FR Clothing Care: When to Repair, Replace and Wash

Caring for flame-resistant clothing is a lot different from laundering and maintaining everyday apparel. Did you know that FR clothing maintenance can actually affect the overall performance of each garment and your safety at work? Improper care of FR clothing can lead to early loss of flame-resistant protection, premature wear and tear, and accidental transfer of flammable materials that cancel out the FR protection you’re depending on at work. Improper care can also void the warranty on FR clothes, leaving you to replace damaged garments on your own dime.

See the best practices for FR clothing care and maintenance so you can ensure your workwear stays in top-notch condition for as long as possible.

From men’s FR shirts to arc-rated coveralls, every piece of FR clothing you own has special laundering and care requirements. You can prolong the wearability period of your FR workwear and avoid the need for unnecessary replacements by following these FR clothing care instructions. They’re the same directions we include with every FR garment we offer at MWG Apparel.

• Wash garments inside out. Washing FR clothing inside-out helps preserve the integrity (and flame/heat protection) of the flame-resistant fabric and helps your clothing last longer.
• Launder at home. Say no to commercial laundromats, which can reach very high temperatures that damage FR clothes.
• Do not dry clean. Dry cleaning uses starches and chemical solvents to treat and clean the garments, which bind with the fibers and interfere with flame resistance.
• Machine-wash with warm water. Warm, not hot, water is the most effective to loosen and remove dirt and grime from FR clothing without damaging the fibers.
• Tumble dry on low heat. Once again, drying your clothing at home (not in a commercial laundromat) is the way to go since industrial dryers reach high temperatures that can damage and shorten the lifespan of FR garments and workwear.
• Avoid harsh chemicals. Strong detergents, laundry soaps, and bleach might be commonly used in your household laundry, but they’re damaging to FR apparel. Skip harsh chemicals and opt for mild, dye-free, unscented detergent.
• Avoid laundry additives. Scented and conditioning laundry additives, like scent beads and fabric softeners, should be avoided with FR clothes. Additives coat the clothing fibers, which can suppress FR properties and increase flammability.
• Don’t use DEET. Just like fabric softeners and laundry scents can interfere with FR protection by coating the fibers, DEET clings to clothing fibers and makes them highly flammable.

FR Clothing Care Frequently Asked Questions
How long should FR clothing last?

How long FR clothing lasts depends on how often you wash it. If you have multiple sets or uniforms and alternate wear, you can wash each set on a rotating basis to help the garments last longer. For example, with 11 sets of FR shirts/pants, you could wash each set just 25 times per year by wearing a different set every other week.

FR clothing made by a premium brand, like MWG Apparel, is good for up to 25 washes. MWG Apparel backs FR garments with an extended warranty through 25 washes, and this is roughly the number of times FR clothes can be laundered before showing signs of wear and loss of FR protection (frays, fading, rips, stains, odors).

You may need to repair FR clothing if you notice a rip or tear at any time. Any damage to the structure of the garment means it’s no longer protecting your skin, so inspect garments carefully after each wear. At MWG Apparel, we back every purchase with an extended warranty for the lifespan of the garment and offer repair or replacement for rips, tears, or rare manufacturing defects at no additional charge (just pay shipping).