How to re-waterproof an old rain jacket – from spray to re-waxing

ok.co.uk:

We may have just recovered from the chaos of Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin but Britons have been warned to expect a heavy downpour of rain in the coming weeks, so if your old raincoat is allowing water to seep through the seams, it may be time to re-waterproof it.

Now, don’t fret. It’s not as technical as it seems – there are a bunch of cheap and easy ways to give your raincoat some extra protection, from clever waterproof sprays to seam glue – plus, you won’t have to splash out (excuse the pun) on a brand new jacket.

So how does a waterproof jacket work? Essentially, a chemical compound called DWR, or Durable Water Repellent is applied as a coating to the outer fabric of a garment, to ensure that water droplets will bead and roll off the fabric – like rain does on a car windscreen.

You can tell if this coating has worn off, from either at-home washing or general wear and tear, if you begin to notice dark, wet patches on your jacket.This means the rain water is no longer beading and rolling off – instead, it’s soaking through your jacket and will need fixing.