In an emergency you can transform a plastic rubbish bag into a poncho. Cut a hole in the bottom for your head and openings in the sides for your arms. Make a hood from a smaller plastic bag.
Remove spots from PVC and oilskin raincoats with bicarbonate of soda or scouring powder; rub on with a moistened cloth and rinse well.
To make a water-repellent finish last longer, hand-wash rain wear instead of dry-cleaning it. (If the label says 'dry-clean only', don't attempt to wash it instead.) You'll know it's time to renew the finish when even a light rain soaks through the shoulders. This usually happens after a couple of dry-cleanings.
