How to wash a down jacket to avoid spoiling it? 6 basic rules and detailed instructions

It is not always possible to give the thing to the dry cleaner, but you want to return the cleanliness and freshness of outerwear. In this case, you can cope with improvised means, the main thing is to follow all the rules.

Some people think that washing a down jacket is not necessary and even harmful to the product. This is not so. Regular washing not only cleans it of impurities, but also plays an important role in increasing the service life. When down is dirty, it retains moisture more easily, which means that the outerwear loses some of its airiness and volume.

This is a serious problem because it is the presence of volume that keeps warm air around your body, keeping you warm. Wearing it all the time inevitably makes the down more dense, which reduces its effectiveness in terms of keeping you warm and protecting you from moisture.

There’s another important consideration. A dirty filler, especially if it gets wet, can be a suitable breeding ground for mold and bacteria. So, now we understand that it is possible and necessary to wash a down jacket in a washing machine, but how to do it correctly? Let’s figure it out together with the experts.

How to wash a down jacket? 6 basic rules

Fashion expert of Shopping Live online store

“Down jacket – one of the most relevant models of the fall and winter season. And yes, unlike sheepskin, it can be washed. The main thing is to dry it horizontally. Otherwise, all the filling will be at the bottom. What other things do I need to consider?”

Any kind of outerwear on down or with artificial filling can be washed at home, if you know how:

1. Read the instructions on the product label. This is your main assistant. Pay attention to the temperature and the permissible mode of spinning;
2. pre-clean the down jacket from dirt. Spend time to eliminate any stubborn stains;
3. use a specialty product for shearing down jackets. A simple one can damage the feathers and make them more susceptible to moisture. Choose a proven product specifically for down;
4. fasten all zippers and Velcro, close the flaps, and unbutton all decorative details. It is better to turn the down jacket inside out. If in doubt, put it in a mesh bag for protection;
5. use special drying balls or three or four tennis balls: add them to the dryer to help the jacket dry faster and restore the down volume;
6. set the washing machine to rinse a few times on the slowest/longest spin cycle to make sure there are no cleaning agent residues left in the down.

What is the proper way to wash a down jacket? Extended instructions

Shopping Live’s fashion expert online retailer.

“What are the contraindications here? In the machine you can not wash down jackets with fur lining. Also do not subject to such a test products with decorations on the pockets. If there is fur on the hood, then before washing it should be unbuttoned. In addition, you can not wash a down jacket in the machine, if the label of the product has a clear indication – hand washing.

If washing a down jacket in a washing machine is allowed, we begin the operation to remove contaminants. So, we know that initially it is necessary to eliminate dried dirt from the fabric. You can do this with a damp cloth or a piece of cloth soaked in a soap solution. If there are serious stains on the jacket, it is better to soak them for a few hours. Here, too, you can use simple laundry soap.

Doubt that the contamination will succumb to such a procedure? Then it is worth going over it with a soft brush or rubbing with a sponge, and after – use a stain remover. Special attention should be paid to areas near the pockets, collar and sleeves.

What’s next? Our next step, according to the instructions, is to fasten the pockets and zippers, turn the down jacket with the wrong side up. This is necessary so that the jacket does not turn into a knot, and the hardware remains in place. So you will not only keep the shape of the product, but you can also avoid damage and torn off zippers.

Now we move on to the subtleties that are associated with the use of the cleaning agent. Granulated powder is not suitable for cleaning such jackets, as it leaves streaks on the material and gets stuck in the filling. For products with syntepon, it is better to use gels for washing, capsules with liquid means. Jackets with natural filling (for example, down or feathers) should be washed with special means designed for these materials.

On what mode to wash a down jacket?

For washing a down jacket, only gentle modes are suitable: “delicate”, “manual”, “down blanket”, “wool”. Check that the water temperature is set to no more than 30-40 °, and the spin is absent or at 400-600 revolutions.

Do not put other things together with the down jacket. It will increase in volume and become heavier when the filling gets wet. So you can damage the product and overload the washing machine.

How to wash a down jacket by hand?

What to do if the label has contraindications for machine washing? In the case when the down jacket can be cleaned only by hand, you will have to pour water at room temperature into a basin or (if the thing is large) – in a bathtub. Just as when washing in the machine, the product must first be released from the elements of decoration, things in the pockets and fur elements.

Add a liquid detergent for washing such products and leave the down jacket in water for 30 minutes. After that, rub the places of special dirt with a soft brush or cloth. Next, thoroughly rinse the jacket with clean water and wring out with your hands. Perform these manipulations until the foam stops flowing from it.

Be careful! Rub the parts of the product against each other or wring out with the help of twisting the jacket is not allowed. This can damage the material, make it thin and faded, and the filler in such procedures is easily clumped and collected in one place.

If you can not squeeze the product with your hands, you can wrap it in a towel, squeezing it with light movements. In this way, most of the moisture will come out of the jacket, and you will only have to dry it. If the down jacket has fur decor, which can not be removed, then after rinsing it only need to shake, and already dried material is carefully combed.

How to dry a down jacket? Detailed instructions

As we have already said, the most effective solution is to dry the down jacket horizontally. So the filler will not collect in one place, and the product will not deform. It is important to put the jacket in a place where air circulates well, and periodically shake and turn it over. This will allow you to dry the clothes faster and avoid “collapses” in the insulation. The ideal option is to place the product on a clothes dryer, placing a clean towel under it so that the water does not flood the floor.

Leave the down jacket in the sunlight or near heating devices is not allowed. The jacket may change shape, the material will become less elastic and will crack and tear faster, and the color will fade.

Remember, we talked about tennis balls that need to be placed in the drum of the machine? Well, if they did not cope with their task and the filling still crumpled, you can return the product to its former appearance with the help of any hand massager.

Knead the jacket on the inside to “break” the insulation and evenly distribute it over the product. Another option is to use a vacuum cleaner for curtains. Its small power will not damage the jacket, but will help to return the filler to its place in an even layer.

So, answering the question “can you wash a down jacket at home”, we answer – yes. It is only important to follow the instructions. Both in the version with a washing machine, and in manual mode. It is also worth remembering that there are also things that require special care. For example, jackets made with the use of membrane fabric. The main lifehack here is to carefully read the instructions on the label.