It’s Time To Spring Clean Your Outdoor Gear – Here’s How

Spring has sprung! Birds are tweetin’, lambs are leapin’, and the grass is growing faster than a hiker with a post-trail pizza on the brain.

While my mum’s idea of a spring clean involves dusting cobwebs out of cornices and getting a little too intimate with the inside of the kitchen oven, the type of spring clean that gets my inner clean freak on is more of the outdoor persuasion.

Find below, my top five tasks to spring clean your adventure gear.

1. Spring Cleaning Starts With Your Boots

I’m a big advocate for regular boot maintenance. Nothing ruins your time on the trail quicker than sore feet from worn out and neglected footwear.

Before hitting the sunny bliss of dry trails in the next few months, my boots get some extra special love during the end of winter and the start of spring to freshen them up. Laces and inners come out (and are replaced if needed) followed by a good dry brush down, wash, and waterproof treatment. This combination has my boots smelling like daisies and ready to rock.

I use the Nikwax Fabric and Leather and Waterproofer.

Have you seen spiffier boots? I think not

2. Waterproof the Wet Stuff

My last hike of winter saw me in my wet weather gear for three days straight, and I started to notice it wetting through a little. Add some mud, sweat, and a little bit of cuff snot… (c’mon, we all do it, no one carries tissues on a wet trail, do they?!) and it was time for a revamp.

Pants, jacket, and gaiters, all cleaned with wash designed specifically for technical fabrics, a spray with some waterproofing, and then either a warm tumble dry or iron (depending on manufacturer’s instructions).  It’s very important to follow the specific wash requirements for each garment or you might ruin your clothes!

My hope is I won’t be needing these guys much in the coming season, but when I do next pull them out, they’ll be just like new.

Relax, ironing isn’t essential

3. Spring Cleaning Means Getting Down with Down

Something about washing down makes me nervous.

Maybe it’s the way it gets all sad and clumpy and gives you the impression it will never recover from the unsanctimonious drowning you’ve just subjected it to, before surprisingly bursting into a fluffy cloud of goodness with one shake once it’s dried off and forgiven you. Anyway, it’s a job I tend to avoid, and one that’s much easier to face when I’m riding the spring clean wave.

Armed with down-specific detergent, those crazy little juggling balls, and a gently-gently approach to washing and tumble drying, it’s definitely worth the mental trauma for a fresh puffy sleeping bag.

Check out Tim’s articles for more specific instructions on how to wash your sleeping bag and how to wash your down jacket.

The first time you wash your down is slightly terrifying, but it’s really not that hard!

Be warned, the crazy dryer balls are super popular with doggos

4. Restock the First Aid Kit

I’m a firm believer in a well-stocked first aid kit. I like to think that most ouches and even some major injuries can be catered for with the items I carry.

Fortunately, for the most part the only things that tend to get used are the odd Band-Aid, a paracetamol or two, or a bit of anti-inflammatory gel on the days my knees decide to act like they belong to a little old lady.

I don’t always remember to replace one or two small items after every hike so the end of winter is the time to make sure it’s fully stocked like the miniature emergency ward I intend it to be. If you don’t want to DIY and replace individual items, there are plenty of pre-packaged First Aid kits out there too.

If you don’t hike very often, you can also spring clean your first aid kit outside of spring. Doing this more often than once a year is a pretty good idea as items designed to fix bodies have a pretty short lifespan.

Housing all your items in this Sea to Summit First Aid Dry Bag keeps your mobile pharmacy dry and visible

5. Spring Clean Your Outdoor Gear Box

The ‘box’ could also be the cupboard, the shed, under the bed, the boot of your car… wherever it is that you keep your gear.

For me, it’s a relatively large box, and it contains all my smaller bibs and bobs. Think kitchen utensils, dry sacks, gas canisters, head torches etc. And it’s a right mess. Before each hike I scratch through it like a determined tabby in a litter box, pulling out what I need. And at the end of the hike I open the lid, toss it all back in, and walk away. It’s a recipe for mess.

The ‘Box’ before…

Now is the time to spring clean your outdoor gear box, and do some culling if need be. Often, I’ll find gear that I’ve since upgraded or changed. The old version is just sitting at the bottom of the box, unused. Welcome to Facebook Marketplace my little (or not so little, hence the reason I upgraded) friend!

This is also the time to do any repairs on items which may be damaged, and not getting much airtime out of ‘the box’.

Read more: Guide To What You Should Carry In Your Hiking Repair Kit

The ‘Box’ after a spring clean… Here’s hoping it stays like this!

How Good Does That Feel!

So, there you have it. The only thing better than new gear, is freshly cleaned and organised gear.

Some of my go-to cleaning products

For bonus points, set your tent up on the deck in the spring sunshine and let the warm breeze gently usher the pong of wet winter socks out of the fly and far away. Warmer days are on the way! Now that you know how to spring clean your outdoor gear, you and your gear will be ‘living your fresh life’, ready to take it all on!

FAQs How To Spring Clean Your Outdoor Gear

How often do you need to restock your first aid kit?

Items in first aid kits all have different expiry dates. Checking each item once every three months is ideal, but if you forget then annually is better than nothing.

How do I wash my tent?

Washing tents can feel super overwhelming, but it’s actually a pretty simple process. Check out our guide to washing your hiking or camping tent.

How do I wash my rain jacket?

Rain jackets work best when they are maintained and washing is an important part of that. No, rain is not enough to keep them clean! Check out our guide to washing your trusty rain jacket for all the specifics you need to know.

What items are available to repair outdoor gear?

Wild Earth stocks a wide range of repair kits for outdoor gear, and sales happen pretty frequently if you’re chasing a bargain. At a minimum, aim to have a sewing kit. Other handy ones are this seam repair kit or silicone seam sealer, and this mesh fabric repair kit

How do I clean a water bladder?

Aside from following the routine care and storage instructions, this water bladder cleaning brush kit is great to have on hand to ensure your water reservoir is always in tip top shape.

Keep the Spring Clean Energy Alive

• 5 Natural Ways to Keep Clean in the Bush
• Why You Should Pack a Clean-Up Kit (and How To Use It)
• How To Clean Water Bottles, Flasks, and Hydration Bladders
• How to Clean a Tent