Does your down jacket need a little cleaning?
Here I show you how to wash a down jacket without damaging it.
Because we often think that it can't go through the washing machine and that we're going to ruin ourselves in the laundry.
However, it is not ! You just need to know a few tricks to wash without risk.
A salesperson from Decathlon gave me his easy technique for down jacket maintenance.
And I assure you that it is super effective...and very economical.
All you need is a little lukewarm water, detergent and above all knowing the right gestures . Watch:
- laundry
- washing machine with a wool programme
- 2 tennis balls
- drying rack
1. Put your down jacket in the drum of the washing machine.
2. Add the tennis balls.
3. Select a wool program at 30° with a pendulum or very gentle spin.
4. Pour some detergent into the compartment provided.
5. Launch the program.
6. Spread the down jacket wide open, on the drying rack.
Note: the air must be able to circulate well all around the down jacket.
And There you go ! Your down jacket is now all clean and like new :-)
Easy, fast and efficient, right?
And it takes no effort...you don't even have to take it to the dry cleaners .
Remember to consult the label of the jacket and the care instructions so as not to make any mistakes.
No need to put fabric softener, it would be useless.
If you don't have tennis balls, you can put heavy laundry like towels for example.
This trick works for all types of down jackets:
Synthetic polyester like natural down.
And obviously for all brands:Jott, North Face, Decathlon, Uniqlo, Zara or Patagonia.
When you take the down jacket out of the machine, it looks like the padding is balled up on only one side of the jacket.
Hence the importance of not washing it alone and putting balls to "mix" the goose feathers.
But don't worry!
As it dries, the filling regains all its fluffiness and its place of origin.
For this, 2 easy methods:
- Machine drying
If you have a dryer, choose a "synthetic" programme.
Launch a first cycle. It is responsible for removing moisture.
Then, take out the down jacket and shake it to air the feathers.
Try the operation again.
Shake the jacket again to distribute the filling.
If you see that the feathers are back in place and the socks are well puffed up, then the jacket is dry.
Otherwise, run a final drying cycle.
- Air drying
You don't have a clothes dryer?
It doesn't matter, a drying rack does the job perfectly.
Just lay the jacket flat on the drying rack.
The important thing is that the air passes both above and below.
Turn the jacket over regularly, shaking it.
If the feathers form clumps, they are not completely dry.
The ideal is to dry it outside, on a sunny day with a light breeze .
One thing to remember:NEVER dry a down jacket on the radiator!
If only the cuffs of your down jacket are dirty or there is a small stain.
No need to wash the jacket completely .
Just fill a basin with lukewarm water and a little detergent.
And with a sponge or a washcloth dipped in soapy water, gently rub the dirty part.
Be careful not to wet the rest of the jacket. Rinse and dry.
