Wash/Care

Aftercare Help

With such a broad selection of motorcycle clothing, it can be tricky to know where to start when it comes to caring for your gear. We get it, that’s why we’ve created this handy guide to help you get the most out of your gear – if you look after it, it will look after you!


Care For Your Leather Gear

Along with the use of the care label contained within each leather product, our advice would be to ensure that before you use any specialist cleaning product, that you have tried it in a discreet part of the garment and tested how it reacted. We do not advise using any cleaning products that contain bleach or harsh chemicals.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • Most importantly do not let dirt build up on your gear.
  • Using a sponge or lint-free clean cloth and cold water with a little neutral soap as detergent and wipe the garment down, without saturating the leather hide. Specialist pH neutral leather cleaners can be applied but should be tested in an inconspicuous area first.
  • Let the garment dry in a well-ventilated area, away from a direct heat source (e.g. sun/radiators) and if possible, on a suitable hanger or airer.
  • Liners too can be spot cleaned using the same process (sponge/cloth with a neutral soap)

If you own one of our Hixon, Alton, Stockton or Mia garments these should be cared for differently to the advice above. The leather in those styles is classed as ‘naked’ and therefore we advise that you do not have to use a specialist cleaner at all and because of the naked finish which will absorb moisture very easily, looking to buy an aniline leather cleaner and then an aniline leather guard/protector would be the best option. You can also buy aniline moisturiser independently to put moisture back into the leather at longer intervals. These products should be tested in an inconspicuous area first before applying to the entire garment. Mink oil is a further alternative suggestion, but this can darken the garment due to the natural absorption of a naked leather.

Care For Your Waxed Cotton Gear

These types of garments use a 100% cotton that is treated with a special wax coating. This coating helps acts as a protective barrier against both wind and water, yet still allows the fabric to remain breathable. Knowing how difficult and harsh the weather can be for us riders, Merlin also chooses to provide extra support to the wax by specifying that a Reissa waterproof and breathable membrane sits behind the wax. This means that even over a long period when the wax begins to dry out the waterproofing performance of your jacket is not compromised- some riders actually prefer the aged dry look of the wax. The key to getting the most out of your wax cotton jacket is to show it a little care and attention, for which in return it will serve you well for many years.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • Lightly brush off any dirt or soil, and if necessary, use a cold damp cloth to wipe down the jacket. Clean your jacket regularly to maintain its appearance but go easy as the wax will be removed. Dried mud, sand or grit are abrasive to the wax, especially along inner sleeve seams and this is the reason why we recommend brushing off regularly
  • Re-wax the jacket when the jacket loses its waxed appearance/finish and water stops beading and instead soaks into the cotton. Purchase a waxed cotton dressing tin from several online retailers and heat the tin of reproofing wax so that it becomes pliable and easy to apply. You can place the tin into a pan of hot water and warm it gently. Evenly apply the wax with a lint-free cloth, paying attention to seams.
  • Allow the wax to settle and dry slightly and remove any excess build-up. Use a hairdryer to melt the wax into the jacket- allowing an even spread of wax. Allow the jacket to dry in a well-ventilated area for 24 hours.
  • Do not machine wash or tumble dry. Do not iron. Do not wipe with hot water. Avoid soap and detergents unless the garment is particularly dirty and you need to get rid of these dirt/gnat marks before re-waxing.
  • Keep your jacket stored on a hanger to maintain its shape and appearance
  • Liners too can be spot cleaned using a gentle process of sponging/cloth wiping (lint-free) with a neutral soap the inside fixed liner whether that mesh or cotton. Do not heavily saturate the area and allow the garment to dry by hanging in a well in a ventilated area, away from a direct heat source (e.g. sun/radiators) and if possible, on a suitable hanger or airer.

Care For Your Textile Gear

Along with the use of the care label contained within each textile garment, our advice would be to ensure that before you use any specialist cleaning product, that you have tried it in a discreet part of the garment and tested how it reacted. We would not advise using any cleaning products that contain bleach or harsh chemicals. The advice here is for none waxed cotton motorcycle garments only.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • Remove all protective armour from the shoulder, elbows and back by opening the velcro pocket holding the armour in place and sliding it out. Unzip any removable inner liners.
  • Agitate any especially dirty areas with a brush/cloth (lint-free)
  • Ideally, hand wash your jacket with a mild or diluted detergent (without any bleach) in slightly warm water. This gentle wash prevents damage to any mesh or waterproof membranes.
  • As an additional and optional treatment use a water repellent wash/spray such as Nikwax to add further water repellency to the outer garment
  • Hang dry the garment out of direct sunlight but in a warm location and never use a machine dryer to dry the garments.
  • Once dry replace all armour and liners
  • Liners too can be spot cleaned using a gentle process of sponging/cloth wiping (lint-free) with a neutral soap the inside fixed mesh lining. Do not heavily saturate the area and allow the garment to dry by hanging in a well in a ventilated area, away from a direct heat source (e.g. sun/radiators) and if possible, on a suitable hanger or airer.

Care For Your Riding Jeans

Along with the use of the care label contained within each pair of jeans, our advice would be to ensure that before you use any specialist cleaning product, that you have tried it in a discreet part of the garment and tested how it reacted. We would not advise using any cleaning products that contain bleach or harsh chemicals.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • Before washing, remove all the impact protector from the hip and/or knee
  • Turn the jeans inside out and close up any zippers and/or buttons ready for washing
  • Using a neutral/mild or diluted detergent (without any bleach) machine wash the jeans in a gentle cycle, separate to other items.
  • Do not use any fabric softener in the washing process
  • Hang dry the garment out of direct sunlight but in a warm, well-ventilated location and never use a machine dryer to dry the garment
  • Once dry, fit the armour back into the denim jeans

This process should not be applied to a jean with a waterproof membrane for example Mason, where a hand wash should be carried out.

Jeans carrying a DWR or Huntsman water repellent treatment can be washed using the advice above, but after 20 washes a water repellent treatment (For example, Nikwax) should be reapplied to maintain the efficiency of the repellency.

Care For Your Riding Gloves

Our advice would be to ensure that before you use any cleaning product, that you have tried it in a discreet part of the glove and tested how it reacted. We would not advise using any cleaning products that contain bleach or harsh chemicals.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • Rinse your textile glove in water (never hot and without any heavy pressure) to allow the dirt to loosen and give any bacteria a chance to flush out.
  • With a bucket use, some mild hand soap or diluted detergent wash the inside of the glove. Do no though put concentrated cleaner directly onto the liner or exterior- only use a diluted mix. Let the gloves soak for a little while in the soapy water. You can use your fingers to clean the inside liner (Outlast liners are perfectly fine to be washed)
  • Rinse the gloves out and using your fingers squeeze down the fingers to draw out any remaining water
  • Leave the gloves to dry in a well-ventilated open area that is not in the direct sunlight or next to a heat source such as a radiator
  • As the gloves dry out but before totally dry put the gloves on to shape them back into place. Leave again to dry

To maintain your leather gloves please only use neutral soap and sponge or lint-free cloth to wipe over the surface. Do not leave the gloves to soak in a bucket, like you would with a textile glove.

Care For Your Footwear

Our advice for caring for your footwear would be to ensure that before you use any cleaning product, that you have tried it in a discreet part of the boot and tested how it reacted. We would not advise using any cleaning products that contain bleach or harsh chemicals.

If you have any further questions to the below then please consult Merlin directly.

  • After each ride ensure that all dirt and grease is wiped off the boot and if the boots are wet that they are dry before wiping with a none abrasion cloth, paying attention to panel seams. For areas of the boots with plastic mouldings mild soap can be applied to remove grease spots
  • Depending on how often you ride and what the conditions have been like, a leather cleaner will help to begin the restoration process, returning your boots to an ‘out of the box finish’. Several leather boot cleaners are available on the market and each come with their own set of instructions for application to different types of leathers. Please note that some of our leathers such as the Crazy Horse finish or the Aniline leather are developed with special treatments and therefore the normal cleaning process of polished leathers should not be used- mink oils or similar ‘exotic’ leather conditions are recommended
  • Once you have followed the boot leather cleaning instructions and the boots are completely dry for additional protection apply a leather protector which again can be bought from several retailers. Further please see point 2 and be aware of cleaning specialist (exotic) leathers.
  • Do not use strong cleaning products on leather, the use of mild cleaning products prevents the weakening of the materials, colour and finish.