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BAD WORKWEAR UKBAD WORKWEAR UK

Product Care

Product Care

Product Care Guide

Look Sharp. Work Harder. Last Longer.

Bad Workwear is engineered to withstand tough jobsite conditions. Following proper care instructions keeps your gear performing at its best, extends its lifespan, and ensures high-visibility safety apparel stays compliant with Australian safety standards.

The 4 Golden Rules of Garment Care

1

Avoid Heat (Cold Wash Only)

Heat will shrink and fade your products. Always wash Bad Workwear in cold water to preserve fabric strength, garment sizing, and color vibrancy.

2

Wash Inside Out

Turn pants, fleece, tops, and jackets inside out before washing. This protects printed logos, high-density stitching, and reflective tape from friction in the machine.

3

Line Dry in the Shade

Air-dry your garments in the shade. Direct sunlight fades hi-vis colors over time, and tumble dryers generate extreme heat that damages stretch materials and trims.

4

Skip Fabric Softeners & Bleach

Fabric softeners coat fibers, ruining moisture-wicking properties, breaking down elastane stretch, and degrading waterproof coatings. Bleach permanently weakens cotton fibers.

Category Care Guides

  • Washing: Our premium fleece fabrics must be washed with cold water only. Wash inside out with like colors.
  • Drying: Must be line dried in the shade. Never tumble dry fleece garments, as heat will cause shrinkage and destroy the plush inner texture.
  • Heat Warning: Keep heat completely away from Rain-Defend products. Heat will damage the zippers and destroy the waterproof function found in these garments.
  • Washing: Wipe down light mud with a damp cloth. For machine washing, use a gentle cold cycle with a mild liquid detergent. Do not use powder detergents, stain removers, or softeners.
  • Drying: Drip dry on a hanger in a shaded, ventilated area. Never iron, dry clean, or tumble dry waterproof outerwear.
  • Prep: Empty all pockets, fasten zips, and secure buttons or velcro prior to washing.
  • Washing: Wash dark and bright colors separately in cold water.
  • Drying: Hang inside out to dry naturally. Avoid high heat to preserve waistbands, elastane stretch, and CORDURA® reinforcement panels.
  • Ironing: If required, iron inside out on a cool setting. Never iron directly over logos or elastane panels.
  • Washing: Wash inside out in cold water on a gentle cycle. Spot clean heavy oil or mud from reflective tape before machine washing.
  • Drying: Line dry inside out in the shade.
  • Ironing: Do not iron over reflective tape. Iron around the tape on the reverse side using a low heat setting.
  • Cleaning: Brush off dried mud and grit using a soft-bristle boot brush after each shift.
  • Drying Wet Boots: Pull out the footbeds and let boots dry naturally at room temperature in a well-ventilated space. Never place boots near heaters or direct flames, as rapid heat shrinks, warps, and cracks natural leather.
  • Conditioning: Apply a quality leather conditioner, mink oil, or dubbin every 1–2 months to keep leather soft and water-resistant.

Tradie Stain Removal Guide

Apply a small amount of liquid dishwashing soap directly onto the dry stain, rub gently, let sit for 15 minutes, then cold wash as normal.

Allow mud to dry completely, then brush off excess dirt before placing the item into a cold wash.

Rinse water-based paint immediately with cold water before it dries. Oil-based paint requires a small amount of specialty paint solvent prior to washing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Heat will shrink and fade these products. High water temperatures, hot irons, and tumble dryers will shorten garment life, fade colors, and ruin stretch fibers.

Our premium fleece fabrics must be washed with cold water and line dried in the shade. Never use hot water or tumble dry fleece items.

Wash Rain-Defend products on a gentle cold cycle with mild liquid detergent and line dry in the shade. Avoid heat entirely, as heat will damage the zippers and destroy the waterproof function found in our Rain-Defend products.

Fabric softener leaves a waxy chemical coating on clothing fibers. This clogs breathable pores, ruins moisture-wicking capabilities, breaks down stretch elastane, and strips waterproof treatments.

No. Never apply a hot iron directly to reflective tape, as heat will melt the retroreflective film and ruin its safety compliance. Always iron garments inside out on low heat away from reflective panels.