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How To Wash For Men’s Jackets Simply. Washing a Down Jacket
Washing a down jacket regularly increases its longevity and insulating characteristics. First, filthy down traps moisture, which makes the jacket less fluffy. This is important because loft retains warm air around your body, keeping you warm. Second, mold and bacteria can grow on unclean, moist down. Finally, wearing the jacket regularly compacts the down, making it less warm and moisture-resistant. Proper washing restores its fluffiness. So, trust Teeanime!
How to Wash Down Garments
The myth that down coats must be dry cleaned is untrue. If you know how, you can launder any down garment—vest, jacket, coat, or sleeping bag—at home.
Machine washing
Is it safe to wash a down jacket in the washing machine? You certainly can. We’ll walk you through each stage of the machine washing process.
What you will require:
- A down-specific detergent: Regular detergent will take away the natural oils in down feathers, making them more sensitive to moisture. Two popular solutions are Nikwax Tech Wash and Grangers Down Care Kit.
- Dryer balls or 3-4 tennis balls: To help the jacket dry faster and restore loft to the down, add balls to the dryer.
- A dryer: Hang-drying a down jacket not only takes a long time and ideal drying circumstances, but it also causes the down to dry in clumps.
STEP 1
Pre-treating stains: If your jacket has stains or a large build-up of perspiration and body oils, as is common near the chin and neck, you should treat these first. Using laundry soap or a stain remover, soak and brush the stains to lift them. Just remember to completely rinse the region before putting a jacket in the washing machine.
STEP 2
During the washing cycle, make certain that the detergent container is properly cleansed (to get rid of any damaging detergent) Close any flaps and zips so that nothing snags on the jacket liner. It is preferable to turn a jacket inside out. For delicates or wool, set the washing machine to a low/cold setting. Set the machine to the slowest/longest spin cycle and rinse a few times to ensure no cleaner residues remain in the down.
OPTIONAL
Reproofing: Cleaning a fresh down jacket restores performance. However, if your outdoor jacket has been worn for a long time and is starting to absorb water, it may be time to boost its DWR (Durable Waterproof Repellency). Most down jackets are not waterproof, however most outdoor jackets have a DWR coating, which degrades over time due to contamination.
After washing, add a down-proof product while your jacket is still damp.
Front-loading or top-loading machine?
It is preferable to use a front-loading machine when washing down-filled outerwear. The agitator in top-loading washing machines might damage the jacket material. If you don’t have any other options, you can wash a jacket in a top-loader washing machine; just place it in a mesh bag to protect it.
Hand-washing a down jacket
Most down jackets are machine-washable, but handwashing is still an option if you prefer the gentleness of handwashing.
What you will require:
- A bathtub: If you’re cleaning more than one jacket at a time, you can plug it up. If you only have one jacket to wash, you may want to use a smaller, stand-alone washtub to save water and use less soap.
- Down-specific cleaner: There are products specifically designed for outerwear and down; do not use laundry detergent.
- Room-temperature water: Using water that isn’t too hot will be gentler on your jacket (and your hands).
- A towel: Choose one that is large enough to roll your jacket up into to wring out extra water and speed up drying time.
- Drying rack: You can finish drying your jacket in the dryer, but air-drying it at least partially helps it last longer. If you have a clothes drying rack, you can hang it to dry. If you don’t have one, drape your coat over the back of a chair.
STEP 1
Spot clean any dirt or debris from the outside of the jacket before diving in. Use this time to treat any difficult stains with your down detergent. A toothbrush is an excellent instrument for spot cleaning: after applying the detergent, gently scrape the area in a circular manner. Allow it to dry before wiping away the detergent with a clean cloth to inspect your progress.
STEP 2
Soaking: After a moderate spot clean, immerse your jacket in warm water for at least one hour. Submerge your jacket in warm water in a sink, basin, or bathtub, gently stirring it with your hands. Then soak it for 10 to 15 minutes to remove any excess dirt, debris, and soap from the spot cleaning.
STEP 3
Rinse and repeat: After the first bath, drain the water and replace it with fresh water. Allow it to sit for another 5-10 minutes after gently agitating it.
STEP 4
Drain the water, remove your jacket, and gently push out as much water as you can. Then use the towel-rolling method: lay a flat bath towel on top of the clothing, then roll both together, squeezing to get more water out.
How to dry your down jacket
The dryer is by far the finest way to dry your down jacket. Dry the down jacket in a dryer with a large enough drum to allow air to circulate around it. Dry on low heat or air dry. To keep the item spinning and prevent clumping, toss in a couple drier balls or clean tennis balls. Remove the item, break up any clumps, shake it out to disperse the down, and then replace it in the dryer. Expect the process to take many hours and repeat several times. No matter how tempting it may seem, do not line dry or remove your down item until it is entirely dry.
If you don’t have a dryer, you can air-dry your jacket by hanging it in a well-ventilated place and gently breaking up clumps with your fingertips while it dries. You can speed up the drying process by placing it near a heater. Air drying is not usually recommended because it can reduce the loft of your down and take far too long to dry.
