What detergents for washing down jackets can be used at home?

Only by choosing and using proper detergents for washing down jackets can you count on maintaining the attractiveness and functionality of the product for a long time. Dry cleaning services are not available to everyone, but for someone this option is simply inconvenient, so every housewife should know how to properly subject the wardrobe to processing in the washing machine and how to clean it manually.

Based on the selected exposure option, the detergent composition is also selected. Despite the fact that today, if you wish, you can purchase high-quality and safe gel, liquid powder, or even specialized shampoo, you should not forget about alternative product options.

Detergents that are not suitable for cleaning down jackets

Some products are categorically not suitable for washing down jackets, regardless of the variant of exposure to the material and filler. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the pen, which is designed to make the garment as light as possible, but at the same time warm. For example, if you wash a thing with an ordinary powder of even the highest quality, the natural fat layer on the surface of the feathers will be destroyed. As a result, they stick together (both in the washing machine and during normal soaking) so that even after drying they will not be able to straighten under pressure of their own weight. Forming numerous lumps, such a filler will not be evenly distributed, it will leave a lot of gaps, it will begin to let in cold air.

Also not a good option is a hair shampoo. Its mistresses are increasingly trying to use to wash the down jacket "in the most gentle way." In practice, this approach creates more problems than benefits. Firstly, it also actively flushes the fat layer off the surface of the pen. Secondly, he is not able to fight dirt, stains after such washing, even in the washing machine, still remain. Thirdly, because of the abundant release of foam, it is almost impossible to completely wash the shampoo from the filler. After the product dries, stains and streaks are clearly manifested on its surface.

The multifunctional washing liquid will also have to be set aside. The vast majority of such formulations reduce the quality of the filler despite the fact that they cope poorly with contaminants.

Benefits of In-Store Products

Today, in any large sports hypermarket, you can find specialized means for washing down jackets. They do not differ in high cost, are economically consumed and give exactly the result that is needed. In addition, such formulations still have many advantages:

• The special formula of the product acts on the synthetic surface carefully, but intensively. At the same time, there is no negative effect on the down filler.

Tip: Many stores offer caps for washing down jackets. These are small bags in which the gel is placed directly in the drum with the product. The only advantage of this product is that it does not need to be measured. Otherwise, this is the same product as in the bottle, but at a significantly higher price.

• The structure of the fibers does not change, the fabric does not fade, does not become stained and stained.
• Even if you wash the down jacket with such a compound in the washing machine, it will look like new. The filler will fluff, the product will acquire the desired volume and a pleasant smell.

Most often, a special gel or a special shampoo is offered for treating down jackets. In extreme cases, you can use powder, but only intended for a machine-gun and marked "suitable for washing down jackets" in the instructions.

Effective folk remedies

Natural household chemicals do not lose their popularity due to their high efficiency against the background of hypoallergenicity and safety for materials. If you wash the down jacket with one of the following means, you can count on the desired result with minimal risks of a negative outcome:

• Soda based powder. Such a variant of the detergent practically does not give a soap foam, therefore it does not harm the downy filler and synthetic shell. With it, a down jacket can be washed both manually and in a washing machine.

• Castile soap. It can be represented by solid bar and liquid. The first option is ideal for removing local spots. The liquid is best used for hand washing. Although it doesn’t wipe off severe dirt, the product will noticeably freshen up.

• Soap nuts. A composition made from soap nuts is added to the basin with water. The liquid must be thoroughly mixed until smooth. In the resulting solution, the down jacket must first be soaked for 1-2 hours, then washed with your hands. It is worth considering that this approach not only removes stains, but also has whitening properties.

• Shampoo without sodium lauryl sulfate. These are natural mixtures that practically do not give foam, but have a pronounced cleansing effect. The main thing is not to neglect the dosing rules - three tablespoons of the product diluted in a basin of water are enough to clean the down jacket. Due to the lack of foam, it may seem that the method does not work, but it is not. Only observing the dosage can you clean the down jacket without spending several hours washing the product.

Unfortunately, natural remedies are practically powerless against serious pollution in the form of ink, fat, stains from berries. If the down jacket is very dirty or has a grayish tint, it is better to use a profile gel to clean it.

Some nuances and useful tricks

In order to achieve the maximum positive effect from cleaning a down jacket at home, you need to remember a number of important points of the process:

1. Do not rush with the use of stain removers and bleaches if you have to deal with persistent stains. First, wash the product with the most ordinary brown laundry soap with a specific pungent odor. A thick foam is applied directly to the stain. Then we gently rub the fabric, rinse and drive away in the washing machine in the appropriate mode.
2. Regardless of the color of the down jacket, the use of chlorine and oxygen bleaches is prohibited.
3. The downy filler actively absorbs all chemicals and odors, so it is better to refuse any rinses and conditioners.
4. If washing is carried out manually, then the detergent must first be diluted in a small amount of warm water. This will reduce the risk of divorce and increase the effectiveness of the approach.
5. If the treatment is carried out in a washing machine, then it is worth using an additional rinse cycle, and reduce the usual rate of detergent by one third.
6. If the down jacket is equipped with decorative inserts made of artificial or natural fur (which can not be removed), then it is better not to risk using various home approaches, but immediately take the garment to dry cleaning.

Regardless of the type of exposure, you must carefully read its label before washing the down jacket. Neglect of recommendations will not affect the quality of the product in the best way.