My long down puffer coat has really taken a beating this winter! With temperatures at an all-time low, I’ve worn it nearly every single day to walk the dog, run to the grocery store, venture out to dinner and everywhere in between. And recently, I realized, this is the most-worn item in my closet, but also the thing I wash the least. (Ew!) While I’ve spot-cleaned the salt stains on the bottom hem here and there, I knew it was time for a deeper clean, so I enlisted a couple experts to give me the rundown on exactly how to wash a down jacket.
You might be tempted to check your coat’s inside tag to see if it needs to be dry-cleaned (and you should), but I was surprised to learn that most down items should not be dry-cleaned. Stacee Parker, a laundry pro with Poplin.co, a nationwide laundry service, says, “Down insulation doesn’t respond well to chemical solvents used in the dry cleaning process.” It can reduce the fluffiness of your coat and its overall performance. Instead, you should wash it at home in your washing machine.
Here’s how to wash a down jacket
Step 1: Prepare your coat for washing
Before washing your down jacket, make sure there’s nothing in the pockets. Then zip all the zippers closed, and if there are any deep stains you’re looking to remove, you can pre-treat those. “Stains or dirt can be spot-scrubbed under warm water in advance of washing as well. Using only a very small amount of detergent or even dish soap — perhaps just a fingertip worth — can help get tougher stains out,” Parker explains.
Step 2: Wash your coat on the gentle cycle
Parker advises that it’s best to use a front-loading washer, because “top-loading machines with agitators can damage baffles [the compartments that hold the down in place] or seams.” If you have a top-loading washing machine, just make sure you use the gentlest cycle and that the coat is loose — not stuffed in tight. Otherwise, you may need to seek out a local laundromat.
Also wash your coat on its own — with nothing else in the drum — using cold water on a gentle cycle. You can use a down-specific detergent, like Nikwax’s Down Detergent, or anything really gentle. “Do not use fabric softener, powder detergent or bleach, as they will all ruin a down coat,” Parker warns, adding that “too much detergent can cause clumping and reduce loft.”
Once your coat is done washing, Parker recommends running an extra rinse cycle to make sure you get out all the detergent and any leftover residue.Step 3: Dry your coat on low heat
No pressure, but Parker says drying is the most important step in this process, because if you do it wrong, you could ruin the down insulation. Tumble-dry your down jacket on the lowest heat setting, or air-fluff it. To keep it fluffy, add two to three clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls to break up any clumps in the down. “If you don’t have tennis balls handy, you may need to stop the dryer to break up any clumps by hand, then finish the drying cycle,” Parker says.
After the dry cycle is complete, double-check that your coat is completely dry. If it’s even the slightest bit damp inside, it could eventually cause mold or mildew to develop.How to spot clean your down jacket
If you don’t want to or need to wash your whole coat, you can, of course, spot clean it.
At the first sign of a spot, blot it immediately with a clean cloth. “Never rub a mess or stain as this will just work it further into the down coat, making it even more difficult and sometimes impossible to get out,” advises J. Michael Jackson, Operations Field Consultant for CD One Price Cleaners.
What you use on the stain matters. “Use gentle options such as club soda or just a damp rag to help break up the stain,” Jackson advises. Then once you’ve lifted up as much of the stain as you can, you can use a more targeted (yet gentle) stain cleaner, like an enzyme spray or a little liquid detergent.
If you have an incredibly pesky stain, you can definitely turn to your local dry cleaner for help, as they’ll likely have more expertise.What to avoid when washing your down jacket
You probably spent a lot of money on your down coat, so remember these no-nos to avoid ruining it during the wash-and-dry process.
Don’t wash your coat with bleach, fabric softener or powder detergent, and avoid using too much soap.
Don’t overstuff your coat in the washing machine. Make sure it has room to spin comfortably.
Don’t air-dry your coat or, on the flip side, dry it on too-high heat — both could damage it.
I tried it!
Here I am in my mobile sleeping bag, fresh from the wash, on my way out to walk the dog.
Here I am in my mobile sleeping bag, fresh from the wash, on my way out of my apartment to quickly walk the dog. (Ellie Conley for Yahoo)
I followed these steps with my extra-long Aritzia SuperSnug Puff, and it was super easy. My coat came out looking just as good as new, even a bit fluffier! I was glad to save the money on a professional cleaning job — and to not have to give up my trusty coat for a few days while it got cleaned.