Is handwashing shorts okay?

[Irulan]

[i]

And, don't machine wash water-resistent stuff. It takes away the resistancy and then you have to re-coat. Gently rinse or sponge off the mud. [/B]

It's probably better to thoroughly clean fabrics treated with DWR ( Durable Water Repellency) than to let them get too dirty, Dirt and grime will break it down more than the occasisonal toss in the wash. Even on the most expensive shell fabrics, the DWR needs to be renewed once in a while. A toss in the dryer will reactivate it to a certain degree.

From www.goretex.com care:

Gore shell fabrics are treated with an ultra-thin treatment called DWR, a durable water repellent polymer applied to the outermost fabric layer. This treatment penetrates the fibers and lowers the surface tension of the fabric, causing water to bead up and roll off the outer layer of fabric, instead of being absorbed.

Water-repellent outer fabric provides additional insulation and prevents liquid from saturating your garment's outer fabric, a condition known as 'wet out' that can make you feel damp and clammy. Your garment may even feel like it's leaking, although it's not.

Regular wear and tear, plus exposure to dirt, detergents, insect repellant, and other impurities, causes DWR failure. DWR is not permanent on any fabric. Its effective life depends upon how you care for your garment and how rigorously it is used. The most effective way to maintain your Gore garment's water and stain repellency is to wash it, rinse it, and put it in your dryer. The washing removes contaminants and the heat from the dryer helps redistribute the DWR treatment on the fabric surface.

If water fails to bead up on the surface of your cleaned and tumble-dried garment, its DWR treatment has reached the end of its useful life. But don't worry: You can restore a Gore garment's durable water repellency by using a topical DWR revival treatment for outdoor fabrics, available at most outdoor retail shops.

here is another good article on care and maintaning of DWR treatments, from MEC
http://tinyurl.com/4nbrh

~irulan