How to wash a coat in an automatic washing machine

Demi-season outerwear is difficult to choose due to changes in weather and temperature, but it is even more difficult to clean it from dirt. The main recommendation before sending your coat for storage is to visit a dry cleaner. Difficulties arise if cleaning is needed at the height of the season. Then many are interested in how to wash a coat in an automatic washing machine correctly.

Preparing the item for washing

Preparing outerwear should begin by carefully reading the label. Having received all the available information, you can decide whether it is advisable to use an automatic machine or whether it is better not to take risks. If you can wash it, then the next steps are:

Buy a special detergent (preferably liquid).
Buy a washing bag (necessary for all types, except synthetics and holofiber).
Remove all fur elements - otherwise they will turn into a continuous roller.
Remove metal inserts.
Carefully inspect the integrity of the seams - if there are holes, then when washed in the machine the fabric will “sag” and the item will lose its shape. Therefore, it is necessary to fix all the threads, and then carefully sew up the broken seam.
There is a recommendation for delicate fabrics, which it is advisable to follow for all items - before washing in the machine, the item must be turned inside out. In this position, there is less chance of stretch marks appearing on the front side.
Select the operating mode of the washing machine that is most suitable for a particular material.
Decide on the type of drying (machine spin for synthetics and no spin for delicate fabrics).
Determine whether it is possible to use double rinsing in the machine, whether it will be necessary to clean the material in a suspended state with a shower with cold water.
If the material allows ironing, it should be done at the lowest possible temperature and placing the fabric between the iron and the coat.
All fasteners must be closed. Some recommend fixing them with scraps of fabric.
Some synthetic fabrics can pill, so they need to be washed with special balls that will prevent the formation of clumps.

These are general recommendations that must be followed when washing any outerwear. But it is important to know how to machine wash a coat, depending on the material used and the manufacturer's recommendations.

Suitable programs

Washing machines are available with a large number of programs that are created for certain fabrics. The general mode is suitable for most clothes, but outerwear is made of delicate fabric, which is very sensitive to the choice of program. Therefore, you need to know how to wash a coat in a washing machine most carefully. Several modes are suitable for this:

Hand (delicate) wash - the washing machine operates at minimum speed to prevent destruction of the fabric structure.
Synthetics (temperature no higher than 30–40 degrees) are suitable for artificial fabrics that should not be exposed to high temperatures.
Fast (30 degrees) is suitable for synthetic materials if they are not very dirty. This type of machine wash lasts no more than half an hour.

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Some devices have a special “wool” mode. In this mode, it is best to wash the coat in a washing machine if it is made of wool or if the item contains added yarn.

Preparation

We check the resistance of the fabric to detergent. When purchasing clothes, along with spare accessories, the manufacturer puts in a small piece of fabric from which the product is made. It is necessary for testing the product that will be used for washing. Apply a little and watch the reaction: if there are no changes in structure and coloring, then this type of powder can be used when washing coats;
Remove all detachable decorative parts: belt, fur inserts, metal badges, cuffs;
Check your pockets. Keys, lighters, coins, paper clips, pens, buttons and any other objects can damage not only the washing machine, but also the coat itself;
Fasten all buttons and zippers and turn the outfit inside out;
Place in a washing bag.

Tip: pay attention to the information on the label. The usual cleaning temperature for polyester clothing is 40º, but sometimes the manufacturer reduces it to 30º, or increases it to 60º.

A little about detergents

Before you start washing, you need to look at the label. It indicates which substances contact should be avoided. Only after this can you go to the store and buy special cleaning products.

In large stores you can find cleaning products for every type of fabric. But if there is no specific product, then you can choose a liquid detergent for delicate washing and check its composition. If it does not contain substances that can harm the coat, then such a product is considered acceptable.

It is also worth looking for products for woolen items that require careful care. Here it is better to spend your time and find a special product that washes the material as carefully as possible.

In addition, you should pay attention to whether the cleaner is a universal one or whether it is intended for a specific color scheme. If the second option, then it can only be used with recommended fabric shades. On other colors, the detergent may leave streaks or change the original color.

Washing coats made from different types of fabrics

Washing a coat in a washing machine should be done after determining the material from which it is made. Each variety has its own nuances that must be taken into account before putting it in the washing machine. It is important to know how to wash a coat in an automatic machine, depending on the type of fabric, so as not to spoil an expensive item through improper handling.

Cashmere

Most cashmere models cannot be washed in a washing machine. Some things can't even be wet. But if the tag contains instructions about the washing mode in the machine, then the coat can be entrusted to the machine. Most often, this is acceptable for items that contain synthetic fibers, which give the coat greater stability. But it is important to set the minimum temperature and speed, turn off spinning, rinsing and soaking to prevent fabric deformation.

Wool

Wool products do not tolerate machine washing very well, so the main recommendation would be to avoid this procedure as much as possible. But when it is not possible to dry-clean your coat, you should choose the most gentle mode - hand washing. Some machines have a special function - wool; if it is available, it is worth setting this mode. In this case, the wool coat can be washed.

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It is necessary to turn off rinsing, soaking and spinning. You should also carefully monitor the number of drum revolutions and temperature - everything should be at minimum values.

Synthetic and polyester

There are few restrictions on these types of coats due to the difficulty of disturbing their structure. The main thing is to monitor the water temperature - it should not exceed 40 degrees, and in things with natural inserts, a temperature of 30 may be required. The product can be wrung out in a machine, but after removing it, do not hang it near heat sources.

Holofiber

This synthetic material is resistant to physical impact and perfectly restores its shape. Therefore, such a coat can be washed on any mode for synthetic fabrics, the main thing is to use a temperature no higher than 40 degrees. This is one of the items that can be machine dried using the spin function.

Drape

This type of material is very sensitive when washing, which is why it is not recommended to put it in a washing machine, because there is a high probability of ruining the item. But if it is not possible to take it to the dry cleaner, and removing stains does not help, then you should give preference to the hand wash mode, minimum temperature and low drum speed. You should turn off the functions of additional soaking and spinning, this will help reduce the risk of stretching or reducing the volume of the item.

It is important to remember that only coats without taped seams can be completely soaked. If there are any, then when washed the fabric is deformed or the seams come apart, so this type is cleaned only in special salons.

Sintepon

Coats made of padding polyester resemble “puffed” jackets with an elongated hem. Most often, the label indicates a temperature of no higher than 40 degrees, a minimum number of revolutions and no machine drying. Spinning cannot be used because the material can be deformed, after which the outerwear will become unusable, falling into lumps.

Sintepon coats, like jackets, cannot be heated, so direct sunlight and proximity to heating surfaces should be avoided. But this material is good because it tends to dry quickly without outside influence.

Camel's wool

This coat can be washed in a machine, but at minimum drum speed. In this case, the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees (minimum). You should also avoid spinning and dry the material by hand.

How to wash a camel wool blanket in a washing machine

Modern camel wool blankets differ significantly from their once popular Soviet counterparts. They come in two types: open and closed. The first include quilted products made from compacted wool, which many call rugs. They are soft and light, often used for decorative purposes. The latter are enclosed in fabric covers. For example, made of teak, satin or silk.

The blanket can be washed by machine, hand or dry wash. The main thing is to follow the recommendations provided, and then the item will not deteriorate after such procedures and will retain all its qualities.

Is it washable?

Beginners who are encountering a woolen bulk product for the first time are concerned with the question of whether the material can be machine washed. This is, of course, possible, but experts recommend washing such a blanket exclusively by hand. It is permissible to use a washing machine in special cases:

no bathroom;
not confident in their abilities;
due to personal characteristics, you trust the machine more;
inappropriate time of year;
significant pollution.

Preparing things

Before you begin any manipulations, pay special attention to the label. Conscientious manufacturers indicate how to properly wash a camel wool blanket, at what temperature

They also pay special attention to what not to do. To prepare an item for the process, perform the following manipulations:

the canvas needs to be freed from dust - vacuumed or shaken out;
if you are dealing with a closed-type product, inspect the outer fabric and repair tears, abrasions, and trim protruding threads;
rub old stains with laundry soap and leave for about 15 minutes;
an open-type blanket is placed in a duvet cover before being placed in the drum so as not to clog the machine drain with hairs;
the item must be rolled into a soft roll;
for high-quality washing, put several special balls along with the package or replace them with tennis ones;
It is forbidden to use powders with bleaches, aggressive components and strong aromas.

Selecting a washing mode

When choosing a machine wash, use the safest modes. Such as “Delicate”, “Wool”, “Duvet” or “Handmade”. The “Spin” and “Drying” programs cannot be used. And stop at temperatures strictly up to 30 degrees.

Choice of product

For products made from camel wool, choose a liquid laundry detergent for automatic machines, which contains lanolin. Ordinary powder will not work, but will only spoil the beneficial properties of the filler, settle between the fibers and reduce its service life.

Washing gel without aggressive components best cleanses natural wool and has an enveloping effect on it, after which the pile becomes softer and more elastic. Lanolin makes camel wool thicker and less dirty.

How to dry it properly

If the machine has a drying mode, then it is absolutely not suitable for blankets. Woolen products are preferable:

rinse additionally;
place in the bathroom after washing;
if possible, squeeze out by twisting between towels;
dry on a flat horizontal surface, carefully straightening the fabric so that there are no folds or creases;
if possible, take the blanket outside into the shade - there is good ventilation and it will dry out faster;
periodically change the damp fabric under the quilted fabric;
do not let the product lie dormant: change its position, turn it over;
For deep drying, you can place a heating device and a fan at a sufficient distance, which will direct jets of warm air onto the blanket.

Drying and ironing coats after washing

The first thing you should forget about when washing woolen coats is machine spinning. In this mode, the drum spins strongly, which is why woolen items begin to stretch, and even with normal washing they become unusable.

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To dry a wool or wool blend coat, you need to carefully lay it out on a horizontal surface so that any remaining moisture drips off. To speed up the drying of the item, you can lay terry towels on the countertop and cover the item. After this, you will have to periodically unscrew them so that the moisture leaves faster.

When the wool becomes damp, you can hang the coat on hangers and place it in a well-ventilated, shaded place. In this case, the coat should not be near a heat source, otherwise it will “shrink”. Many people ask the question - why can’t they hang it up right away, but instead have to tinker with towels? The fact is that a woolen item absorbs a lot of water, and under the influence of gravity, the moisture rushes down, stretching the coat.

Synthetic outerwear dries easier - some models allow you to twist them in the machine at minimum speed. And for those who are not recommended to get rid of water this way, the method of light squeezing is suitable, when the fabric can be wrinkled, but not twisted.

It is important to remember that any coat is not intended for high temperatures, so it should not be dried using an iron, radiator or heater. The material must dry naturally for the item to retain its appearance and properties.

Drape

Drape is a rather delicate material. You can clean it yourself by hand, but only if there are no taped seams. It is not recommended to wash a drape coat in an automatic machine.

Before washing, coats can be soaked for no more than 10 minutes. To prevent the fabric from losing its shape, do not twist or squeeze it while cleaning - only squeeze it gently. To wash a drape coat, use shampoo or soap solution. The water should be cold (+20 °C).

After cleaning, the product can be rinsed by holding it vertically under a cold shower. Next, you need to hang it on hangers in the bathroom so that the water runs off, and dry it either in the same room or outside.

Alternative cleaning methods

Sometimes it is impossible to wash a coat by hand or in a machine due to the high probability of damaging the product. In this case, you need to purchase a special clothes brush that will remove most surface contaminants. And if a small stain appears on the fabric, you can use one of the spot dirt removal techniques. To do this, they use special cleaning products that allow you not to soak the entire thing, but to clean a specific area. But in this case, there are two points that you need to pay special attention to:

Choice of product – it should be for delicate fabrics and not contain a large number of aggressive additives.
The general condition of the coat - if the item has not been thoroughly cleaned for a long time, the fabric at the site of the removed stain will be very different in color.

For light coats in such cases, it is best to use dry cleaning services.

Proper washing will not only clean your outerwear, but also preserve its appearance for a long time. Therefore, you should not save money on a special product and time on labor-intensive drying. The more effort you put into following the recommendations, the less likely it is to ruin an expensive coat.