A down jacket is a fashionable, practical, inexpensive wardrobe item, but such clothing requires special care. Choosing the right cleaning product is a science.
All down jackets are conventionally divided into artificial and natural. The first category includes things with synthetic filler. They are not picky about washing and are a budget equivalent of high-quality outerwear. Natural down jackets are made using down from waterfowl. The natural insulation contains a barely noticeable fatty film. It helps prevent rain and snow from getting inside. The water-repellent properties of the product are easy to damage, so down jackets require special care.
Modern manufacturers increasingly recommend dry cleaning of down items, because outerwear gets dirty very quickly. Regular chemical treatment will be costly. Thrifty housewives choose to clean themselves. But you need to wash things in an automatic machine or by hand correctly.
The best way to wash a down jacket in a washing machine
It is difficult to decide which down jacket product to use when machine washing. The variety of compositions leads to a dead end. There is a wide range of chemical formulations on supermarket shelves, ranging from powders to capsules. When choosing a detergent for washing down jackets in a washing machine, you should consider some points:
- Washing compositions are chosen that are as close as possible to the characteristics of the product. Such compositions preserve the integrity of the fabric structure, refresh the color and protect it from external influences.
- For the washing machine, it is optimal to use liquid soft formulations. When treating bulky items with gel, little foam is formed. The product is easy to rinse and leaves no streaks. It is important to read the information on the packaging. The liquid substance should be suitable for things with natural filler. Down may lose its original thermal characteristics or become confused if the chemical composition is incorrectly chosen.
- How to wash a white down jacket in a washing machine. When cleaning light-colored fabrics, the use of dry powder is allowed. Its label must contain information that it is suitable for such clothing. If the contamination is severe and soaking cannot be avoided, then two hours will be enough. Prolonged contact with water can damage the down filling.
Modern capsule products are considered the best choice for cleaning down jackets. Capsules filled with liquid are convenient to throw into the machine. They do not require dosage. Their composition is soft, similar to the gel formula. Minimal foam formation leaves no streaks. The soft consistency does not wash out the color, protects the fabric, and does not destroy the water-repellent layer.
Recommendations for hand washing
Hand washing a down jacket is not the best solution. When wet, a voluminous product becomes very heavy and difficult to handle. It is almost impossible to squeeze such a thing by hand. However, there are situations when there is no choice. Rules to follow:
- Treat the most contaminated areas in advance with detergent or laundry soap (using a sponge or brush), and leave it like that for a while.
- Any liquid detergents for washing down jackets must first be dissolved in water and then immersed in the item.
- To prevent fluff balls from settling to the bottom of the cells, it is advisable to keep the product in a horizontal position at all times.
- Washed clothes should be rinsed thoroughly several times.
- Down jackets cannot be wrung out by twisting! Just a light squeeze.
If during washing the fluff still sticks together into clumps, you can “fluff” it with your hands, but it will not be possible to completely restore the heat-insulating properties of the clothing.
Washing down jackets “at home” (manually or using an automatic machine) has long been successfully practiced by Russian housewives. By following all the rules and using specialized detergents, you can achieve good results. However, if doubts remain or the manufacturer recommends dry cleaning only, it is safer to use the services of professionals. Dry cleaning staff will be able to remove stains from even the most delicate down jacket without ruining it.
How not to wash down products
Note! Powder unsuitable for down jackets will irrevocably damage the item. Voluminous outerwear requires delicate care, especially if it contains natural fluff.
It is not recommended to use conventional universal powder products. Large amounts of foam are difficult to rinse and streaks cannot be avoided. The aggressive composition destroys the layer with which natural fillers are impregnated. Dry powders often contain chlorine. Bleach and stain removers containing chlorine should also not be used on down jackets. It is better to take gentle compositions that are safe for delicate fibers.
What is not recommended to do
It is forbidden to use regular powder for a down jacket.
If you want to experiment, then know that the product will receive such defects that you cannot eliminate on your own:
- white stains will appear on the fabric;
- the fluff will be distributed in different places of the product, rolling into lumps;
- the down jacket will change its color dramatically.
Using this powder will only destroy the heat-storing properties of down. Standard powder contains bleaches, surfactants, enzymes, and dyes that will ruin your outerwear. Therefore, this cleaner is better suited for washing everyday laundry.
Tips and tricks
- Down jackets with leather elements should be dry cleaned; they are intended for dry chemical processing.
- Synthetic coats cannot be cleaned with outerwear products. You must read the washing information on the product label.
- Natural fillers are treated with gels for natural fibers. Such products can be found in sporting goods stores.
- Membrane jackets require hand washing.
Down items with colored fur inserts should be dry cleaned. When washed at home, the fur may fade or become damaged. If the fur is not dyed, gentle processing in the washing machine is allowed. After washing, wet fur should be combed periodically. For these purposes, a regular baby comb or wide-toothed comb is suitable.
Options for cleaning down jackets
There are two ways in which you can remove dirt from a down jacket. The first option is to find a dry cleaner near you, and the second option is to do the laundry at home. By sending your item to the dry cleaner, you will save your time, but you will spend a lot of money.
In addition, no one will give you a 100% guarantee that the down product will be perfectly cleaned and not damaged by an inexperienced worker.
Therefore, a reliable option would still be to wash your expensive item in your own washing machine. Your main task is to choose a good product that will not ruin your down jacket.
Liquid detergents for washing down jackets
There are a huge number of cleaning compounds for down products. You need to choose the right product correctly. Store shelves selling household chemicals are full of different names. Prices for budget products for washing down jackets start from 200 rubles.
List of the most popular products that have gained popularity:
- Dreft gel with the aroma of a summer meadow will cope with stains on outerwear that requires a soft wash. The chamomile decoction in its composition fights fabric deformation and adds freshness to the color.
- Difficult stains on things filled with down will be removed by a liquid composition with the addition of lanolin from the German manufacturer Heitmann. The mild product does not damage the natural insulation, restores its fibers, and prevents it from bunching up. Prevents fabric from washing out dye.
- For inexpensive products, experienced housewives recommend Domal Sport Fein Fashion. A high-quality liquid composition for voluminous outerwear retains the original characteristics of the fabric.
- Shampoo for natural down jackets Woly Sport Down Wash is one of the most popular chemical compositions. It does not harm the filler, gives a fresh aroma and brightness of color.
- Ariel Power Capsules Mountain Spring are suitable for washing any fabric. Their formula works from within the fibers. Protects them and ensures the safety of the filler.
- “Stork” is a budget version of the gel, suitable for down jackets and children’s wardrobes. Things after it are soft with a pleasant smell. The gel is well tolerated by tissue.
- Colored down jackets can be washed well with the addition of “Caress the magic of gentle”. The product will cope even with heavy dirt and old stains.
What to do if spots appear?
If stains appear on a down jacket filled with camel hair, there is no need to rush, immediately soak the product in water.
Before you begin the washing process, it is necessary to remove heavy soiling from your clothes.
There are several ways to quickly remove stains from a camel wool jacket:
- We use dishwashing detergent. In a glass of clean, warm water, you need to dilute two tablespoons of liquid detergent. The gel is thoroughly stirred, and the resulting soap solution is carefully applied to the stain using a sponge or soft brush. After twenty minutes, remove the remaining soap solution with a clean cloth. Experts advise using this method to combat grease stains on clothes.
- We use gasoline (refined). Use a napkin or rag soaked in gasoline to gently rub the stain on the jacket. This method is effective in combating oil stains. Before cleaning the stain, you need to check in an inconspicuous area how the fabric of your jacket or down jacket reacts to contact with gasoline.
- We use ammonia. Add a few drops of ammonia to a small amount of liquid dishwashing detergent (2-3 spoons). Using the resulting product, using a sponge, treat the stain on the jacket. After five minutes, thoroughly rinse off the remaining soap solution under running water. This method helps to cope with old stubborn stains on clothes.
Stains on a camel hair jacket need to be cleaned out as soon as possible. The longer a stain remains on the fabric, the more difficult it is to remove.
What powder to wash down jackets in an automatic machine
Fans of granular machine wash products should focus on gentle formulations.
Brands of washing powders for down jackets that have earned consumer recognition Persil, Ariel, Test. Their compositions are intended for delicate items. They have a beneficial effect on the appearance of things and do not spoil their fibers. We recommend:
How to wash a wool coat in a washing machine
Some housewives prefer products for children's things. Such compositions do not form a lot of foam and rinse well. The products are soft and non-aggressive. The leader among the popular names of children's powdered products is “Eared Nanny”. When choosing a product, you need to consider the information on the label.
The machine mode is turned on in accordance with the characteristics of the product. An incorrectly selected temperature or an increased number of revolutions will ruin down items. Washing natural fillers requires careful preparation.
How to care for a down jacket
Down jacket is a versatile, practical and very comfortable jacket that will protect you from snow, wind or frost.
You can choose a down jacket taking into account your own taste preferences, and of course your finances.
Manufacturers of this clothing offer customers a huge selection and selection of colors and a variety of styles with fillings.
It goes without saying that after buying a winter jacket for your wardrobe, everyone wants it to warm you up for more than one winter and delight the lady with its beauty and purity. Therefore, everyone needs to not only know, but also be able to care for the purchased product.
Choice of product
If we compare two products such as powder and gel, then, of course, the second option wins . Some housewives are afraid of innovations and use powder the old fashioned way. Unlike liquid detergents and capsules, most of them are not intended for washing down jackets.
Mainly the powder negatively affects the quality of the jacket. Appearance can also suffer greatly. This happens due to the fact that the down filling absorbs detergent, which is then difficult to part with. Even a one-time wash with powder can render all the downy contents unusable - it will stop warming, and the feathers will clump together.
Buy some balls
In order to prevent fluff from rolling and curling of the product, it is recommended to use special tourmaline spheres. They contain a complex of minerals that can change the composition of water and increase the alkali content. This effect allows you to clean laundry even without powder. In addition, the spheres have a mechanical effect on contaminants with their rough surface. For filling down jackets, the use of such balls is doubly justified, because they straighten out lumps formed in the filler. However, the purchase of such accessories is not always justified, because their cost is not affordable for everyone. How then to wash so that the fluff does not get lost? Very simple! All you need to do is buy a few tennis balls and spend ten times less money.
The balls are placed with the clothes immediately before washing.
It is important to remember that before using such items, they must first be washed and bleached. Dye on the outer covering can ruin light-colored fabric, turning it yellow-green.
Important! If you don’t have any spheres or tennis balls at home, then regular massage balls will do just fine. These rubber products do an excellent job and distribute fluff evenly throughout clothing.
You can also get out of the situation with the help of clean white socks. You need to put a ball of thread in them and tie them tightly. This is the most budget-friendly, but effective option that is worth trying at least once.
What do you need to pay special attention to?
In order not to spoil the presentation and quality of your favorite down jacket, you need to choose a special product that is suitable specifically for washing such clothes in a machine.
The composition of the powder must be taken into account especially. It should not contain chlorine-based components or substances that destroy the down layer.
Preparing for washing
Before you start washing, the down jacket must be prepared according to the following instructions:
Before washing, be sure to check the contents of the pockets
- The areas that are most dirty should be pre-washed with laundry soap. It is completely harmless to the surface material and filler, while dissolving contaminants quite well. You can use other professional or improvised products to clean shiny areas on down clothes.
- to reduce surface wear, the down jacket is turned inside out, all buttons, snaps and fasteners must be fastened;
- if there are places on the clothing where the seams separate and filler comes out, then they must first be hemmed;
- It is advisable to wash the down jacket separately from other clothes, because it is quite bulky.
Instructions for =
The procedure for washing the product can be found in the material: How to wash down jackets in an automatic washing machine.
What's inside the down jacket
Down jackets are made from lightweight synthetic materials. Depending on the manufacturer, it can be nylon, polyamide or polyester. There are also leather products, which are not so common due to their heaviness and the need for specific care.
The coating of down clothing is very diverse
Duck or geese down is used as filler. This choice is due to the fact that these are waterfowl, and their down has water-repellent properties due to the thin fatty coating on the surface of the material. Thanks to this feature, down jackets are practically impervious even to heavy rain - the moisture simply does not penetrate through.
Down jacket filler
The filler requires the use of special washing products that will effectively remove stains of any origin, while preserving the precious properties of the down jacket and without damaging the structure of the water-repellent down.
Why are balls needed and what can replace them?
A good addition to all of the above are balls for washing down jackets. These are sold in hardware stores, usually in quantities of 4 pieces. They are used to ensure that the fluff does not get confused or roll off. Before washing, two balls are placed in the pockets of the down jacket, and two more are simply placed in the drum of the washing machine. Also among the offers you can find magnetic or tourmaline balls. However, these are extremely difficult to find, and their price is higher.
What can you replace the balls with if you can’t find them in stores?
- Tennis balls. Just before washing, check to see if their coating is fading. The dye is not always permanent.
- Massage balls will also be a good replacement for special balls. The main thing is to use rubber, not plastic. The latter can ruin the thing.
- Oddly enough, washed potatoes will do the job. True, there is a risk of leaving stains on dark fabric, so it is best to use young tubers.
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Dry cleaning
If the owner of a down jacket is very worried about its safety after washing, and has doubts about the choice of detergent, then it is recommended to use dry cleaning services.
In dry cleaning, down outer clothing is cleaned with professional products.
They use chemicals that perfectly break down various pollutants, without destroying the structure of the materials from which the down jacket is made.
These substances have low humidity, so the down after their use does not swell and does not lose its properties.
Lifehacks
To properly wash and dry a down jacket, it is not enough to choose the right washing mode and detergent. There are some useful tips on how to properly wash a down jacket in the washing machine at home and maintain its appearance.
Tennis balls
Quite often, down jackets are washed with tennis balls. If you use this advice, you can prevent the formation of clumps from the litter. This will also make it easier to restore the structure of the jacket after washing.
The disadvantages of this method are that it is difficult to find the balls. Most tennis balls are characterized by bright colors, which are not always of high quality. During the washing process, it can fade and stain the jacket. Use snow-white tennis balls or other alternative accessories.
What can replace balls?
You can replace the balls with massage accessories. They are made of dense rubber, and there are protrusions on the surface. When the washing machine drum rotates, the spikes will act on the filler, preventing it from clumping.
Potatoes are often used instead of tennis balls. You need to peel them and wash them thoroughly. The tubers will whip up the filler, preventing the formation of lumps. The only nuance is that potatoes are not suitable for washing dark colors, because washing a down jacket with down can leave white stains.
To avoid unpleasant consequences, use young potatoes. Rinse it thoroughly first.
Drying Features
Down jackets should be dried in a vertical position. It is better to hang them on hard hangers. Hang clothes away from heating devices. First you need to break the filler balls, if any have formed.
Features of filler expansion
If after washing the filler has formed into balls, they can be broken up in several ways:
- With a vacuum cleaner. Remove the nozzle and run the tube along the inside of the jacket.
- Hand massager. Run it over the jacket to smooth out the fluff.
Now you know how to wash a down jacket in a machine. The choice of mode depends on what material the down jacket is made of. You can also look at the information on the label. Watch your choice of detergents and dry things properly.
