The most popular garment during the cooler months is the down jacket. It's comfortable, well-insulated, lightweight, cozy, and very practical. And considering the price range, there's a down jacket for everyone.
Like any other item, it gets dirty and needs care. However, this isn't just underwear that we wash daily in the washing machine; it's outerwear.
How do I wash a down jacket without losing its properties or damaging its appearance? And is it even machine washable?
How to wash a down jacket without a washing machine
Many people are afraid or reluctant to take their items to the dry cleaners because no employee at such establishments will give a full guarantee that the item will be intact and thoroughly cleaned.
Therefore, washing a down jacket at home is a pressing issue for every family. You can do it yourself, or more accurately, with your own hands, knowing the intricacies of this process.
There are 2 ways to hand wash a down jacket:
There are down jackets with holofiber filling. This item should be washed at a temperature no higher than 30 degrees Celsius, using a specially formulated detergent for down jackets. Avoid powder, which is difficult to remove and leaves streaks. The item should be washed and rinsed several times in cool water. Then, it should be wrung out and hung to dry.
If the down jacket is made of down, The best solution is to wash it partially.
First, locate the dirty areas. These are washed with a brush and colorless soap or liquid detergent.
Then these areas are washed off with a shower and dried.
Washing a down jacket in an automatic washing machine
The answer to the question of whether a given item can be washed in the washing machine can be found in the clothing label.
This is where important information is provided, which, if followed, will help avoid mistakes when caring for the item. If there is no prohibition sign, the item can be washed in the washing machine, but following a few simple steps will prevent fluff, unpleasant odors, or stains.
Preparing for washing
An important stage for both the down jacket and the machine is preparation.
It starts with checking the pockets of thingsIf there are any items in them, they are removed to avoid damaging either the down jacket or the washing machine during the washing process. If the down jacket has fur, it should be removed.
Then it is checked the presence of stains on the product itself. Light-colored down jackets require careful inspection, especially around the collar, pockets, and cuffs. Before washing, treat stains with laundry soap or a down jacket cleaner.
The next step is that outerwear is fastened with all zippers, buttons and rivets and turned inside out.
An important rule when washing a down jacket in a washing machine: only place one item in the drum! Cramming two or more will result in disappointing results: the machine won't clean a single item or will ruin them, especially if a lot of down is coming out of the seams.
Washing
To care for a down jacket, it would be good to find and buy special detergent for washing down jackets in the washing machine, as washing powder can ruin your outerwear forever.
It is sold in retail chains or in stores specializing in the sale and care of down jackets.
It is also advisable to use the developed rubber balls with spikes for washing down jackets in a washing machine or throw heavy items into the drum when washing tennis balls At least 4 balls to prevent down from clumping. The balls should not be painted, otherwise the down jacket will be damaged. You can pre-wash them to remove the paint. When loading drum they are laid out in different directions.
Many modern washing machines offer the following options: washing modedown jacket, but what if there's no such function? It's simple.
The following programs are perfect for these purposes: delicate wash or "wool". The main condition is temperature limit of 30 degrees. At startup washing, it is recommended to use extra rinse, since fluff absorbs detergent well and reluctantly releases it. About the regime It's better to forget about "squeezing"Otherwise, the fluff will definitely bunch up and come out of the seams. After reading the instructions and adding liquid detergent (usually 35 ml, or 50 ml for heavily soiled items), you can begin washing.
Drying a down jacket
After the washing cycle is complete, the down jacket is left to dry.
It is taken out of the machine and completely unbuttonsEverything that was buttoned up now needs to be unbuttoned, and the pockets need to be turned out too. Wet down gets bunched up in the pockets, which need to be smoothed out a bit and distributed as evenly as possible.
Next up is the down jacket hang it on a hanger and dry it in this position, that is, verticallyThis will allow all the water to drain and dry the item faster.
Using heaters and radiators will mercilessly destroy the down inside the jacket. The best place to dry is a balcony. While the jacket is drying, periodically stir the down inside the cells.
It is important to dry the down jacket completely, otherwise it will appear unpleasant odor from a rotting feather.
Machine drying is not recommended, as it will lose the feathers' insulating properties and make you feel cold in cold weather. However, this doesn't mean you can't machine dry them. For machine drying, select the "synthetics" setting.
If you washed a down jacket in a washing machine and the fluff got clumped
There's always a way out. Even if the down in your down jacket is tangled and can't be straightened out by hand.
Can wash the down jacket again, but this time correctly – using balls and recommendations for proper washing and drying.
If the fluff hasn't spread, try using a vacuum cleaner to distribute it among the cells. Use a low-power vacuum cleaner and dry it from the inside out using random movements.
