Camo clothing takes a beating - mud, cam cream, sweat, brambles - and most of it survives fine if you wash and store it right. Get the process wrong and you'll fade the pattern, kill the waterproofing, or end up with stiff, musty kit nobody wants to wear.
- Wash camouflage clothing at 30-40°C with no bio powder and no fabric softener to protect DPM/MTP dye and any DWR coating.
- Air dry away from direct heat - tumble dryers crack waterproof membranes and shrink cotton ripstop.
- Re-proof MTP and DPM smocks every 12-18 months of regular wear, sooner if water stops beading.
- Genuine US Army Woodland BDU shirts and similar Grade A surplus need gentler care than new synthetic camo - check the label first.
- Small tears repair fast with a proper outdoor repair kit rather than a full re-buy.
Why this matters
A lot of camo kit on the used market is genuine surplus - British MTP, US Woodland, Dutch DPM - and that fabric wasn't made for a domestic tumble dryer. Wash it wrong and you strip the dye faster than field use ever would, which matters if you're trying to keep gear looking authentic rather than bleached-out.
It also matters for cost. Camo clothing that's brushed, washed correctly and re-proofed every year or so lasts multiple seasons of wild camping, cadet training or airsoft games. Skip the maintenance and you're replacing jackets and trousers every 12 months instead of every three or four. Before you start, it helps to know how to identify genuine military surplus from replicas - genuine cotton ripstop and synthetic replica camo need different washing approaches entirely.
What you'll need
- A soft-bristled brush for dry mud and debris
- Non-bio laundry detergent, no fabric softener
- A mesh wash bag for anything with drawcords, toggles or hook-and-loop
- A stain pre-treater or bar of laundry soap for cam cream and grass marks
- A flat drying rack or hangers - not a radiator
- A tent/fabric waterproofer for re-proofing (silicone or wax-based, depending on the fabric)
- A repair kit for small tears and snags
If you're maintaining an item like the British Army MTP PCS smock, check the condition grading before you wash it. "Like new" surplus can usually take a standard wash cycle; anything graded lower is worth hand-washing the first couple of times until you know how the fabric behaves.
The steps
1. Brush off dry debris first
Never load muddy camo straight into the washing machine. Let mud dry fully, then brush it off outside - wet mud smears into the fabric weave and grinds against fibres in the drum, wearing the print faster. This single step adds real years to a jacket's life.
2. Check the label and camo type
Genuine cotton ripstop (US Woodland, older British DPM) behaves differently to modern MTP with its DWR coating, and differently again to synthetic replica camo. A Swedish M59 field jacket, for example, is wool-cotton blend and needs a cooler, gentler wash than a poly-cotton MTP smock. Five minutes checking the label saves a ruined garment.
3. Pre-treat stains before washing
Cam cream, grass, and oil stains set hard if they go through a full wash cycle untreated. Rub a bar of laundry soap or stain pre-treater into the mark, leave it 15-20 minutes, then wash as normal. Don't use bleach on camo prints - it lifts dye unevenly and leaves patches.
4. Wash at 30-40°C, no fabric softener
Most camo clothing washes fine at 30°C on a standard or delicates cycle. Fabric softener coats fibres and breaks down any water-repellent finish, so skip it entirely - this is the single biggest cause of camo gear losing its waterproofing early. Use a mesh bag for anything with velcro, toggles or a drawcord to stop it snagging other items.
5. Air dry, never tumble on high heat
Hang items flat or on a broad hanger out of direct sun - UV fades camo dye almost as fast as high heat does. Tumble drying on high heat shrinks cotton ripstop and can crack the membrane on waterproof smocks. If you must use a dryer, low heat only, and check the garment every 10 minutes.
6. Re-proof once the fabric's dry
Water should bead on MTP and DPM fabric. Once it starts soaking in instead, it's time to re-proof - apply a spray-on waterproofer evenly, let it cure per the product instructions, then check the bead test again. Full guidance is in how to waterproof military clothing, worth reading in full before your first re-proof.
7. Store flat or hanging, never damp
Damp storage is where mildew and musty smells start. Fold or hang gear only once it's bone dry, ideally somewhere with airflow rather than sealed in a plastic bag. A cedar block or a few silica sachets in the storage box keeps moisture and moths away over winter 2026.
8. Repair small damage early
A snagged seam or small tear left alone becomes a bigger repair job after another few wears. A basic clothing repair kit sorts most small tears in minutes and stops fraying spreading across a whole panel.
Troubleshooting
Camo pattern looks faded after a few washes. You're likely washing too hot or using bleach-based detergent. Drop to 30°C, non-bio only, and dry away from direct sun.
Fabric smells musty even after washing. This is usually damp storage, not a bad wash. Rewash on a hot enough cycle to kill mildew spores, dry completely flat, then store with airflow.
DPM or MTP fabric has gone stiff after air drying. Hard water and detergent residue cause this. Add an extra rinse cycle and give the garment a gentle hand-stretch once dry.
Water soaks in rather than beading on the fabric. The waterproof finish has worn off - this is normal after regular wear and a straightforward re-proof fixes it.
Cam cream or face paint won't shift. Standard detergent doesn't cut oil-based cream. Pre-treat with a grease-cutting stain remover or washing-up liquid before the wash cycle, not during it.
Mould spots on stored camo gear. Sponge the area with a diluted vinegar solution, dry fully in sunlight, then check your storage spot for damp before putting it back.
Tools and resources
- Soft brush, mesh wash bag, non-bio detergent - the core kit for every wash
- A repair kit on hand for snags before they become tears
- The British Army MTP PCS smock as a reference point for how a well-maintained smock should look after a wash cycle
- A Swedish M59 field jacket if you want to compare wool-cotton camo care against modern synthetic blends
- Cedar blocks or silica sachets for storage boxes over the 2026 off-season
What to do next
Once the wash and dry routine is sorted, waterproofing is the next skill worth learning properly. The full how to waterproof military clothing guide covers product choice and reapplication timing for MTP, DPM and older canvas gear in more depth than this piece can.
FAQ
What's the best way to wash camouflage clothing?
Wash camouflage clothing at 30-40°C on a delicates cycle with non-bio detergent and no fabric softener. Softener strips any water-repellent coating and speeds up dye fade on MTP, DPM and Woodland patterns.
Can you tumble dry camouflage combat trousers?
Tumble drying is best avoided on high heat because it shrinks cotton ripstop and can crack waterproof membranes. Low heat for short bursts is fine if air drying isn't practical, but check the garment every 10 minutes.
Does washing fade camouflage patterns?
Repeated hot washes and direct sun drying fade camo dye over time, which is normal wear. Washing at 30°C and drying flat out of direct sunlight slows the fade considerably compared to a hot wash and radiator drying.
Is fabric softener safe on military surplus clothing?
No - fabric softener coats the fibres and breaks down water-repellent finishes on MTP, DPM and similar camo fabric. Skip it entirely on any surplus clothing you want to keep waterproof.
How do you remove cam cream stains from camo clothing?
Pre-treat cam cream or face paint with a grease-cutting stain remover or washing-up liquid before the wash cycle, leaving it 15-20 minutes to work. A standard wash without pre-treatment usually won't shift oil-based cream fully.
How often should you re-proof camouflage clothing?
Re-proof MTP and DPM smocks roughly every 12-18 months of regular wear, or sooner once water stops beading on the fabric. Heavy field use or frequent washing wears the coating down faster.
What temperature should you wash MTP or DPM at?
30-40°C is the safe range for most MTP and DPM camo fabric. Hotter washes accelerate dye fade and can affect any waterproof coating on the garment.
How do you store camouflage clothing long term?
Store camo clothing only once it's completely dry, folded or hung with airflow rather than sealed in plastic. A cedar block or silica sachets in the storage box keep damp and moths away over a full off-season.
One last thing
Genuine surplus camo - the sort of Grade A Woodland BDU or DPM smock MilitaryMart grades and sells as used - was built for field conditions long before it reached a wardrobe, so it tolerates more than most people assume. The mistake isn't washing it too little, it's washing it too hot and drying it too fast. Slow the process down and camouflage clothing from MilitaryMart or anywhere else will outlast the season you bought it for.
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