How to properly wash a down jacket: 6 proven ways

 Until the end of winter, even more than a month - and this is only according to the calendar. And your favorite jacket no longer looks comme il faut: there is a stain, there is a pocket over there, and the hood is dirty too. To wash or not to wash is the question. It is better to carry out "bathing procedures" with a down jacket before the beginning of the season or at the end - so that the feathers or other filler dry well, one day may not be enough. So, if you decide to wash, remember: you will need an alternative for a few days. So, let's start washing.

In severe frosts, my smooth-haired short-legged dog had to be constantly picked up in my arms while walking. Gosha was so cold that his paws literally cramped on the run. These same paws made marks on the sleeves of the jacket. Kind janitors generously covered the yard with salt, so that the dark down jacket was covered with whitish stains. Washing was not included in the plans, and a sponge and soap would only aggravate the situation. Wet wipes helped out, which are littered with the shelves of any store.

An ordinary napkin for children, bought once in the nearest hypermarket, went into action. It is enough to wipe the dirty places with it and let it dry. Tested on itself: removes dirt perfectly and leaves no residue. The napkin also helped to cope with light grease in the area of ​​the pockets. This method has another indisputable plus: the perfume of the napkins will at the same time give your jacket a pleasant scent.

Sponge, brush, beauty

If the color of your down jacket is not black, consider yourself in luck: there are several other ways to do without washing. You will need a dishwashing sponge. Of course, new - our goal is to get rid of pollution, not add it. And a bar of laundry soap - it works best on all kinds of stains. Whip the soap into a thick lather in a bowl or small basin, apply the foam to the stained areas with a dry sponge, wait a few minutes and remove it with a damp sponge. Do this several times to avoid streaks on the fabric.

Washing can be avoided - many stains can be removed with a regular sponge

Instead of laundry soap, foam can be made from dish soap. It perfectly removes greasy stains and renews greasy areas. For fidelity, you can add ammonia - the ideal fighter against dirt. You will need one part water, one part dish soap and 1 tablespoon of ammonia per 100 ml of liquid. Apply lather, let it settle, wipe the area with a damp sponge several times.

Chlorine-free bleach can help fight dirt on your down jacket. Gently apply a few drops to a dry, clean brush with tough lint and work over the stains. Be sure to rinse off the bleach. Do this with a damp dishwashing sponge or cotton cloth.

Fresh salted stain

Dropped fat on your down jacket? Do not despair, act, and the ugly stain on your favorite jacket will disappear.

• Fill the affected area with fine salt, it will absorb the grease, and the stain will be easier to remove later.
• Also, fresh soil can be removed with a mixture of salt and vinegar in equal proportions. The gruel should be applied for a few minutes, and then washed off with a damp sponge or wiped with a damp cloth.
• Helps to deal with fat and starch. Only, unlike salt, you will have to apply it several times in a row. And then vacuum the fabric or walk on it with a hard clean brush.

And if the collar is damaged by cosmetics - there are often traces of foundation or powder on it - then ordinary micellar water will help it. We erase the foundation from the jacket in the same way as from the face, simply swiping it with a cotton sponge soaked in micellar water.

When you can't do without washing

First of all, study the label: information on how to properly care for your down jacket is on the tag sewn to the inside seam. There is also the washing temperature, and how to iron (or not iron) correctly. Maybe a ban on dry cleaning.

Then go to the store for the right detergent. Forget about powders: they foam well, but they don't always completely dissolve and will definitely leave marks on your down jacket. You need a liquid, low-foaming product that is suitable for delicate fabrics. It can be shampoo for washing, capsules for washing, choose according to your taste. It is important that they work at temperatures up to 30 degrees.

Fasten all zippers and buttons before washing, and turn the down jacket inside out. Leave the venture if you notice that fluff is actively climbing out of the seams. It is better to entrust such a jacket to professionals in dry cleaning than to lose all the insulation in the washing machine. And if you find a hole (even in your pocket), be sure to sew it up. When washing, the gap is sure to creep even further.

Some products are marked "for a down jacket". They will definitely fit

Remember the golden rule "one wash - one down jacket." Don't try to put anything else into the drum at the same time. The jacket needs space, and "neighbors" are completely contraindicated. Is that tennis balls or special balls for washing, which during the process will beat the fluff. The water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. Mode - "hand wash", "delicate wash", "duvet". Spin - 400-600 revolutions, maximum 800, but this is a last resort. If you expose more, the fluff will get knocked to one side and it will be very difficult to straighten it.

Be sure to add two or three more rinses after the main wash and rinses that are included in the program to wash out the remaining detergent from the fluff. If this is not done, the villi will simply stick together. This means the jacket will get colder and the down will clump in the cells.

Vacuum cleaner to help

The most important step in washing a down jacket is drying. They hung it up incorrectly, and the jacket was missing. The down jacket is not a sweater; it is contraindicated to dry it horizontally. When drying on towels, clothes will suffocate, the fluff will begin to smell unpleasant. A coat hanger must be used. Take the jacket out of the washing machine and shake it thoroughly so that the filler starts to loosen up. It is necessary to shake the down jacket about once every two hours. You can do this with a carpet beater. After the jacket is dry, vacuum it with a narrow nozzle. This will "break" the fluff even more and add airiness to the clothes.

If lumps remain after drying, send the jacket to the washing machine and spin it a couple of times in the spin program at a speed of 400-600 revolutions with tennis balls

Steaming the jacket from the inside out will also help. Just do not touch the lining with the iron and do not overdo it with steam. It is better to repeat this procedure several times with an interval of half an hour to allow the clothes to cool. Due to the high temperature, the fluffs can begin to exfoliate and crawl out of the seams.

Handwork

The down jacket can, and some housewives are sure that it is necessary (!), To be washed by hand. But in this case, forget about the powders. Only shampoo, only gel.

• Option one: hang the jacket on a hanger above the bathtub. Pour it from the shower, choose the water temperature no higher than 30 degrees. You need to wet the entire fabric from the outside and the wrong side. Next, lather the brush with laundry soap and wipe the entire surface. Wait a few minutes and rinse off any remaining foam. Rinse the jacket thoroughly with a strong jet of water, wring out with your hands and leave to drain in the bathroom.

Instead of laundry soap, you can use fabric shampoo and even hair shampoo (if the pollution is not very serious).

• Option two: wash the down jacket in the bathroom. Fill the bathtub halfway with water and dilute with liquid soap or shampoo for washing. Soak the down jacket for ten minutes, scrub the soiled areas with a brush, and then rinse thoroughly. Forget fabric softener, it will harm a down jacket rather than benefit. Streaks may appear on the fabric, and the feathers may stick together.

What about the fur?

If there is fur on the cuffs or hood piping, you can wash that too. But not together with a down jacket. Unfasten the edge. Hand wash it in cool water and hair shampoo. Rinse in cold water, then the fur will shine. Shake and dry vertically.