery packs, unclip and remove every battery pack.

Power banks and battery packs are never washed, wiped with a wet cloth or dried on a radiator. If one gets wet by accident, stop using it and let it dry somewhere safe away from anything that can burn.

Heated jackets

The supplier of our 9-zone heated puffer jacket describes it as machine washable, and its product images say it can be washed in a machine or by hand. The heating pads are thin carbon fibre wires sewn into the lining, and the USB lead sits in a pocket.

Even so, a hand wash is the gentler choice, and it is what we would do.

Hand washing a heated jacket

1. Take out the power bank and tuck the lead into its pocket.
2. Close the main zip and the pocket zips. Unzip the hood if you want to wash it separately.
3. Fill a bath or large basin with cool to lukewarm water and add a small amount of mild liquid detergent.
4. Press the jacket under the water and squeeze it gently. Work a little extra detergent into dirty cuffs and collars with your fingers.
5. Drain the water and rinse in clean water until no soap comes out.
6. Press the water out with your hands or roll the jacket in a towel. Do not twist or wring it, as that bends the heating wires.

If you use the machine

The maker allows it, so if you do, keep it gentle: power bank out, lead tucked in, zips closed, jacket turned inside out and put in a large laundry bag. Choose a delicate or wool cycle at a low temperature and a low spin. This is our advice, not the maker's: the supplier does not give a temperature or cycle.

Heated gilets

Our 9-zone heated gilet comes with clear care advice from its maker:

• It is hand washable, and the maker says it stays like new over time.
• The power port has a sealed, waterproof design.
• Do not wring it hard with your hands.
• Hang it up to dry naturally.
• Unplug the power before you hand wash stained areas.
• Hand washing is recommended, and the gilet should not be wrung dry.

So for the gilet, stick to the hand wash steps above. For a small mark, you do not need to wash the whole gilet: unplug the power bank, then dab the stain with a cloth and a little soapy water, and rinse the spot with a clean damp cloth.

If you are still choosing between the two, our guide heated gilet vs heated jacket compares warmth, layering and battery time.

Heated socks

Our heated socks with 4000 mAh batteries are hand washable. The supplier's instructions are short and clear:

1. Remove the battery packs.
2. Put the charging plug into the pocket at the top of the sock. The supplier says the power port is waterproof treated.
3. Wash the socks by hand.

Socks need washing far more often than a jacket, so it is worth doing it well. Use lukewarm water and a mild detergent, squeeze rather than scrub, and rinse well. Press the water out in a towel instead of wringing, then hang the socks up by the top to dry.

Wait until the socks and the plug are completely dry before you clip the batteries back on. Water left in the plug can stop the heating from working.

Heated gloves

Gloves are where the care advice varies most, so check what you have.

• Thin heated finger gloves. The supplier of our rechargeable heated gloves with heated fingers describes the heating as removable and washable, but gives no step by step method. The battery sits in the cuff. Follow the leaflet that comes in the box. If it does not show how to take the heating unit or battery out, do not soak the gloves: clean the fabric with a damp cloth and a little mild soap instead and keep water away from the cuff.
• Ski-style gloves with battery packs. The supplier of our heated ski gloves gives no washing instructions. Take both battery packs out of the cuff pockets, wipe the outside with a damp cloth and let the gloves air dry. Do not soak or machine wash them.

Gloves get damp inside from sweat and rain. After a wet day, take the batteries out and let the gloves air dry with the cuffs open, at room temperature.

Drying heated clothing

The maker of our gilet says to hang it up to dry naturally, and that is good advice for everything in this guide. Our own, cautious rules on top of that:

• No tumble dryer. We would not risk heat and tumbling on the wires and connectors.
• No radiator, heater or direct heat. Let things dry at room temperature.
• No iron.
• Hang jackets and gilets on a wide hanger, so the padding dries evenly and the pads sit flat.
• Dry completely before plugging in. Padding can stay damp inside long after the outside feels dry. Give a jacket or gilet at least a full day, longer in a cold room.

Before you plug back in

When the garment is fully dry, check the lead and plug for damage, plug in the power bank or batteries and switch on. The light on the button should come on as normal, and you should feel warmth after a short time.

If the heat does not come on, unplug, let the garment dry for longer and try again. If it still does not work, contact us and tell us which item you have and what you did.

Storing heated clothing over summer

Wash and dry everything before you put it away. Store jackets and gilets on a hanger or loosely folded, not squashed at the bottom of a drawer, so the heating wires are not bent sharply for months. Keep power banks and battery packs separately, somewhere dry and cool, and charge them before you need them again.

Before the cold comes back, check the size guide if anyone in the house has grown out of last year's jacket, and read how long does a heated jacket last? to plan your power bank for the winter.