How to Wash a Heated Vest Without Ruining It
A heated vest gets worn a lot in winter. It sits under your coat on the commute, on the sidelines and on long walks, so sooner or later it needs a wash. The good news: most heated vests are made to be washed. The heating pads are thin carbon fiber panels sewn into the lining, and makers design them to go through the machine. The one part that can never get wet is the battery.
Before you wash: take out the battery
This is the step that matters most. The battery or power bank sits in a zip pocket, with a short cable running from it into the vest.
- Turn the vest off and unplug the cable from the battery.
- Take the battery out of the pocket and set it somewhere dry.
- Tuck the cable end back into the pocket and zip the pocket closed, so the plug doesn't bang around the drum.
- Zip up the vest and any other pockets.
ORORO's listing for its women's 4-zone vest says to remove the battery before washing and then follow the care label. That's the rule for every vest here.
Check the care label first
Labels differ, so read yours before you start. Some vests say machine wash. Others, like the DR.PREPARE hooded vest, suggest hand washing or a machine wash inside the included laundry bag, and say not to dry-clean, wring or iron it. The label always wins over general advice, including this guide.
How to machine wash a heated vest
If the label says machine wash:
- Use a laundry bag if you have one. It keeps the cable and zippers from catching. Some vests come with one.
- Pick a gentle or delicate cycle with cold or cool water.
- Use a mild detergent. Skip bleach and fabric softener, which can coat the fabric and the panels.
- Wash it with similar soft things, not with jeans or anything with heavy zippers or hooks.
- Skip the high spin if your machine lets you choose. A gentle spin is easier on the wiring.
ORORO says the heating elements in its fleece and down vests are built to last 50+ machine wash cycles. That's a lot of washes, but it still makes sense to wash only when the vest is dirty, not after every wear.
How to hand wash a heated vest
Hand washing is the gentlest choice and works for any vest.
- Fill a sink or tub with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent.
- Push the vest under the water and move it around gently for a few minutes.
- Drain and refill with clean water to rinse. Repeat until no soap comes out.
- Press the water out with your hands. Don't twist or wring it, since that bends the heating panels and wires.
- Roll it in a dry towel and press to soak up more water.
How to dry it
Heat from a dryer is hard on the wiring, and many labels rule it out, so air drying is the safe default.
- Hang it or lay it flat somewhere airy, out of direct sun and away from a heater.
- Let it dry all the way through, including the battery pocket and the cable end. This can take a day for a thick, insulated vest.
- Don't plug the battery back in until it's fully dry. A damp connector is the one thing you want to avoid.
Caring for the battery
The battery never goes in the wash, but it still needs a little care over the season:
- Wipe it with a dry cloth if it gets dirty.
- Charge it with the cable that came with it.
- If you store the vest for summer, store the battery out of the vest, somewhere cool and dry, and follow the maker's guidance on charge level.
Washing tips by vest type
- Quilted, insulated vests (like the ORORO women's 4-zone vest) hold water in the filling. Give them extra drying time and shake them out so the insulation doesn't clump.
- Fleece vests dry faster but can pill. Wash them inside out on gentle.
- Thin nylon vests that run from a USB power bank are the quickest to wash and dry. Just make sure the USB plug is zipped away.
The short version
Battery out, cable zipped in, follow the label, gentle and cool, no wringing, air dry fully before you plug back in. Do that and your vest should last many winters.
For five women's heated vests compared on battery, run time, insulation and washing, see our best heated vest for women comparison.