A down jacket provides excellent insulation with its warm and soft under feathers from the geese or duck. Such a jacket has fluffiness and loft, which create thousands of small air pockets.

These trap warm air as well as retain heat so that you can stay warm in the cold winter months. When you properly care for your jacket, it will last for many years. That’s why it is important to wash it regularly. Thus, you can get the most out of it. Read on!

Benefits of washing your down jacket

Like other clothing, your jacket can get dirty. When it does, the jacket will have a bad odor, which means it will become unwearable. The outer layer of this clothing is resistant to water because of the robust finishing.

The hydrophobic nature of the clothing will repel water and protect the features in the inner layer. However, the body oils, sweat, dirt, and dust will reduce the performance of the clothing significantly.

In particular, the inner layer will get dirty. That’s why it is important to wash it regularly, but with caution. The purpose is to keep it clean and maintain the insulation. Thus, you will feel the warmth without any itching, irritation, or bad smell.

Method 1:

Machine washing is the first method that we are going to talk about. It is a method that will instantly wash and clean your clothing. It involves you to set the machine cycle at 30 degrees Celsius. Make sure the temperature is not more than that.

Otherwise, you will cause damages to the clothing. So, remove it carefully and then put it in the machine. Run it for 10-15 minutes and then take out the clothing. Place it on the clothing rack and allow it to dry.

You can even dry it in the tumble dryer, which is a quick way to get the job done. Make sure you set the dryer on low heat. Otherwise, you can cause damages to the feathers. When it comes to drying, make sure you throw some tennis balls. It will make the process of drying a bit faster. Now, gently fluff up the item and you are done.

Remember, when you use the method of machine washing, you will select the option of “extra rinse.” You can also use detergent or soap. Make sure you skip the spin cycle as well as use the tumble dryer.

Method 2:

The second method is not a fast one, but it will surely clean the jacket. The method is known as the hand-washing. When you choose this technique, you will soak down your item in the sink for one hour.

You can use soap or detergent. It depends on your personal preferences. Rinse the clothing by squeezing out water. The purpose is to remove excess water. Once done, you will move to the step of drying.

After you have washed your clothing, it is important to remove it carefully from the sink. Remember, while doing this, you will feel that the clothing is heavy. It is because of the water content accumulated in it.

Now, lay flat the clothing and allow it to dry on the rack. While doing this, you have to fluff up the jacket gently. It will take around 48 hours to drip dry the item. Also, it may take longer than that because the drying depends on the weather conditions.

After you dry the clothing, make sure you continue giving it fluff occasionally. In particular, the fluff is important in wet areas. Once you feel that it has almost dried, you will put it in the tumble drier.

Again, set the machine on a low heat option. Check the progress regularly so that everything goes smooth. Moreover, if you want to increase the loft of the clothing, you can use 2-3 tennis balls that will quickly absorb the moisture. Continue reading!

Method 3:

Find a front-loading washing machine. Avoid using the agitator because it will damage the features of the item in the inner layer. If you don’t have a front-loading machine, you can go to the laundromat in your local area.

Once you access the machine, you will set the dial or setting to the cold water. Now, add a small amount of cleaner in the machine. Make sure you choose a cleaning product designed specifically for this type of clothing.

When you use normal detergents, they will strip down features and remove the natural oils. These oils allow the features to maintain their fluffiness and warmth. So, avoid using low-quality detergents in the fast-loader. Otherwise, your item will become brittle.

A high-quality cleaning agent won’t strip down their oils. It also does not repel water that exits on the outer layer of the fabric. Once the wash cycle has completed, rinse the jacket. You can also set it on the new cycle if you think the fabric requires further cleaning.

Now, pop the jacket in the dryer. Make sure you set it on low heat. The drying process will take a few cycles. Again, throw some tennis balls so that they help speed up the process. Tennis balls are also useful for maintaining the fluff of the item.

Make sure you avoid using fabric softeners, bleach, and iron on your item. These things will damage the fabric. Also, the iron can burn the inner layer. It means you can’t use the item. Besides, it will lose its quality.

Final Words

A down jacket performs excellently against the cold. However, when it is wet, you will have to pay extra attention to it. You will have to ensure there are no damages to the clothing. Do not use a fabric softener because it sticks to the detergent.

Dry cleaning is also not an option to clean the jacket. In dry cleaning, you use solvents that can damage the fabric. Although you can use a top-loader, make sure you don’t use it with an agitator. The purpose is to avoid rough wash.

When it comes to the spin cycle, the fabric is heavy when it is wet. So, proceed with precaution to avoid damages. Likewise, wringing is not suitable for your clothing. Even if it is heavier, don’t wring it. However, you can shake it gently to remove the excess water.

So, you can use any of these three methods to wash your down jacket. It is important to choose a method that best fits your needs. We recommend hand-washing method because it does not damage the fabric due to no involvement of heat.

Can down jackets be washed in a washing machine?

Washing your down jacket:

Place your jacket in the washing machine on a warm cycle (not hot or cold) and put in the down wash as directed. When it’s time to dry, use a very low heat setting on your dryer and throw in three clean tennis balls to help break up wet clumps of down.

How do you wash a down puffer jacket?

Machine-wash your down jacket on a gentle cycle at 30 degrees °C. Carefully remove your down jacket and lay flat to dry on a clothing rack. Put it in the tumble drier on a low heat. Throw in two to three tennis balls, or Granger’s drying balls.

Should you wash down jackets?

It is best to wash your down jacket with a cleaner specifically designed for down or technical outerwear. Household detergents and softeners can damage the down and feathers and also strip the fabric of its water resistant coating (if applicable).

Is it better to dry clean or wash a down jacket?

Down jackets are usually pricey, so you want to be careful when cleaning the garment. Although you may think your down jacket needs to be dry cleaned, this isn’t necessarily the case. While it’s fine to have it professionally cleaned, dry cleaning is not recommended, because the chemicals can damage the filling.

How do you fluff up a down jacket?

The Secret: Throw the puffer into the dryer on a low setting on its own, adding a few tennis balls to the machine. While the jacket dries, the tennis balls will bounce around the machine, constantly hitting the jacket like you would fluff a pillow back into shape.

What can I use in dryer instead of tennis balls?

If you don’t have tennis balls, use something else that is heavy and dryer-proof. Sneakers (trainers) are a good substitute. So are golf balls sealed inside plastic containers (to make them large enough to break up the wet clumps).

How do you fluff a down jacket without a dryer?

If you hang your down jacket somewhere humid, it may begin to smell. Every thirty minutes, give the jacket a fluff. Take the down jacket off the hanger and shake it, massage it and gently pull the fibres. Repeat this every thirty minutes until the down jacket is dry.

How do you Unclump a feather in a jacket?

You can add tennis balls for washing down-filled garments. Add the balls into the washing machine and they will help to fluff the jacket during washing. Aside from water, the down also absorbs small particles of detergent that make the feathers clump together.

Will washing a down coat ruin it?

It is best to wash your down jacket with a cleaner specifically designed for down or technical outerwear. Household detergents and softeners can damage the down and feathers and also strip the fabric of its water resistant coating (if applicable).

How do you Unclump a down duvet?

Do Puffer Jackets lose their puff?

Whether you’re taking your puffer jacket out of storage as the weather gets cold again, the key to keeping a puffer down jacket looking like new is the puffy appearance. If you have noticed that your jacket is losing its puff after repeated washes, you don’t need to buy a new coat.

How do you wash a puffer jacket without washing it?

How do you wash a puffer jacket by hand?

Fill a large sink with soap and water.

For down jackets that recommend handwashing, or if you don’t feel comfortable washing yours in the machine, you can also wash them by hand. Fill a sink with cold water and the recommended portion of down-safe soap.

How often should you wash a puffer jacket?

How long should a down jacket last?

How to Wash Puffer Jackets. Use a front-loading or newer top-loading machine to wash your puffer jacket, or hand wash if necessary. Typically, these types of washing machines don’t have the center agitator that can catch and tear materials, like the delicate top layer of a puffer coat.

How often should you wash a waterproof jacket?

How often you should wash them: two times a season. Washing guidelines: Overwashing down causes the feathers to break, so twice a season is plenty.