How to wash a polyester jacket: in a washing machine, manually

Polyester is a synthetic material that is made from polyester fibers, and it has many advantages. So, if the tag of an item says “100% polyester,” this means that the product is very elastic, durable, and delicate. These are the benefits.

But, let's take a step-by-step look at how to wash a polyester jacket in an automatic washing machine and by hand.

The subtleties of washing polyester jackets

Before you start washing a polyester jacket, you need to carefully study the label on it. There, as a rule, a temperature regime is prescribed, which absolutely should not be ignored.

The advantage of polyester is that it does not shrink after washing. And if any stains appear on such an item, you should not use a steamer - you can simply ruin your favorite item.

How and what to wash 100% polyester to completely remove all dirt:

If the item is light, you need to buy expensive washing powder that does not contain bleach. The best option is to purchase special capsules;
If the jacket is dark, then you should purchase the same product, only for black things;
Colored items can be washed with a detergent labeled “Color”.

Important ! If there are no recommendations on the item's label regarding temperature conditions, it is worth setting it to 45-50 degrees. Before throwing an item into the drum, you need to turn it inside out. When rinsing, it is worth adding conditioner - it will make the item as soft and pleasant to the touch as possible.

Why are balls needed and what can replace them?

A good addition to all of the above are balls for washing down jackets. These are sold in hardware stores, usually in quantities of 4 pieces. They are used to ensure that the fluff does not get confused or roll off. Before washing, two balls are placed in the pockets of the down jacket, and two more are simply placed in the drum of the washing machine. Also among the offers you can find magnetic or tourmaline balls. However, these are extremely difficult to find, and their price is higher.

What can you replace the balls with if you can’t find them in stores?

Tennis balls. Just before washing, check to see if their coating is fading. The dye is not always permanent.
Massage balls will also be a good replacement for special balls. The main thing is to use rubber, not plastic. The latter can ruin the thing.
Oddly enough, washed potatoes will do the job. True, there is a risk of leaving stains on dark fabric, so it is best to use young tubers.

How to remove stains as quickly and easily as possible

Synthetic fabrics, as a rule, are not “subject” to the influence of dirt - they rarely develop difficult to remove stains. If the stain has appeared recently, it can be removed by regular rinsing in soapy water. Old dirt can also be easily removed.

Adviсe:

If the stain is old, before washing the polyester jacket you need to soak it thoroughly, then take a stain remover that does not contain bleach and rub the stain with it;
Then you should wait about 10 minutes and rinse the item. But to make sure that the product is harmless, you should initially “test” it on a small area of fabric. To do this, you need to take a cotton pad, soak it in stain remover, and apply it to the fabric near the seam. If the paint does not transfer to it and there is no light spot on the item, then the product can be used.

If dirt appears on pockets, cuffs, or collar, then before washing, you should rub these places with a soft brush dipped in soapy water.

If the stain does not “want” to be washed off, then you can sprinkle it with salt and leave it for half an hour, after which you can wash the item;
If the dirty area is greasy, apply as much salt as possible to it before washing and leave for 1-2 hours;
The remaining salt should be rinsed off with running water and washing should begin.

100% polyester, which has many different stains, can be washed with the addition of lemon juice and borax. Borax (10%) is bought at a pharmacy, poured onto a cotton pad, and the stain is soaked with it. Then you need to pour 500 ml into the basin. water, dilute 2 tsp in it. lemon juice and blot the stain.

Removing stains

No matter how carefully the jacket is worn, it may have stains. Most often, the shelves along the fastener, the edges of the sleeves, the entry points to the pockets, and the collar get dirty. Greasy areas are difficult to clean with regular washing, so you need to pre-treat them.

You can remove shiny areas with any dishwashing detergent. To do this, moisten a sponge with gel and wipe off the dirt. If the yellowness is persistent, moisten the stains generously and leave the mixture on for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the surface will be degreased and the stains will come off easily.

Contaminants of other origins must also be removed before washing. Stain removers and home remedies should be selected taking into account the material and nature of the stains.

Important! Before applying the composition to stains, you need to test it in an inconspicuous place on the inside of the clothing.

Hand washing a polyester jacket

On the one hand, washing outerwear by hand is quite difficult. Much easier - in a typewriter. But, on the other hand, this is a much more “gentle” method that will allow you to maintain the same appearance of the thing longer.

The hand washing process is as follows:

Heat the water to a temperature of about 30 degrees;
Pour water into the washing container and stir the polyester cleaning agent into it manually according to the instructions;
Leave the jacket in the water for about half an hour (if it is very dirty);
Use your hands to gently wipe all areas with dirt, or use a brush for these purposes (especially in places such as the belt, sleeves, collar);
Rinse the item in cold running water until it is completely clean.

How to wash a jacket in a washing machine correctly

Any polyester jacket can be washed in a washing machine. The process should look like this:

Before putting the item in the drum, you should check all the pockets and turn the jacket inside out;
The temperature should be set to 50 degrees, no more. Washing mode – “delicate”;
If there is synthetic padding inside the product, then you should add a detergent like “Weasel” or “Villus”;
To preserve the appearance of the product, you need to pour a little conditioner into the machine tray;
Spinning should be done at the lowest speed, otherwise creases may appear on the product;
Drying is carried out on the balcony. The thing, at the same time, should be hung on a hanger.

If all these recommendations are followed, then there is no need to iron the product after drying - it will retain its original appearance.

If the jacket is filled with down, then washing is done a little differently:

The mode is set to “manual”, washing powder is poured into the tray, the rinse mode is set without spinning;
After the process is completed, a second rinse is turned on, a little conditioner is poured into the tray;
The down jacket is hung on hangers and sent to dry completely in a well-ventilated area;
The product is shaken every half hour to avoid the formation of lumps of filler;
As soon as the item becomes dry, it is stored in a horizontal position.

If you wash a down jacket by hand, it should be placed in a basin filled with slightly warmed water. Then add powder to it in the form of a special gel for down products. The most contaminated areas can be lightly rubbed, squeezed, and rinsed thoroughly.

What not to do when working with artificial materials

Before you start washing clothes made from this artificial material, it is recommended to find out what you should absolutely not do. If you do not take these recommendations into account, your jacket or down jacket will be hopelessly damaged and will have to be thrown away.

To ensure that your jacket pleases you with its appearance for a long time, follow these tips:

1 It is strictly forbidden to boil polyester products.
2 When washing, do not set the temperature above 40 °C - this may cause the fabric to unravel at the seams.
3 Polyester does not tolerate chemical compounds that are part of bleaches. Therefore, their use is strictly prohibited.
4 Do not dry jackets in the open sun. Such clothes should be dried in a place where there is shade and access to fresh air.

You must remember that after finishing washing, it is strictly forbidden to leave things in the drum of the washing machine to dry. To dry a jacket or down jacket, you need to lightly wring it out by hand and then hang it on a hanger in the bathroom. This is necessary so that things dry naturally.

After this, polyester clothes will not have to be ironed.

Following the above recommendations, you can wash any product made of artificial material without damaging the fabric itself.

Subtleties of washing with a membrane

First, it’s worth understanding how the membrane base of the jacket works. After all, like other types of materials from which modern clothes are made, this one also has its own characteristics.

The membrane is a special mesh that has microscopic pores and holes that prevent water from penetrating under clothing.

If you wash such a product incorrectly, you can simply deprive the clothing of its unique properties. And she has a lot of them:

The membrane perfectly repels water, therefore it does not get wet at all, and even in the rain the product remains completely dry;
At the same time, the fabric allows air to pass through - “breathes”, and all internal fumes come out. It is impossible to sweat in these clothes;
The fabric is not blown away even by the strongest wind;
It is very fabric and does not use down or any other lining.

Now we know all the basic properties of membrane fabric, and we can touch on the issue of washing it.

Features of the material

Polyester is an inexpensive, practical and very popular material. And this is the main problem. More than 60% of clothes are made from polyester, but it is impossible to “recognize” this fabric by sight. Polyester can look like sheer organza, lightweight raincoat fabric, or thick curtain material.

Advice. Before washing the product, read the label carefully. Perhaps what you have in your hands is not polyester at all.

Caring for polyester is easy:

The fabric does not fade or fade.
Can be washed both by machine and by hand.
Things do not sag or stretch.
Polyester is easy to remove stains from.

There are very few restrictions when washing. Polyester cannot:

Bleach - untidy faded spots will appear;
Wash in hot water - the fibers are deformed and the item will become “skewed”;
Twist it too hard and the fabric will stretch.

But if you decide to wash a polyester down jacket, the situation becomes more complicated.

What laundry detergents can be used?

An important point that should be taken into account even before cleaning the fabric. Many housewives use ordinary washing powder, as well as standard, “habitual” machine washing modes. And they are categorically wrong.

An ordinary substance used for washing will simply ruin the item - the membrane will become clogged with powder granules, stop “breathing”, and lose its positive properties.

Therefore, you need to use specialized substances and wash these clothes on the most “gentle” settings. What substances are most popular:

DOMAL Sport Fein Fashion. Balm for cleaning sports items, including membrane-based ones. Preserves all the qualities of the material and cleans it as much as possible;
Nikwax Tech Wash. Impregnates the pores of the material, removing all dirt, and maintains its ability to be waterproof and “breathable”.
Denkmit Fresh Sensation. The cheapest and quite effective gel. It washes perfectly, but does not have special substances for impregnating the membrane that prolong its “life”;
Perwoll. A very popular substance. It looks like shampoo, but it has a completely different principle of action.

Important ! You should absolutely not use substances that contain chlorine or any of its derivatives - they are too aggressive for this fabric and will definitely ruin it.

Washing a membrane jacket

You can go two ways, as always - wash by hand in a basin of warm water, or using an automatic machine. Let's look at each of them.

Handwash

The item is wetted in warm water, any of the products described above is taken, then the stained areas are rubbed, and the item is rinsed in clean water. If necessary, the procedure is repeated.

In the washing machine

The method is also good, but you need to be extremely careful, since the machine can much more easily harm membrane clothing. The process is:

Place the product in the drum;
We set the most gentle washing mode. If there is a “sport” mode, then select it;
Turn off the spin cycle and set the water temperature to 30 degrees;
Let's start the wash.

After washing

It doesn’t matter whether you washed the membrane item in a machine or by hand, after cleaning you need to gently wring out the item without twisting it. Or wrap it in a dry towel to absorb moisture.

Then the product is placed on a clean horizontal surface and straightened. And all that remains is to wait for the product to dry completely.

Preparatory stage

The effectiveness of washing depends on many factors, and first of all, on the correct preparation of the jacket. Before you put an item in a washing machine or basin, you need to study the icons on the product label. The tag contains all the important information: names of the material and filler, type and mode of cleaning, drying features, recommended water temperature.

If washing is allowed, it is necessary to prepare the product for the upcoming operation:

remove contents from pockets;
disconnect the hood (if it is fastened), fur trim, removable elements;
fasten the buttons, close the zippers;
sew up seams, holes, sew on buttons;
if the jacket has massive metal fittings that cannot be detached, cover it with scraps of white fabric.

How to iron polyester clothes correctly

If a polyester jacket is heavily wrinkled, or there are kinks on it, and it is impossible to do without ironing, you must follow the following rules:

Make sure this type of polyester is washable. This is indicated on the collar tag. The ironing method and maximum permissible temperature are also indicated there;
Before ironing, the item should be soaked in cold water and wait until the fabric dries a little;
Often, when purchasing a synthetic jacket, a piece of similar fabric is added to it. On it you can check which ironing method will be the most optimal;
All polyester jackets are ironed on the reverse side. In order not to deform the fabric, you should put a thin cotton fabric or gauze on top of it;
To smooth out a very badly wrinkled area, you can slightly increase the temperature of the iron.

After ironing the jacket, you should not immediately hide it in the closet, but hang it on hangers and wait until it is completely straightened

Steam mode

If you use a steam generator or an iron that has this mode, then ironing polyester can be even easier. The process itself is very simple and does not require any serious preparation.

Before carrying out such cleaning, the product is hung in a vertical position on hangers, and the device is set to the mode for steaming delicate fabrics.

The process should start from the back, from top to bottom. But the collar is steamed last. Then the shoulders, sleeves, and then the front side of the jacket are processed.

Important ! During steaming, the iron and steam generator should be kept at a distance of 4-5 centimeters from the fabric.

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