How to wash the down jacket in the washing machine so that the fluff does not go astray?

A white down jacket is so winter-like, incredibly cute, fresh and at the same time very warm, but not practical. However, practicality can be neglected in our age of advanced technology, when the question of how to wash a down jacket in a washing machine is easily resolved. There are several principles that help to organize washing at home in an automatic machine and dry this item of outerwear. Moreover, the main problem is precisely drying, because after washing, you can notice that the fluff in the wet state has gone astray, and the down jacket has turned into a windbreaker. In order for it to dry and straighten, you need to adhere to special recommendations for drying the jacket to fluff.

When buying a colored down jacket, you should not think that the issue of washing it will turn around. Constant wear, riding in public transport lead to early pollution. Therefore, washing a down jacket in a washing machine at home is also relevant for colored outerwear. In addition to natural down jackets, the stuff of which is goose or duck down, there is winter clothing that looks like them, which is called similarly. This is a padded jacket, the filler of which is cotton (cotton), and jackets with a synthetic winterizer and other artificial fillers. Drying a padded jacket is not so difficult, so you can not apply drying tips to it, and washing will be carried out under the same conditions.

Getting ready to wash the down jacket

If you decide to wash the down jacket in the washing machine, you should prepare it and the necessary accessories. Despite the fact that the answer to the question is whether it is possible to wash the down jacket in the washing machine, it is positive, this should be done when absolutely necessary. Manufacturers treat branded outerwear with a water-repellent. After washing the house in a machine, the protective layer will disappear. If, as a whole, the top fabric is not contaminated, but only has occasional spots, you can wash them manually. To do this, apply detergent to the sponge, rub the stain (you can use a clothes brush) and rinse off the foam with clean water using a sponge as well, but not under running water.

Tip
Do not machine wash a down jacket in which feathers come out through the seams. As a result of washing, the jacket may lose a significant part of the feathers, which may clog the drain hole.

If the pollution is strong, the jacket will have to be washed. This will help a special tool designed for washing down jackets at home, or a tool in the form of a gel. When using powders, stains may remain on the top material, as they rinse out worse compared to liquid detergents. It is also worthwhile to prepare a coat hanger in size. They are necessary for drying a down jacket.

To properly wash your jacket down, perform simple steps before placing it in the drum of the washing machine.

Check the seams for feathers sticking out of them. If you have feathers, it will be right to limit yourself to washing or hand washing, so as not to damage the down jacket and washing machine.
Check the pockets - they must be empty.
Check buttons, zippers, crocodiles, rivets for tearing and breaking. Repair fittings should be before washing.
Button zippers, buttons, rivets.
Unfasten the fur.
Wash “difficult” places that always get dirty: seams along the sleeves, cuffs, collar, places near pockets, seams along the length of the down jacket. If there are stains, they can also be washed with a brush and soap.
Turn the jacket inside out.
Gently fold and tag into the drum.

Now you can proceed directly to washing.

Wash and dry the down jacket

In order for the washing procedure to go correctly, we will focus on what temperature needs to be washed, in what mode, whether it is necessary to dry the down jacket in the car and whether it is worth completely spinning off.

Consider the washing process step by step.

Place the prepared jacket in the drum of the automatic machine.
Together with a down-padded coat “wash” tennis balls (2-3 pieces). Washing with tennis balls will prevent the down jacket from sticking to the drum. The balls will push the jacket and engage in the washing process. For this purpose, it is best to use professionally soft tennis balls outside or, in extreme cases, rubber balls intended for dog games, but do not replace them with plastic balls.
Fill the machine with detergent.
The rinse conditioner will be correctly discarded.
Choose a delicate wash mode or a hand wash mode, the “wool” mode is also suitable.
Please note that with the selected mode, the display will set the temperature to no higher than 30 ° C. Spin should be included at the level of 400-500 revolutions. If the characteristics in the selected mode differ from those described, correct them manually.
Put an additional rinse so that the detergent is more likely to wash out of the fluff and top fabric.
If the machine is equipped with a drying function - great. Turn it on in the weakest, gentle mode.

If there is no drying function in the machine, then you can start the spin mode with rubber balls or tennis balls 1-2 more times. This will help the fluff to free itself from excess moisture, so that later the down jacket is easier to dry. At home, a jacket with a filler made of natural fluff will properly dry on its shoulders. You can choose a well-ventilated warm place for this. For drying a down jacket at home, a shaded balcony is suitable, but not open, since under the direct bright sunlight the top fabric can fade. Also, a hanger with a down jacket can be placed anywhere in the house, but not very close to the heated batteries.

The down jacket dries at home for a long time - 2-3 days. During this time, it is necessary to shake it periodically so that the fluff inside does not stray into lumps. This case will require effort, but it is worth it. If everything is done correctly, the down will again become fluffy, and the down jacket will become soft and comfortable. It retains heat so wonderfully precisely due to the “fluffy” texture that holds air, which is a poor heat conductor.

As a rule, when washing a down jacket at home, there are no problems with smoothing wrinkles. But if they did form, you can smooth out the top fabric at home using a steam generator or an iron in steaming mode, blowing steam over the fabric.

When washing a down jacket in a washing machine, it is worth noting that this procedure requires effort and a waste of time, but it is much cheaper than dry cleaning. And after the first “baptism of fire” things will go much easier, washing your own down jacket at home will become a habit.