Down jackets - one of the most successful types of winter clothing: they are very warm, not purged and, in addition, have a natural, not synthetic filler. This allows you to wear down jackets even to those who suffer from allergy to synthetics. However, this medal also has the reverse side: down and feathers filling the down jacket, significantly complicate the process of washing it.
Ideally, down jackets should be taken to dry cleaners, where specialists will take care of them. But this is not always feasible: for someone modern dry cleaning services can not afford, and someone is difficult to do without the usual outerwear even a few days. In any case, washing the down jacket in the car machine is possible. It is necessary only to strictly adhere to certain rules, and then your down jacket even after a home wash will be like new!
Basic rules for washing down jackets
- Mode for washing your down jacket always choose a delicate. And some modern automatic machines even have a special mode - washing down products.
- The temperature of washing down jackets must in no case exceed 30 ° C.
- The main problem that we encounter when trying to wash a jacket with natural fill is to stomp down the feathers and feathers into lumps. Wiped in this way down jacket loses its remarkable qualities, starts to get wet and does not protect its owner from the winter cold and wind. Therefore, such products are recommended to be washed together with balls for table tennis. Such tennis balls for washing down jackets (not to be confused with balls for table tennis!) Can be bought at any sports shop. You will be enough 3-4 pieces. What gives the washing of featherbeds with tennis balls? Rotating in the drum of the car, they bounce off the walls and hit the down jacket, smashing lumps of feathers and down. Do not remove the balls from the machine and during the spin - this will further strengthen their effect. In addition, the procedure with tennis balls will restore the down jacket, if its filler fell into a lump after an unsuccessful wash.
- Before washing the down jacket with tennis balls, always fasten all zippers and buttons on the jacket.
- Try to use for washing only liquid detergent, ideally - Domal, Joutsen, as well as other special shampoos and products for washing down jackets . Conventional dry powders are well absorbed, but very poorly washed out of down-feather filler.
- After washing, rinse the product 2-3 times at minimum speed. This is due to the need to thoroughly rinse the remains of detergent from the fluff. Otherwise, by including a single rinse, you risk getting a down jacket with ugly stains.
- Drying down jackets after washing with tennis balls can be done in the washer-dryer (if it is available) or near the heat source in the room. It is recommended that during the drying period, periodically shake down jacket in the manner of how to beat the pillow. The more often and more diligently you will do it, the more bulky your down jacket will be.
- If there are only minor impurities on the surface of the down jacket, you can try cleaning the fabric with a dry brush or gently wash the dirty areas with warm water. Quality clothing usually has an upper waterproof layer that protects the fluff from getting wet during rain and snow.
It will not allow the filler to get wet and with gentle hand washing.
Remember what you can not do when washing down jackets:
- Wash at temperatures above 30 ° C;
- soak and bleach the down jacket;
- too long to dry, including in the fresh air or on a towel;
- keep the product underdried.
Take care of high-quality washing and drying your down jacket, and it will serve you for many years!