Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Pre-treat the jacket
• Method 2 of 4: Machine wash the jacket
• Method 3 of 4: Hand wash the jacket
• Method 4 of 4: Dry the coat
• Tips

A down jacket is a jacket with a lining of down feathers from birds, usually ducks and geese. Down feathers are often used as a lining for thermal clothing, bedding and sleeping bags because they are warm and lightweight. Cleaning a down jacket can be difficult because the feathers are not resistant to harsh detergents and the garment must dry completely to regain its insulating properties. However, to get the most benefit from your down jacket, wash it regularly, but no more than twice a year.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Pre-treat the jacket

1. Read the care label. This will help you find out if there are special instructions for maintaining, washing and drying your jacket.
   • The care label may say that you should wash the jacket by hand, wash it in a washing machine with a special wash cycle, or have it cleaned by a professional who knows how to clean down.
   • If your jacket only needs a light cleaning, pre-treatment may be enough and you may not need to wash it completely or wash it by hand.
2. Close all buttons and zippers. A down lining can tear easily when wet, so it is important to ensure that nothing snag or pull on the lining during washing.
   • Close zippers.
   • Close buttons.
   • Close Velcro closures.
   • Fasten flaps.
   • Empty the bags and seal the bags.
3. Remove any excess dirt and mud from the jacket. Wipe all dirt, dust, and loose mud off the jacket with a clean, dry cloth. This makes cleaning a little easier, because you don't have to deal with large clumps of mud and large amounts of dust.
4. Remove stubborn stains. To get stains and dirty spots out of a down jacket, use pure soap or a special down soap that does not remove the grease layer from the feathers and does not make them brittle. Pour a small amount of soap on the stains, stubborn stains, grease and sweat stains. Let the soap sit for about 15 minutes. Good soaps and detergents to use include:
   • HG down detergent
   • Rapide down delicate detergent
   • Miele down detergent
5. Soak the jacket in warm water. Fill a bathtub, wash bowl, or sink with warm water. Place the jacket in the water and gently stir it through the water with your hands. Let the coat soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
   • Soaking the jacket before washing will rinse away any excess dust, dirt and soap from pre-treatment.
   • After soaking, pull the coat away from the drain and drain the bathtub. Gently squeeze the excess water from the jacket.

Method 2 of 4: Machine wash the jacket

1. Clean the detergent compartment before adding detergent. Even the remains of ordinary soaps and detergents can damage down feathers. Before washing your jacket in the washing machine, wipe the detergent compartment with a cloth to remove the detergent residue.
   • When the detergent compartment is clean, add the correct amount of down coat detergent according to the directions on the detergent packaging.
   • To wash your down jacket, use the same soap or detergent that you used to remove stains.
   • If the fat layer is removed from the down feathers, the feathers can lose their volume, weakening their insulating property.
2. Put the jacket in the washing machine and set the washing program. Wash the jacket separately to prevent the material from snagging or pilling. Before pressing the start button, set the washing machine to a cold wash program, the delicate wash program, the hand wash program or the wool wash program, and also set it for a small amount of laundry.
   • Only use a front loader or an energy-efficient top loader without an agitator in the middle. The agitator can tear the material and destroy the jacket.
3. Run the washing machine through the rinse cycle a second time. When the washing machine has finished the washing program, run it through the rinsing program a second time to rinse away all detergent residues.

Method 3 of 4: Hand wash the jacket

1. Fill a large sink with soap and water. You can also hand wash a down jacket if it is stated on the care label or if you do not dare to wash your jacket in the washing machine. Fill a sink with cold water and add the correct amount of down detergent.
   • You can also use a sink, wash bowl, or bathtub to wash your down jacket.
2. Let the jacket soak. Push the jacket into the water to wet it with soapy water. Gently pull the jacket back and forth through the water with your hands to rinse away the dirt. Then let the coat soak for 15 minutes.
   • Do not pick up the jacket when it is wet and heavy to avoid damage.
3. Rinse the coat. After 15 minutes, push the coat away from the drain and let the soapy water run out of the sink. Rinse the jacket and sink with clean water without picking up the jacket.
4. Let the jacket soak again. Refill the sink with clean water and let the coat soak for five to ten minutes. Then push the jacket away from the drain and let the water run out.
   • Pour some more water over the coat to rinse away the last of the soap residue.
5. Squeeze the excess water from the jacket. Squeeze the jacket with your hands to remove the excess water before picking it up to dry.

Method 4 of 4: Dry the coat

1. Spin the jacket several times in the washing machine. It can take quite a long time for a down jacket to dry, but you can speed up the drying process by removing as much moisture from the jacket as possible.
   • Spin the coat two or three more times after rinsing it in the washing machine for the second time. If possible, always increase the speed at which the washing machine spins.
   • If you don't have a washing machine at your disposal, squeeze the jacket with your hands to remove the excess moisture. Do not wring out the jacket as this can damage the feathers. Place the jacket on a radiator or hang it to dry.
2. Dry the jacket on a low setting in the dryer. After spinning, put your jacket in the washing machine along with two or three clean tennis balls. While the tennis balls move through the dryer together with the jacket, they shake up the feathers in the jacket. By shaking, the feathers do not stick together in clumps and they get more volume.
   • Be warned that it can take up to three hours for the jacket to dry, but do not set the dryer to any setting other than a low heat setting. If the jacket is exposed to warmer air, parts of the jacket can melt and become damaged.
   • It is recommended to tumble dry down jackets as air drying can take a long time and the jacket will eventually start to drink. However, if you don't have a tumble dryer, place the jacket on a radiator to dry or hang it on the clothesline to dry.
3. Shake the jacket up while drying. While the coat dries, take it out of the washing machine every 30 minutes to shake it vigorously and break up the feather clumps. You will know when the jacket is dry, because then the feathers will no longer stick together and the jacket will feel light and thick again.
   • Also, shake the jacket every half hour to break up clumps if you dry the jacket on a radiator or on the clothesline.
4. Hang the jacket to air it. When the jacket is completely dry, shake it one last time. Air the jacket for several hours before putting it on or putting it away.
   • Never fold a wet down jacket, as this will prevent it from insulating as well.

Tips

• Do not iron a down jacket as the heat can damage the feathers and melt the fat layer.