North Face is one of the most coveted jacket brands in the world. Most people like it for its durability, high-quality, functionality, and stylish designs. That’s why it’s important to take care of it to increase the lifespan of the jacket. You need to clean and store it properly to keep your North Face jacket for a longer period. Unlike other regular jackets, there’s a specific way on how to clean it. This will prevent the jacket from incurring any damages such as shrinking, stains, or holes.

Here we will show you steps on how to wash your North Face jacket the right way.

The Material

North Face Jackets are made of high-quality materials, and that’s the reason why you need to wash those using specific methods for different materials. Here are the most common materials used for North Face jackets:

  • Thermoball – This material is excellent in trapping heat. Even when wet, it stays warm on the inside. Hence, it’s suitable for cold temperatures that can run for below zero. It’s also waterproof, so even when it rains outside, you’ll remain dry and comfortable.
  • Gore-Tex membrane – This material is mostly preferable for water-resistant jackets that maintain excellent breathable quality. When you’re sweating a lot while on a hike or skiing, it can easily evaporate through the fabric. You won’t feel moisture inside whenever you’re in any outdoor activity.
  • Windstopper and Polartec – Both the materials improve insulation. They can withstand the worst temperatures without feeling uncomfortable wearing it. They are windproof and water-resistant, as it has a thinner material compared to the other materials mentioned above.
  1. Washing a Thermoball Jacket
  • Close all the zippers on your jacket, including the pocket zippers before washing. Failure to do so may cause deformation to the jacket while washing.
  • Always wash this jacket by using warm water and mild powder detergent.
  • Please do not use bleach or fabric softeners as it will damage the color and quality of the jacket. Also, do not mix the jacket with other clothes in the washer. The jacket might be deformed when mixed with other clothes.
  • Wash it on a slow cycle.
  • Repeat the rinse cycle to ensure that you rinse out all the detergent soap during the process. Also, repeat the spin cycle to drain excess water from the jacket.
  • When taking out the jacket after washing, never lift it for it will damage the jacket. Always scoop the jacket from the bottom to protect its form.
  • When drying it, please do not put it in the dryer but rather air-dry it.
  1. Washing a Gore-Tex Membrane Jacket
  • Ensure that you close all zippers of the jacket.
  • Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Never use the strong ones since the jacket doesn’t need to be deep cleaned that much.
  • Set the washing machine into a slow or gentle cycle using warm water. Make sure you check the water temperature before running the cycle.
  • Just like the thermo ball, do not mix the jacket with other clothing while washing. It’s sensitive enough to change its original form quickly.
  • Rinse the jacket twice to remove all the detergent debris.
  • Again, when taking out the jacket after washing, do not pull it immediately. Instead, slowly scoop it out, supporting the bottom.
  • We recommend that you air-dry jackets. However, for this material, you may dry the jacket in the dryer but only use the lowest temperature.
  1. Washing a Windstopper or Polartec Jacket
  • For this one, it’s not necessary to close all the zippers. You may do either way.
  • One must wash the jacket with warm water, ensuring that you check the temperature beforehand.
  • Only use mild liquid detergent. The jacket’s material doesn’t sit well with a strong detergent, bleach, fabric conditioners, and other chemicals.
  • Unlike the other two jackets above, you can wash this jacket with your other clothes.
  • Use a gentle cycle when washing to avoid any creases on your jacket. You may pull and twist the jacket to avoid it from creasing as well.
  • Rinse it twice to get rid of detergent and excess water.
  • One can either air-dry it or with an electric dryer while still maintaining a low temperature.

Important Tips

  • Always look at the jacket’s tag for instructions. It should give you specific instructions on how it’s supposed to be washed, dried, and stored.
  • Most North Face jackets are designed with a DWR (durable water repellent). It’s a coating applied outside the jacket so it could be waterproof. That’s the reason why you shouldn’t wash your jackets harshly so the DWR can work for a long time.
  • To improve the DWR on your jacket, you may purchase a DWR spray such as tectron and revivex. These will maintain the jacket’s waterproof functionality whenever you start noticing the water coming through inside.
  • Wash your jackets regularly to avoid dirt forming that can cause damage to the jacket’s DWR.
  • Most North Face jackets have Velcro fasteners, make sure that you also close them before washing.
  • If you don’t have time to wash your jackets, you may have it washed by a professional cleaning service that specializes in these types of jackets. This will help you as well to maintain its quality and use it for a long time.
  • When storing jackets, do not overpopulate them in the closet since it might cause it to shrink or deform. Give the jackets enough space and always hang them neatly.

Can you wash a North Face jacket in the washing machine?

Can you put a North Face rain jacket in the dryer?

Washing and Drying a Down North Face Jacket. Place the jacket in a front-loading washing machine on a gentle cycle. Top-loading machines with an agitator will likely damage the construction of the jacket. Warm water and a mild powder detergent are recommended.

Can you dry clean North Face down jacket?

How can I make my North Face jacket fluffy again?

The DWR (Durable Water Repellant) finish they’re coated with actually reactivates after a spin in the washer and dryer. When that’s done, tumble drying on low is the best option for these types of waterproof North Face jackets. If you don’t have a dryer, you can dry the jacket on the line, or even use an iron.

How do you make a North Face jacket look new?

How do I fluff up my down jacket?

The North Face, however, highly recommends that you take your down jacket to a dry cleaning facility that specializes in the cleaning of down jackets, so as to avoid damage to the fabric and especially the filling. When it comes to down jackets, the problem that might occur, is when it is time to dry the jacket.

How do you Unclump a down jacket after washing it?

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.

Can you machine wash a down jacket?

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.

What can I use in dryer instead of tennis balls?

I’ve found this works very well:
  1. Wash it on gentle cycle with a down specific detergent in a machine that doesn’t have an agitator (you don’t want to rip the baffles)
  2. Extra rinse & spin cycle to get all of the detergent out.
  3. Dry on low heat with tennis balls until all of the down is completely unclumped.

How often should I wash down jacket?

Here’s how to wash your down jacket at home:

Find a front-loading washing machine; the agitator of a top-loader can damage down feathers. After the wash cycle, make sure the jacket gets a thorough rinse; maybe set it for an extra cycle. Once done, pop the jacket in the dryer on a low heat cycle.

Should you wash down jackets?

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.

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

Instead of using a tennis ball, other objects can produce the same results. Tie a couple of T-shirts into balls and put them in the dryer with a single pillow. Add in a single clean shoe with multiple pillows. Small stuffed animals without any plastic parts can fluff the pillows and keep the dryer quiet.

How do you wash and dry a puffer jacket?

Down jackets, leather jackets, and wool coats: Once a season, if worn sporadically; twice a season, if worn regularly. Suit jackets and blazers: After four to five wears.

How do you hand wash a jacket?

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 wash a jacket without washing it?

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 wash a puffer jacket by hand?

How to Wash a Down Jacket
  1. Remove any loose dirt using a brush.
  2. Clean the detergent compartment of any residues.
  3. Set the machine to a cold wash or delicate wool cycle.
  4. Pour the appropriate cleaner into the machine.
  5. Dry the jacket in a tumble dryer on a low heat using dryer or tennis balls.