With the onset of cold weather, a down jacket becomes an indispensable wardrobe item. Thanks to such outerwear, a person feels comfortable even in cold winter. When washing down jackets, many housewives are faced with a situation where the down inside the clothes rolls up or comes out of it. At the same time, knowing how to wash a down jacket correctly, you can forget about the headache and enjoy the result.
Is a down jacket machine washable?
Before you start washing anything, you need to find out if the item is easier to clean using dry methods. Indeed, manufacturers of such clothing advise using dry cleaning methods, because the filling inside the product can roll off during intensive cleaning. However, this method has a number of significant disadvantages:
- high cost of the service;
- the need to look for specialized ones;
- the use of chemicals that are absorbed into the filler, causing allergic reactions;
- often firms do not bear any responsibility for the results of their work.
Thus, few people are interested in dry cleaning with caustic substances, because washing things at home is much easier and safer. Is it possible to use this technique and how to wash a down jacket in an automatic washing machine?
The answer to this question is given by the information on the label attached to the product. Numerous symbols and text information indicate the rules for caring for clothing, clearly answering the question of whether it can be machine washed. Marking with a basin and a hand lowered into it means that washing in automatic mode is prohibited, and if in place of this icon there is an image of equipment, then washing is allowed. Some products require delicate care, as evidenced by water with an underline on the label. It is very important to know all the care requirements, because if you do not comply with them, you can really ruin a completely new thing without really wearing it. Other problems await the inattentive user if he does not pay attention to the washing mode:
- unpleasant smell from clothes;
- rolled up filler;
- stains on the surface of the product.
Of course, sometimes the quality of an event does not depend on compliance with certain rules. We are talking about cheap Chinese clothes or fakes of famous brands. Such things can go bad even if done manually.
So how do you clean things without damaging them?
Preparing the product for washing
Preparation is the main stage, which largely determines the results of the work. In order to keep your clothes safe and sound, you need to take simple steps before washing:
- unfasten the hood. As a rule, these elements are trimmed with fur, which deteriorates when machine washed, and the edge takes on an ugly appearance, sticking together with icicles;
- check pockets for items left there that could damage the washing machine or stain things.
- fasten the zipper and buttons so as not to leave any snags on the fabric;
- check decorative elements on clothes.If they do not hold well, then they should be fixed;
- remove the belts.
Important! In order not to leave the entire down jacket inside the drum, you need to carefully inspect the seams. If they separate and fluff comes out, it is recommended to refrain from machine washing.
On light-colored clothing, the most contaminated elements are traditionally considered to be pockets, cuffs and collar. To wash the product correctly, it is necessary to treat the designated elements with laundry soap before placing it. It is worth remembering that the powder is firmly embedded in the filler and is not washed out even when rinsing, leaving stains on the front side of the product.
Clothes should be washed inside out. This way it will retain its original appearance and will not be damaged due to torn decorations or sharp objects accidentally falling inside the drum.
And, the last piece of advice for the preparatory stage. There is no need to stuff several down jackets into the drum at a time. Not only will they not clean properly, but there is a risk of losing their original appearance due to staining, puffing and clumping of the filling.
Proper washing of a down jacket in a machine
After the outerwear is placed in the machine, you need to decide on the means by which cleaning will be carried out. The safety of the item of clothing depends on how well the detergent and its mode are chosen. At best, the item may fade a little, and at worst, it may completely deteriorate.
Do not wash with powder. If the product gets inside the product, it does not rinse out completely and leaves noticeable white spots on the outside when it dries. This is not so noticeable on white down jackets, but on black or dark ones it is a big problem.Even repeated rinsing does not help correct the current situation.
Important! It is highly recommended not to use conditioners and softeners when washing. They leave a caustic residue on the fabric that will be difficult to remove.
The most popular detergents for washing down products are:
- soap for delicate clothes;
- gel concentrate, which are gel capsules;
- bottled concentrates.
If the housewife prefers to use liquid, then it will be enough for her to pour in no more than forty milliliters of the product for light stains and up to sixty milliliters for pronounced stains of dirt.
Many bottled products have a measuring cap for correct calculation of liquid. If you don’t have such a measuring cup, you will have to use improvised means and measure the composition yourself.
Gel capsules do not need to be measured by placing them whole in the tray. Their advantages are streak-free washing and ease of use. Thanks to the special composition of the gels, not only a good effect is guaranteed, but also an improvement in the condition of the down jacket.
Washing modes
Outerwear with feather or synthetic padding requires the correct choice of washing mode. Experts recommend “delicate wash” or, if available in the machine’s programs, “bio-down”. The programs eliminate deformation of the product and carefully remove all contaminants from the surface. If possible, it is necessary to set the temperature at 30°C, which is as safe as possible for products with fluffy filling. How much to wash directly depends on the installed program.
In some cases there are no special modes.Then manufacturers advise using the machine in a mode intended for woolen products. However, it is highly not recommended to do the following:
- pre-soak the item;
- set the temperature above 40°C;
- use bleach;
- spin at 600 rpm.
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 of distributing 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.
The main problems when washing a down jacket
Naturally, no procedure can guarantee the absence of problems. Most often, the owner of a down product encounters the following difficulties:
- Divorces. The reasons may be detergents, the quality of the filling of the clothes and the forgetfulness of the owner himself. You can remove such stains using baby dishwashing detergent. To do this, it is applied to the stained area and left there for ten minutes. After this, the liquid is thoroughly washed off. It is worth noting that this measure helps with yellow stains. If stains were left on the item by the powder, then you need to rinse the down jacket with clean water.
- Rolling the filler. This problem can be encountered even when washing with balls. If there are not enough of them, the padding polyester or feather may roll into a lump. However, even here you shouldn’t get upset ahead of time. The solution is to reload the clothes inside the drum and increase the number of balls. You need to select spin as the washing mode. Among other things, you can deal with a rolled feather using a refrigerator. The still damp clothes are placed in the freezer. At the same time, the water that has saturated the filler expands, making it more fluffy and voluminous.
Drying the product
First of all, you need to take the down jacket out of the machine and unfasten all the fasteners located on it. It’s a good idea to turn the pockets outward, so they dry faster. The clothes themselves should not be turned inside out until they are completely dry.
During the washing process, the fluff will roll off one way or another. If balls or special spheres were used, this will not be so noticeable.However, the resulting piles need to be straightened out as much as possible. After putting the down jacket in order, you can begin placing the item on the hangers. It is necessary to use a hanger, because it is the vertical position of the product that allows you to quickly get rid of water and prevent its stagnation.
It is best to place hangers in a ventilated, warm room. When drying, you need to shake the down jacket from time to time to evenly distribute the filler among the cells.
Many people use the drying mode provided in the washing machine. This is a very convenient and fast way. You can safely use it and don’t forget about tennis balls. At the same time, there is a risk of reducing the thermal insulation properties of the feather located in the cells. Those who often resort to drying outerwear by machine know well that every winter it gets colder, and the down jacket ceases to perform its main task as it should. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to dry things with natural filling on a radiator or using heating devices (hair dryers and heaters), or a gas stove. All this will lead to damage to the pen.
Wrinkled clothes can be straightened with a steamer. It will not damage the fabric with filler and will eliminate any wrinkles that appear on the surface.
Important! You need to dry the down jacket until it is completely dry. Otherwise, it will emit an unpleasant odor that is difficult to remove. However, you should not overdry the product. After two days, the item may lose its shape.
If mistakes were made when drying an item of clothing as a result of foreign odors, then you can get rid of them only by washing the item again.After this, do not forget about the rules and carry out the appropriate procedure in accordance with all the rules
Whitening a snow-white down jacket
As already noted, it is not recommended to pour bleach into the machine when washing a product. But sometimes it is simply necessary to bleach a snow-white down jacket, because when clothes lose their natural color, not everyone will decide to wear them. So what can you do?
Bleaching helps with fabric stains or discoloration. Usually the product turns yellow or acquires a grayish tint.
If the owner is bothered by stains that appear on the surface, then the famous Vanish remedy can come to the rescue. The stains are first washed with the designated substance by hand, and then treated with the composition. After this, the item is placed in the machine and washed on a delicate cycle.
Darkened fabric causes much more problems than stains. You can't do without bleach here. First, the product is soaked with the product in a basin (for about 12 hours), and then washed with it in the machine. It is worth noting that the procedure may have to be repeated several times. This directly depends on the condition of the down jacket and the degree of its darkening. When using bleach, do not forget that the item must be rinsed thoroughly.
Important! Instead of bleach, you can use folk remedies by mixing water with salt, washing powder, peroxide and ammonia. The composition is placed on contaminated areas, and after four hours it is washed in the machine.
Conclusion
You shouldn't wash your down jacket often. This can lead to damage to the moisture-protective layer on the product and loss of the thermal insulation properties of the filler.The less often the item is cleaned, the better. Of course, it is impossible to do without this completely. Don't forget the following main points:
- mandatory washing after the cold weather ends. When it's approaching spring and it's time to put warm clothes in the closet, they need to be washed. By not following this recommendation, the owner of the product risks that the dirt on the surface of the down jacket will remain there forever;
- label evaluation. The tags sewn to the product contain information that must be observed in order to use the item for a long time and without problems. Some people cut off labels without even realizing their value. When it comes to cleaning, it will be very difficult to navigate on your own;
- one down jacket at a time. Don't overcrowd the washing machine. If you need to clean a wardrobe item with down filling, it is better to place it inside a free drum. Excess clothing will not only prevent the product from being thoroughly washed and rinsed, but will also crumple all the filling.
Proper off-season storage, even after washing, requires special attention. Firstly, down jackets should only be stored completely dry. Secondly, before packing your things, it is advisable to keep them on the balcony for a couple of days. This will allow all foreign odors to disappear and further dry the filler. Thirdly, before placing clothes in the closet, they need to be hung on a hanger and packed with a cotton cover. Cellophane cannot be used in this case. It obstructs the passage of air and damages the product. It would be a good idea to put lavender in the bag to repel parasites.
Thus, it is not so difficult to wash a down jacket from heavy dirt.Following the recommendations described in this article will help prevent damage to clothing and loss of its basic properties. In addition, doing laundry at home yourself saves the family budget and the nerves spent on disputes with numerous dry cleaners who perform their work poorly.
