The main advantage of a ski jacket is good thermoregulation during active movements. Therefore, today this wardrobe item is popular not only among athletes.
But how should such things be washed so that they do not lose their positive qualities? In this article, we will look in detail at how to properly wash (by hand and in a machine) and dry a ski jacket, and what products are suitable for this.
What do you need to know before you start washing?
Ski jackets are highly valued by lovers of an active lifestyle. Athletes benefit from good air circulation and optimal body temperature thanks to this fabric.
The membrane is only the outer material of the jacket. The product has a filling - most often it is fleece or synthetic down, which retain heat well and weigh little.
There are several types of ski jackets:
Made from a hydrophilic, pore-free membrane . The prices seem quite high, but these clothes are very wear-resistant. It is better to wash such a membrane on the mode for delicate fabrics, but ironing is still extremely undesirable. - Made from microporous fabric . To clean such clothes, it is important to use a liquid product without aggressive components, without neglecting additional rinsing.
- From a combined material . This type often has a Teflon coating that looks very much like rubber. Treatment allows you to increase the service life of the jacket, while the breathability properties are maintained at a high level. The combination of microporous and nonporous material should not be machine washed as it may damage the fabric. Preventive cleaning is best done with a soft microfiber.
What products should I use to wash impregnated ski suits?
The key to the success of cleaning ski overalls in an automatic machine is the correct choice of cleaning products - special gels and shampoos. They need to be selected taking into account the material and filling from which the suit for winter active leisure is made.
On store shelves there are a variety of chemicals that provide delicate washing. Not every one of these products is suitable for washing clothes for skiing. The ideal option would be proven products that do not form maximum foam.
Classic powders are not suitable for washing snowboarding kit. It is advisable to purchase a special substance designed for suits of this type.
It can be replaced with liquid gel for woolen items and items made from delicate materials.
The most suitable means for washing ski overalls are:
- Gel for cleaning sports wardrobe items Ecowoo. Copes well with synthetic suits. Thanks to its composition, it removes contaminants without having a destructive effect on the material. The gel is suitable for ski equipment, sleeping bags, thermal underwear, and sneakers. It is inexpensive, no more than 350 rubles.
- Cotico detergent for washing items made from durable materials. It can be used to wash a suit by hand or in a machine. Suitable for tents and air mattresses. The cost is about 400 rubles.
- Shampoo-like product Burti Sport for ski sets with fleece or membrane. Suitable for cleaning overalls filled with natural feathers and down. Shampoo removes any impurities. The price does not exceed 520 rubles.
- German gel-like substance SODASAN Active Sport. Characterized by high European quality. Designed to wash sports items by hand or in a machine. It will clean your ski suit and shoes. Its cost is about 1150 rubles.
Studying the tag
To find out exactly the composition of the clothing, as well as recommendations for cleaning it, you need to study the tag . In most cases, the manufacturer allows machine washing, while indicating the permissible water temperature (30-40 degrees).
Some products can only be washed by hand, and it is not recommended to wring hard.
You will find a lot of useful and important information about washing jackets and down jackets here.
General recommendations
Caring for sportswear has always been different from everyday care. Not only washing, but also methods of drying and storing such things can have nuances.
The main indicator is the fabric from which the product is made; it is from this that recommendations for washing are based. But there are also general rules:
- wash only when necessary;
- small stains are wiped off with a damp cloth or piece of cloth soaked in soapy water;
- If you ski every day, you need to wash your ski once every 3-4 weeks;
- dry the suit well;
- Regularly treat your riding clothes with a water-repellent spray;
- wash only with special products;
- do not use powder laundry detergents;
- completely avoid bleaches, stain removers and dry cleaning services;
- The last wash of special sportswear is carried out after the end of the season;
- store the ski suit in a closet, on hangers, and be sure to use a cover made of polyethylene or cellophane.
In addition, it is not recommended to iron almost all products for this purpose; under the influence of high temperatures, the protective functions of the fabric are reduced or even destroyed.
Important! With proper care, the product will serve you for many years, but before each season you should check the appearance of your clothes and wear them carefully.
Choosing the right product
Saving on cleaning gels means that you will soon have to buy a new jacket. Therefore, when thinking about the high cost of the product, you should remember the higher cost of the membrane product.
Household chemicals for the care of ski clothing can be found in any specialized department or in a sports store. It is presented in the form of gels and sprays .
The former are often intended for washing fabric, while the latter are responsible for maintaining an excellent impregnation condition.
Recommended companies:
- Grangers;
- Toko Triumph sport;
- Nikwax.
It is not necessary to give preference to foreign manufacturers when buying the most expensive product.
It is even permissible to use Eared Nanny gel, if you clearly remember the recommended dosage: it should be half that of a professional one.
At what temperature should you wash fleece material?
Fleece is no less popular in the manufacture of sportswear for ski holidays. The material is distinguished by its light weight and ease of use. It is easy to clean, but you can try cleaning it with soap, shampoo or dishwashing detergent. When washing in a machine, you need to use a special liquid powder, which must indicate that it is suitable specifically for fleece products.
Just as with membrane fabric, when washing in a machine, it is forbidden to set the spin function, or to wring out the item with your own hands. Clothes should also not be ironed after drying to avoid damage from the thermal effects of the iron.
How to wash:
- If necessary, soak in warm water for a while and wash small stains with soap and let the water drain.
- Set the wash cycle to synthetics or delicates, setting it to no more than 40°C and turning off the spin cycle.
- Include an additional rinse; in this case, you need to add a product suitable for the material, but do not use conventional rinses and conditioners.
- If things are very damp, then lift them and wait until the water drains.
- Hang on a clothesline. It is advisable that she be in the fresh air, where the suit will dry faster.
- Treat the surface with a special water-repellent impregnation.
It should be remembered that after the end of the season, the suit should be put away inside a special case, and not stored together with all things.
Is it possible to hand wash clothes with a membrane?
The procedure takes a lot of time , but thanks to it the appearance and functionality of the product is better preserved.
To wash your ski jacket by hand, you will need:
Prepare a large container. You can use a basin, but a bath is more convenient. Fill it with water at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees.- Dissolve a special detergent for washing membrane products in water. It is better not to use powder, since it does not dissolve completely, clogging the porous material.
- Place clothes in the container. You don’t have to wait for it to get wet enough and start washing right away.
It is important not to rub the jacket too hard; the use of brushes and similar tools is contraindicated . Once the stains have been removed, the clothes should be squeezed out only slightly so that most of the liquid drains away.
At the end, you need to rinse the jacket as follows:
- You should fill a bathtub or large basin with clean water with a temperature of no more than 30 degrees.
- Immerse the product and leave for 10-20 minutes.
- Then you need to take out the jacket and let the bulk of the liquid drain. During this, draw new water.
- After the next dive, it won’t hurt to lightly knead the item with your hands.
If desired, you can use an antisthetic that is added to the water during the last rinse.
Read about how to wash a jacket made of membrane fabric here.
Tips and tricks
Storing winter sports suits requires following the following rules:
- Snowboard overalls should be washed as rarely as possible, since when interacting with water, the quality of things is lost.
- Be sure to read the label information before cleaning.
- Before you store your clothes, it's important to make sure they're completely dry to avoid clumps and musty odors.
- Place the product in a cellophane case, hanging the jacket and trousers on hangers.
The multifunctional Columbia suit is suitable for both skiers and snowboarders. Thanks to the multilayer membrane, the user is reliably protected from precipitation and moisture; it has special holes for ventilation and “breathing” pores.
Materials made from natural fibers should be washed using professional gel products:
- Ecowoo – used for lycra and neoprene, considered an environmentally friendly cleaning product.
- Cotico - can be used for hand or machine washing, the gel is safe for the membrane and does not damage the fiber structure.
- Nordland shampoo - for washing sportswear, suitable for thermal underwear, fabrics with industrial impregnations, down jackets, overalls, does not cause an allergic reaction.
- Sodasan Acyive Sport - suitable for high-quality sports items, removes heavy stains, and serves as additional protection for the membrane surface.
Article on the topic: Which outlet to choose for a washing machine
Gels do not foam, they are used for automatic treatment of suits, effectively eliminating greasy stains, yellowness, stains from cosmetics (lipstick, foundation), rust, and glare.
To clean a ski jacket, use laundry soap:
- Dilute part of the bar in water to a creamy consistency.
- Apply with a cotton swab to the stain.
- Rinse off with running water.
- Remove the remains with a damp cloth.
Difficult stains on membrane fabric that remain after machine washing can be removed with butter - rub the problem area, leave the product for 60 minutes, and then remove the grease with Fairy dish gel.
Stain removers, vinegar, ammonia, acetone and nail polish remover should not be used for this purpose, as aggressive components can discolor the material and destroy the structure of the membrane.
What mode is in the automatic washing machine?
If the product tag indicates that it is machine washable, you can safely begin the process.
This requires:
Lightly clean external contaminants (for example, dry dirt residues), remove all small items from pockets.- Turn the jacket outside, after fastening the zippers. Unlike other fabrics, the membrane does not require soaking.
- In order not to spoil the material, in addition to the jacket, it is recommended to place only membrane products in the drum of the washing machine. It’s better not to download anything additional at all.
- Pour liquid detergent for membrane fabrics into the washing powder compartment.
- Washing is carried out on a delicate cycle at a temperature of 30 degrees. Among the types of material you should choose synthetics. If you don't have a delicate cycle, you can choose to wash wool.
It is important to set the number of revolutions at no more than 600 . Additional procedures such as machine drying and ironing can be destructive for membrane fabric. But an additional rinse will help remove any remaining detergent from the fibers.
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.
How to dry it properly?
Even if clothes need to be dried as soon as possible, placing them on heating devices (radiators, various heaters) is strictly not recommended.
Only the following options are allowed:
- The product can be placed on a dry, absorbent fabric. As the fabric gets wet, it is replaced with a new one.
- It is important to lay out the jacket well so that it takes the correct shape while drying. This is the surest way to avoid wrinkles, because ironing such clothes is undesirable.
- A good option would be to hang your jacket on hangers. This can only be done after a large amount of water has drained.
Drying is best done in the fresh air. To do this, you need to choose a slightly shaded place, since the sun's rays have a negative effect on the membrane.
After complete drying, it is useful to treat the fabric with a special impregnation . Sprays and gels from Salamander, Olvist, Kongur performed well.
The jacket is processed as follows:
The product is spread on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area.- The spray is sprayed onto the fabric at a distance of about 20 cm, then the clothing is left to dry completely.
- Impregnation gels require more manipulation, because you need to soak the item in them. In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions.
It is important to choose a special agent for impregnating the membrane . Analogues intended for other synthetic fabrics are absolutely not suitable.
Drying
Drying a down jacket requires some care. It is best to place the product on a wire rack or on a special drying rack.
You cannot hang a down jacket on hangers, as this increases the risk of deformation of the product. You cannot dry winter clothes near a radiator or radiator.
The presence of special drying rules is indicated by a specific icon on the tag. You should not hang a washed down jacket in a damp, unventilated area, otherwise it will take a long time to dry and acquire an unpleasant musty smell.
It is also not recommended to dry the down jacket in the sun, as this leads to rapid fading of the color.
The best option is to hang the product in the shade:
- in the fresh air,
- on the balcony,
- loggias.
Good ventilation is especially important if the jacket was washed with products that have an unpleasant odor, for example, gasoline, ammonia, vinegar, etc.
Preparatory stage
If you follow all the rules for washing a ski jacket, then you don’t have to worry about either hand washing or machine washing. But in order to definitely achieve the best cleansing, there are rules on how to prepare things for the process.
The basis of the preparatory stage is cleaning the surfaces with a special soft brush or dry cloth. If there are areas that are too dirty, just remember where they are and in the future pay special attention to them when washing by hand. Be sure to remove any fur, if any, and fasten zippers, clasps, and buttons.
