How to Clean a Down Jacket

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A down jacket is one that’s filled with the down feathers of birds, usually ducks and geese. It’s often used to fill thermal clothing, bedding, and sleeping bags, because down-filled materials are warm and lightweight. Cleaning a down jacket can be a challenge, because the feathers don’t stand up well against harsh detergents, and the garment must be dried fully in order to regain its insulating properties. However, to get the most of your down jacket, you should wash it regularly, but no more than twice a year.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Pre-Cleaning the Jacket

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  1. This will tell you if there are any special instructions you should follow regarding the care of your jacket, including washing instructions. [1] [2]
    • The care label could tell you to hand-wash the jacket, to machine wash it on a special cycle, or to take the jacket to a professional down cleaner.
    • If your jacket only needs a minor cleaning, the pre-cleaning alone might be sufficient, and you might not need to fully wash or hand wash.
  2. Down-filled materials can rip easily when wet, [3] so it’s important to take care of anything that could catch or pull during the washing process.
    • Do up zippers
    • Button buttons
    • Close hook and loop fasteners
    • Secure flaps
    • Remove items from the pockets and secure the pockets
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  3. With a clean, dry cloth, wipe away any dirt, debris or loose mud from the jacket. This will make the cleaning process a little easier, because you won’t be dealing with large clumps of mud or dust. [4]
  4. To clean and spot clean a down jacket, use a pure soap or a special down soap that won’t strip the feathers of oil and make them brittle. [5] Pour a small amount of soap on affected areas, such as stains, tough-to-clean grime, and patches of oil or sweat. Let it soak for about 15 minutes. [6] Good soaps to use include:
    • Nikwax Down Wash
    • Granger’s Down Wash
    • ReviveX Down Cleaner
    • Spot-treating stains before you wash your down jacket helps loosen the stains, so they're easier to remove. [7]
  5. Fill a bath tub, wash basin, or sink with warm water. Place the jacket into the water and gently agitate it with your hands. Let the jacket soak for 10 to 15 minutes. [8]
    • Soaking the jacket before washing helps to remove excess dirt, debris, and soap from the spot cleaning.
    • After soaking, move the jacket away from the drain and empty the tub. Gently squeeze the excess water from the jacket.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Machine Washing the Jacket

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  1. Even the residue from regular soaps and detergents can damage down feathers. Before using the machine to wash your jacket, wipe the dispenser with a cloth to remove leftover detergent. [9]
    • When the dispenser is clean, add the amount of down-safe soap as recommended by your soap manufacturer or washing machine.
    • To clean your down jacket, use the same down-safe soap that you used for spot cleaning.
    • When down feathers are stripped of their oil, they can lose their loft, or fullness, which is related to their ability to insulate. [10]
  2. Wash the jacket alone, to prevent the material from catching or pilling. Before pressing start, set the machine to cold wash, delicate, hand wash, or wools, and a small load size. [11]
    • Only use a front-loading washing machine or a high-efficiency top-loader that doesn’t have the center agitator. The agitator can rip the material and destroy the jacket. [12]
  3. When the washing machine has finished its washing cycle, run it through a second rinse cycle to fully remove any remaining detergent. [13]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Washing the Jacket by Hand

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  1. For down jackets that recommend handwashing, or if you don’t feel comfortable washing yours in the machine, you can also wash them by hand. Fill a sink with cold water and the recommended portion of down-safe soap.
    • You can use a large sink, laundry tub, or bath tub to wash your down jacket.
  2. Press the jacket down into the water to get it saturated with soapy water. Using your hands, gently agitate the jacket back and forth in the water to release dirt. Then, let it soak for 15 minutes.
    • When your jacket is wet and heavy, avoid picking it up to prevent damage. [14]
    • If your down jacket is really nice and you're afraid of damaging it, take it to the dry cleaners. Their cleaning methods do less damage to garment fibers. [15]
  3. After 15 minutes, push the jacket away from the drain and drain the soapy water from the tub. Without picking the jacket up, rinse the jacket and tub with clean water.
  4. Refill the tub with clean water and soak the jacket for five to 10 minutes. Then, push the jacket away from the drain again and let the water out.
    • Pour some additional water over the jacket to remove the last of the soap. [16]
  5. Use your hands to squeeze the jacket and remove excess water before picking it up to dry it.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Drying the Jacket

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  1. The drying process for a down jacket takes quite a long time, but you can help it along by removing as much moisture as possible from the coat.
    • Run the jacket through two or three additional spin cycles after the second rinse is complete. If possible, increase the speed of the spin with each cycle. [17]
    • Squeeze the jacket by hand to remove excess moisture if you don’t have a washing machine. Don’t wring the jacket, as this could damage the feathers. Then, lay the jacket to hang on a radiator or hang it to dry.
  2. After the spin cycles, place your jacket into the dryer along with two or three clean tennis balls. As the tennis balls bounce around in the dryer with the jacket, they will fluff the feathers inside. This fluffing will prevent the feathers from clumping together, and help return their loft. [18]
    • Be warned that the drying process can take up to three hours, but do not increase the heat above low. Higher heat can damage or melt parts of the jacket. [19]
    • Tumble drying is the recommended method for drying down jackets, because air drying can take so long, and eventually the jacket can start to smell. However, if you don’t have a dryer, dry the jacket over a radiator if possible, or hang it to air dry.
  3. As the jacket dries, remove it from the dryer every 30 minutes to shake the jacket vigorously and break up feather clumps. You know the jacket is dry when the feathers stop clumping together, [20] and when it feels light and fluffy again.
    • Even if you're radiator or air drying your jacket, be sure to shake it out every half hour to break up clumps.
  4. When the jacket is fully dry, give it a final shake. Hang it somewhere to air out for a couple hours before wearing or storing the jacket.
    • Never compress a wet down jacket, as this can destroy some of its ability to insulate properly. [21]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Can a down coat be washed?
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    Yes, it can. However, if your coat is very expensive and you want to extend its lifespan, dry cleaning better helps retain the quality and integrity of garments' individual fibers.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 2 Helpful 1
  • Question
    How do you wash a down jacket at home?
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    First, check the care instructions on your jacket label. It sounds simple, but it will tell you exactly how to wash your jacket without ruining it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
  • Question
    How do you get stains out of a down jacket?
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.
    Safir Ali
    Professional Dry Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    Pre-treat the stain by applying a down wash as a spot treatment. This will help the stain easily lift in the wash.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 2
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AZIyvSFapY
      2. ↑ Safir Ali. Professional Dry Cleaner. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
      3. ↑ http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/down-clothing/
      4. ↑ http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/expert-advice/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      5. ↑ https://gizmodo.com/how-to-wash-and-maintain-your-down-jackets-and-sleeping-1738330236
      6. ↑ http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/less-stink-fluff
      7. ↑ Safir Ali. Professional Dry Cleaner. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
      8. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      9. ↑ http://community.berghaus.com/knowledge-advice/how-to-clean-a-down-jacket/
      1. ↑ http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/expert-advice/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      2. ↑ https://gizmodo.com/how-to-wash-and-maintain-your-down-jackets-and-sleeping-1738330236
      3. ↑ http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/expert-advice/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      4. ↑ http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      5. ↑ http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/down-clothing/
      6. ↑ Safir Ali. Professional Dry Cleaner. Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AZIyvSFapY
      8. ↑ http://community.berghaus.com/knowledge-advice/how-to-clean-a-down-jacket/
      9. ↑ http://community.berghaus.com/knowledge-advice/how-to-clean-a-down-jacket/
      10. ↑ http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/expert-advice/how-to-wash-a-down-jacket/
      11. ↑ http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/less-stink-fluff
      12. ↑ http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/less-stink-fluff

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To clean a down jacket, start by filling a large sink or tub with cold water and some down-safe soap. Then, submerge your jacket in the water and let it soak for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the water and rinse your jacket off with clean water. Repeat this process one more time and then tumble dry your jacket on low heat, fluffing it every 30 minutes so the feathers inside don't clump together. If you don't want to machine dry your jacket, squeeze out as much water as possible and hang it up to air dry. To learn how to get tough stains out of your down jacket, keep reading!

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