How to wash a down jacket in a washing machine so that the down does not bunch up

To wash a down jacket in a washing machine, you must follow a number of recommendations. Washing this type of item, like sneakers, differs from the usual process, so you should thoroughly understand all the features of the work, otherwise you can ruin the jacket literally in one go. Avoid heavy contamination, and if there are difficult stains on the fabric, treat them in advance.

Keep in mind that down jackets are different. This applies to both the outer part and lining, as well as the filler. Most modern products use synthetic materials as a heat insulator; they are wear-resistant and can withstand washing well. But natural down is much more delicate and must be handled with special care.

Only an automatic washing machine with a delicate or special odorless cycle is suitable for washing. You can’t use any semi-automatic machines; things often get damaged in them. If the dirt is minor or there are stains in 1-2 places, you should try to remove them with a sponge or microfiber cloth.

How to properly wash a down jacket in a washing machine so that the down does not tangle

First, you should understand the general aspects that need to be taken into account when washing any type of down jacket. Only after this can you select the optimal way to carry out the work and decide whether it is worth using a washing machine or whether another option is better. Remember the following:

First of all, study the information on the label. There usually is information about the fabric used in manufacturing and the composition of the filler. It is also worth paying attention to the care recommendations. If there is a hand wash icon, then it is advisable not to use the equipment. And when dry cleaning only is indicated, then you shouldn’t wash it at all.
Prepare your jacket correctly. Be sure to check your pockets and remove all unnecessary items. The fur on the collar should be unfastened. Sewn-on options will have to be washed at your own peril and risk; they may not hold up and lose their attractive appearance.
Turn inside out, fasten all buttons and zippers, nothing should be loose.
Wash only one down jacket. Even when there are two things, put them in the drum one at a time, this way they will be better cleaned and the likelihood of damage to the filler will be less.
Inspect the seams and lining. If the fluff comes out in some places, then during washing the risk of damage is many times greater.

Advice! When the label indicates only hand washing, you can use modern models of washing machines with this mode.
They carry out the work carefully and do not damage clothing. If possible, read information on forums. There you can easily find reviews about down jackets from many well-known companies - how they handle washing, what nuances there are in the process. If in doubt, it is better to do the work manually the first time, as there is much less danger of damaging the item.

Washing or cleaning

We often give in to difficulties and follow the path of least resistance: we simply take our clothes to the dry cleaner. But this option has several disadvantages:

The people to whom you entrusted your down jacket are not responsible for the results of the work. It turns out that you cannot be indignant and demand compensation for damage caused to the item if they return to you something that only vaguely resembles a warm jacket. And this is the most compelling argument against this service.
The second disadvantage is the high cost of dry cleaning. You are spending money on something you could do yourself for free. Naturally, we advise you to work a little, so that later you can confidently say that you have mastered all the intricacies of handling the most capricious detail of your wardrobe. But if you are not confident in your own abilities, it is better to trust the professionals and rely on their competence.

Is it possible to wash a down jacket in a washing machine with tennis balls?

It is better to use special washing balls. They are sold in hardware stores; for the best effect, purchase 3-4 pieces, no less. If you can’t find this option, you can get by with tennis balls. They must be prepared and applied correctly:

Buy balls. They are always painted, there are also inscriptions and markings. To prevent paint from getting on the down jacket, immerse new items in boiling water and let sit for several minutes.
Place in bleach solution. Leave until the color disappears. After that, remove, rinse well under running water and dry.
Use 3-4 pieces each time you wash.

When the drum rotates, the balls bounce off the surface due to their elasticity and hit the down jacket. When washing, this helps remove dirt faster and prevent the filler from clumping. And when rinsing, detergent residues are more effectively removed from the fabric.

Reasons for the formation of lumps

The jacket protects a person from wind and low temperatures as long as its filling is fluffed up. During washing, it absorbs water, crumples and loses its thermal insulation properties. Because of this, water-repellent fabric is used in expensive items. There are only a few reasons for this problem:

Violation of washing and drying rules. Even high-quality items will suffer if you wash them like an ordinary sweater.
Cheap material. Such jackets do not have water-repellent properties, so lumps form simply after snow, rain or prolonged wear.
Rolled storage. Over time, the fluff is compressed and no longer takes on its original shape.

The washing mode in the machine is automatic so that the fluff does not get lost

There are no clear recommendations; different equipment manufacturers have their own settings. Therefore, the easiest way is to understand the general points, understand which mode is optimal for carrying out work and what should be regulated, if possible:

If there is a separate mode for washing down jackets, use it. All the necessary settings are entered there by default.
When there is no mode, choose options for delicate fabrics - silk or wool. Another good solution is hand washing; many models have it.
Set the temperature to no more than 30 degrees. If the label indicates a 40 degree mode, use it.
Be sure to include an additional rinse, sometimes you need to do it 3-4 times to get rid of streaks.
If possible, use a special detergent for down jackets. Or high-quality liquid laundry detergent. Under no circumstances should you use the regular option.
Set the spin speed to the lowest possible. Very often, fluff becomes deformed and gets knocked down not during washing, but due to high spin speeds.

Carefully check all the settings, clearly determine in what mode to wash the jacket in the washing machine. Things with natural fillers are especially demanding. Synthetic options tolerate washing much better, but they can also become unusable if the temperature conditions are violated, the spin speed is set at high speeds, or simple powder is poured in.

Choosing a detergent

It is preferable to choose a liquid detergent as it is easier to rinse out. Just don’t use products with bleaching components or their constituents. Dry laundry detergents are not recommended for use, as the abrasive particles they contain are very difficult to rinse out. Never use regular soap to wash a down jacket, as the down will certainly stick together and form clumps. It is not recommended to use conditioners or softeners when washing a down jacket, as they leave streaks on things.

How to wash a padded down jacket at home without streaks

This filler option has its own characteristics, so you need to wash things according to specific instructions. Sintepon tolerates washing much better than down; if used correctly, the likelihood of damage is minimal. Carry out the work like this:

Pre-inspect the lining. Sew frayed areas or loose seams.
Remove all detachable elements, if any. Check your pockets. Turn inside out and fasten.
Use a laundry bag of the appropriate size. It is better to buy it in advance; such a product is inexpensive, but it significantly reduces the likelihood of damage to things.
Add liquid detergents, as they wash much better.
Turn on delicate mode, set the temperature from 30 to 40 degrees, depending on the information on the label. Place tennis balls or special laundry balls.
Be sure to use an additional rinse.
Press at minimum speed.
Dry flat and flat. You can hang it on hangers when the surface is almost dry.

Advice! Do not hang down puffs in the closet until you are sure that it is completely dry. It is better to keep it indoors or outdoors for an extra day.

Immediately after washing, carefully inspect the product from all sides. If there are stains left from the detergent somewhere, then rinse 1-2 more times. When a problem is discovered on a dried item, it is much more difficult to solve.

We wash it ourselves

Experienced housewives warn: the main thing is not to wash, but to dry your winter jacket properly. Therefore, it would be advisable for you and me to analyze the process of cleaning the item step by step before washing the down jacket in the machine.

Selecting a detergent

The first thing you need to do is choose the right detergent. Under no circumstances do we recommend stopping with washing powder, especially if the down jacket is dark - unsightly white streaks and stains may remain on the product when the down jacket is washed in the machine.

The best option is liquid detergents. You can buy a special one with ingredients for washing down, or you can choose a less expensive solution for washing woolen items.

Be careful when choosing a detergent

But any ordinary rinse aid will very likely cause the fluff in the product to stick together into dense clumps. Therefore, you don’t need to save on it - buy a special fabric softener for washing natural fluff. How to properly wash a down jacket in an automatic washing machine is to choose the right detergent. In the table we have listed the most popular products and their features.

"Unipuh"

Eco Nordland Sport

Heitmann gels

Sport Fein Fashion

Woly Sport Down Wash & Clean

Nikwax

Means	Specialization:	Wash:
"Unipuh"	A liquid product that can be used not only for down jackets, but also for pillows, blankets, etc. with similar filling	A bottle weighing 250 ml (costs about 300 rubles) is enough for 5-6 washing cycles
Eco Nordland Sport	Washing down jackets, sportswear, thermal underwear	A balm based on natural ingredients - it exhibits its properties at a water temperature of at least 20 degrees. 750 ml of product, according to the manufacturer, is enough for 25 washing cycles of a down jacket. In stores, the average price of a balm is 200-250 rubles. Be careful - for hard water it is necessary to increase the dosage of the product from one cap to three
Gels Heitmann, Ostrich	Special detergents for washing down jackets - contain a number of active components that wash out old dirt from these products	The dosage of the product directly depends on the content of magnesium and calcium salts in the water - in a word, on its hardness. When using the gel, washing should be done on a delicate cycle and a maximum temperature of 30 degrees. One of the unpleasant moments is that the components of the product can leave white streaks if you forget about the additional rinse. The spin should be turned on at low speed. Dry the item as recommended - away from sources of strong heat.
Sport Fein Fashion	Similar in many qualities to Eco Nordland Sport	750 ml of product is enough for 10 machine wash cycles. It has a standard composition: anionic and ionic surfactants, conditioner and flavorings. The price of the gel is low, but it is better known in wholesale rather than retail.
Woly Sport Down Wash & Clean	A product intended for washing fluff contained in various products	A 250 ml bottle will cost the buyer 300 rubles
"Weasel" "Ariel" Perwoll Balsam Magic, Read also: What is the “delicate wash” icon on the washing machine? Nikwax (liquid soap)	Universal detergents, which, among other things, can also be used for washing down jackets

Advice! To ensure that heavy stains are removed, do not forget to thoroughly rub them with laundry soap before washing. If you are a fan of modern technology, then instead of this “grandmother’s” method, you can use a steamer or the “boost of steam” function on the iron.

How to wash a down jacket in an automatic washing machine - one item per cycle

Preparation

Can a down jacket be machine washed? Certainly! But you will have to prepare it for washing:

Remove the fur collar.
Take everything out of your pockets.
Remove the straps and tie the straps so that they do not come undone during washing.
Close all the zippers, close the pockets, and attach the Velcro strips.
Finally, turn the item inside out and push it into the drum.

Advice! Carefully inspect the seams of the product. If feathers come out of them even when worn, then it is best to refuse washing in a machine - the great result is that the down jacket will “lose a lot of weight” after it.

You can buy special balls

Wash

Is it still possible to wash a down jacket in an automatic washing machine? Yes, but only in a drum-type machine! Semi-automatic machines, machines with activators - all of these are guaranteed to ruin the product.

It is better to choose the following washing mode:

Actually, for washing down jackets, if any;
Delicate;
For wool, silk;
For synthetic items (in this case, use the most “hard” program).

Washing temperature – no more than 30 degrees.

Speaking about how to wash a down jacket in a machine, we advise you to run only one down jacket in one wash cycle, without other things nearby. In order for it to come out of the machine the same way you put it there, it must spin freely in the drum.

But it’s better not to risk it - it’s better to bleach the balls before washing

Our recommendation would also be to activate an additional rinse - it is much more difficult to wash out all the detergent from a down jacket than from a less dense and thick item. And down and feathers do not have a very good property - they quickly absorb the components of detergents and “give them away” with difficulty.

You will also see a lot of useful washing tips in the video at the end of this article.

Advice! When washing, there is still a chance that the down jacket may curl or stick to the walls of the rotating drum. To prevent this from happening, and to prevent feathers and fluff from getting into clumps, there is one very simple tip - before washing, put small plastic or rubber balls in the drum - tennis, children's, massage, intended for playing with pets.
In stores you can also find special balls for washing down jackets - you will need 3-4 pieces. You can also buy special tourmaline spheres - like in the photo. Some housewives also recommend soft badminton balls.

Tourmaline spheres for washing

Spin

We figured out how to properly wash a down jacket in a machine. Now let's do the spin. Some people recommend turning it off as it may cause some of the lint to leave your product permanently. However, we advise you to leave this option active: drying a down jacket full of water is a very tedious task at home (how many buckets of water will you have to remove). In addition, when drying this way, the fluff will form clumps that will not be so easy to straighten out. There is a possibility that the product will be banned without drying.

However, to spin a down jacket, you should not set the maximum speed - 400-600 per minute is quite enough.

The best washing modes

Advice! If you decide to use tennis balls when spinning and washing, then choose white balls. The dye may leave stains on the down jacket. To save yourself from surprises, soak colored balls in bleach for 3-4 hours.

Drying

After you have taken the item out of the machine, the first thing you need to do is open it, unfasten all the pockets, latches, and zippers. But it’s still too early to turn it from the wrong side to the front.

Don't forget to remove the fur collar

You can dry your down jacket in two ways – here are the instructions for your attention:

In an automatic washing machine with drying function. Remember the tip about balls? So, when drying, their presence in the drum is also mandatory.
Drying must take place in a vertical position on hangers - in a ventilated room, on a balcony, near a radiator that is not too hot. The process can be speeded up by drying the down jacket with warm (but not hot!) jets of air from a hairdryer. Do not forget to vigorously shake the product from time to time and knead the feathers with your hands.

Dry the item vertically on a hanger.
Be sure to ensure that the down jacket is completely dry - otherwise the wet down will rot, the item will smell unpleasant, and then there will be nothing left to do but get rid of it.

Advice! Under no circumstances should a down jacket be dried under the influence of strong heat or hot air, even if you really want it to dry quickly.

Proper washing of a white Uniclo down jacket

Uniqlo products are popular in the country due to the good quality of the products. They use down (90%) and feather (10%) as filler, which provides high thermal insulation characteristics, and high-quality material on the outside makes things windproof, while they take up very little space and fit into a small bag. You need to wash it correctly:

Select a mode for delicate fabrics. To remove excess moisture, it is better to squeeze it at high speeds.
If your appliance has a drying function, use it.
Set the temperature to no more than 40 degrees, when the dirt is insignificant, 30 is enough. Pre-treat difficult stains with a stain remover, add it during the main cycle.
Use either special products or liquid powders for wool.

It is best to dry in the fresh air, hang on hangers. If there is a hood, it is better to unfasten it and hang it separately. Shake from time to time, the filler will be evenly distributed inside.

Is it possible to spin a down jacket in a washing machine?

To properly remove excess water, you should follow the recommendations. Observe them unless other information is indicated on the label. You should not do the work manually, this will worsen drying, plus the risk of fluff knocking down will increase. Remember the following:

Set from 400 to 600 rpm. Sometimes you can use 800, but at first it’s better not to risk it.
Do not remove tennis balls from the drum during the spin cycle. They will help remove moisture better and break up stuck together lumps.
Do not leave the item in the drum for a long time. Ideally, immediately after turning off, remove the item, carefully straighten it and begin drying.

Immediately after removal, inspect the fabric for stains. If there are any, rinse an additional 1-2 times and squeeze again. Turn on the drying function only after checking, so that you don’t have to do the job again later.

Why did the down jacket become thin after washing?

If the regime is violated or the basic recommendations are not followed, it may turn out that the item has become more like a thin jacket and the filler does not fulfill its purpose properly. There are several main reasons for this problem; it is better to sort them out in advance to avoid common mistakes:

Washing without using balls or tennis balls.
Using regular washing powder or low-quality liquid detergent. Chemical components promote gluing of fluff inside.
Insufficient rinsing. In this case, even when using a high-quality detergent composition, it may not be washed completely.
Pre-soaking. It is better to treat contaminated areas with stain remover without soaking the entire item.
Selecting the wrong mode. Only a special or delicate option will do.
Temperature violation. If you exceed 40 degrees, you can damage the filler and it will not be possible to restore it.

In addition, immediately after the end of the cycle, you need to straighten the item and hang it or place it on a flat horizontal surface. If it lies rolled up, lumps will form inside. For artificial filler, follow the same recommendations.

Beating with a hanger

Surprisingly, with the help of hangers you can not only store things, but also beat up the padding polyester if it has rolled into lumps after washing.

What do we have to do:

Turn the jacket inside out.
Then place it on a flat, elastic surface. This could be a sofa or a bed.
Take a hanger (hangers) and actively pat all problem areas, including sleeves.
Turn the item over to the other side, and then beat it well again.

Attention: there should be no sharp corners on the hanger, otherwise you may damage the fabric.

Pros:

There are hangers in every home (you don’t need to buy anything special);
guaranteed results in 15-20 minutes.

Minuses:

may take a long time in the case of a long winter coat;
Vigorous hand movements are tiring.

Life hack: the hanger can be replaced with a carpet beater, a rolling pin, or a massage comb with plastic tips on the teeth.

The method is very effective and fast. Suitable when you don't have a washing machine.

How to fluff a down jacket after washing

In order not to think about how to get rid of lumps in dried clothes and not to re-wash the clothes, you should properly handle them during the drying process. There is nothing complicated, it is important to do everything in a timely manner:

Remove the item from the drum immediately after washing. The less it lies crumpled, the better.
To straighten it out, it is best to first place it on a horizontal surface covered with a clean, absorbent cloth away from heating radiators.
At first, turn over once every hour and a half. At the same time, feel the segments with filler, and if there are seals, carefully stretch them throughout the entire volume. After this, shake and put on the other side.
When the material dries a little, hang it on hangers and place it in the fresh air. From time to time, gently tap with a carpet beater.

If you immediately fluff the filler without letting it dry, then there will be no large lumps. But when you simply put or hang a thing, after drying you can find seals in the lower part of the compartments for the filler; it is much more difficult to break them.

How to remove stains

Even if you wear a down jacket very carefully, various contaminants will inevitably appear on it. However, to eliminate them, it is not necessary to completely wash your outerwear. Let's list a few basic rules that will help get rid of stains that have formed on your jacket:

Apply cleaning products to the down jacket using clean gauze;
Do not use hard brushes and sponges to clean clothes;
All dirt must be scrubbed off, moving from the periphery to the center, otherwise the area of the dirty area will only increase.

Next, we’ll look at how to remove dirt that appears on a down jacket, depending on its origin.

Oily stains

If you find greasy marks on your down jacket, you should remove them as quickly as possible. This can be done using the following means that every housewife can find at home:

Dishwashing gel mixed with clean water in equal proportions. First, this product must be applied to the stained area and vigorously rubbed. After seven to ten minutes, wash off any remaining product with a wet, clean cloth.
A fresh greasy stain should be sprinkled with fine table salt marked “Extra” and left to act for fifteen minutes. Then brush off with a clean, dry brush.
White down jacket is cleaned of fat with freshly squeezed lemon juice or peroxide.

If the listed remedies did not help, and after using them there are still traces of fat on the down jacket, it will still have to be washed. Only half an hour before washing will you need to carefully treat the stain with purified gasoline.

How and with what to clean a down jacket from greasy conditions without washing and streaks

If you need to remove stains in certain areas or there is a symbol on the label that prohibits washing, you can use special or folk remedies. The main thing is to choose compounds that indicate that they are suitable for down jackets. It is best to use the following options:

Sprays. Apply to a dry or slightly damp cloth and leave for the time recommended by the manufacturer. Remove any residue with a damp cloth or soft brush.
Powders. Rub into areas with stains, then rinse gently with water or another method, if indicated.
Pastes and gels. Apply according to the instructions, wait for the prescribed time, and then treat with a damp cloth or brush.
Mix starch and fine salt in equal proportions. Add a little water to make the mixture moist. Rub into stains, leave for a while, then remove with a damp sponge.
Aviation gasoline. It removes greasy stains well, you need to moisten a napkin in it, treat the stains, and leave for 10-15 minutes. Wipe with a damp sponge, hang in fresh air, the smell will disappear.
Add a teaspoon of ammonia and the same amount of dishwashing detergent to 100 ml of water. Beat for 2-3 minutes, apply foam to the stains. Leave for a while, remove the remains with a damp cloth.

Advice! All products should first be tried on an inconspicuous area on the inside to make sure that they do not damage or discolor the fabric.

Some stains can be easily removed with water and dishwashing detergent. Another option is a solution of a glass of water and a spoon of vinegar; it should be used for natural fabrics; it can be harmful to synthetics. If possible, it is better to use special formulations; when they are not available, try folk remedies.

How to dry the product

You should dry your down jacket at home in a vertical position. Turn the product right side out and hang it on suitable hangers. It is best to place it in a place with good air circulation, while ensuring that there is no direct sunlight.

If you know how to properly wash and dry a down jacket, it will last a long time without losing its aesthetic appeal and warming functions. A washed down jacket should not be placed near radiators or other heating devices. High temperatures destroy the structure of down and lead to loss of heat-preserving properties.

To ensure against the formation of lumps in the filler, periodically shake the product and knead it by hand until completely dry.

How to revive a down jacket after washing. The fluff has gotten into clumps, what should I do?

If clothes with loose filling have been lying around for several days or more, you should wash them again. Only after this should we begin to restore the properties of the fluff and break up the formed lumps. Work can be done in different ways:

Manually. The most labor-intensive, but also the most effective option. Place on a flat surface, separate the particles from each other with your fingers, then distribute them evenly throughout the entire volume of the cavity and shake the clothes. Process each part in order.
Hairdryer. Turn on the cold air supply and direct it to the area being treated, simultaneously breaking up the stuck together parts. It is more convenient to work together.
Carpet beater. Try this method for small lumps. Hang it on a hanger, gently pat it over the entire surface, then distribute the filler by hand.

You need to clearly understand how to dry a down jacket after washing it in a machine if the down has become matted. It is advisable to separate large lumps with your hands; as they dry, they will break up better and better. Sometimes you need to do the job twice to achieve a good result. Instead of a hairdryer, use a vacuum cleaner, if it has an air blowing mode.

Storage conditions

After washing, a clean down jacket must be stored. To do this, you need to make sure that it is completely dry. And then ventilate for 3 more days on the balcony or in the open air. The item should be in the shade so that the fabric does not fade from sunlight.

It is recommended to store in a dark and dry place, because moisture is the main enemy of fluff. The down jacket can be placed on a hanger or in a case. Cellophane bags must have perforations so that the product can “breathe” and prevent mold from developing. To prevent the jacket from losing its shape during this time, the pockets must be emptied. The hangers should be selected according to size, so that creases do not form.

Vacuum storage cannot be used for down jackets, because the pressure on the filler causes deformation, which is then difficult to correct.

How to properly dry a down jacket after washing at home

The process is not very complicated, but there are rules that cannot be broken, as this leads not only to compaction of the filler, but also to damage to the item. To prevent the down from matting after washing in the machine, you need to create suitable conditions for drying the down jacket:

After removing from the drum, shake gently several times. This will help the fluff distribute more evenly inside.
Place on a horizontal surface, which should be covered with absorbent material. Shake from time to time to prevent the fluff from caking, then turn over.
After 8-10 hours, hang on hangers and place away from heat sources. Fresh air or a well-ventilated area is suitable.
Shake periodically, check the filler inside by feeling the surface.
Dry for a total of at least 2 days.

If you follow all the recommendations, you can avoid the formation of lumps; if they happen, they will be small and small.
They are easy to break apart with your fingers to ensure even distribution inside. To wash down jackets in a washing machine, you need to study the information on the label and follow all the conditions specified there. Choose the right mode, do not set the temperature above 40 degrees, use the drying mode, if available. And when lumps have formed inside, break them correctly.

What could be an alternative?

If the capacity of the equipment is small, and the jacket is long and bulky, try washing the product by hand. We tell you how to wash a down jacket at home and without a washing machine:

no soaking required;
It is advisable to wash vertically - not on a hanger above the bathtub;
use a special gel that is applied with a sponge and washed off with a shower;
no bleach;
water temperature - 30 degrees;
rinse in the shower several times;
dry in a horizontal position.

This way you can tidy up your outerwear.