With winter approaching, is it time to get your down jacket out of the wash? But if you just want to put it in the washing machine and wash it, beware of it becoming an “exploding” down jacket at the drop of a hat.
Generally speaking, down jackets explode in more extreme cases. The main reason for this is that the outer layer of the down jacket is coated with a special coating that prevents the down from burrowing and is not very breathable. Secondly, the expanding down jacket is squeezed at high speed during the drying process to produce enough air bubbles and enough air pressure to eventually cause an “explosion”. Although there is no need to talk about it, you should not be careless in the cleaning process.
Some people may say: take it to the laundry, as this will ease the burden of housework and avoid the possibility of an ‘explosion’. But not only is the waiting time at the launderette too long and the hygiene conditions in some shops worrying, but the prices also are not cheap either. So, how do we hand wash our down jackets at home?
We recommend that you prepare a basin of warm water, put in the right amount of laundry detergent, and soak the down jacket in it for about 15 minutes to start washing. It is important to note that you should not use your hands to rub the dirty areas of the clothes, use a soft brush or an unused toothbrush to scrub them.
After washing the down jacket, you should not wring it out in the usual way, but squeeze out the moisture and then lay it flat or hang it up to dry. Do not expose to the sun and do not iron immediately. Once dry, pat the coat with a hanger to restore the original fluffiness and softness.
If you feel that hand washing is a problem and you want to leave it to the washing machine, there is a way to avoid exploding down jackets in the machine. We have talked to the dry cleaning staff and they explained that, apart from some special materials, down coats are also washed in water when they are sent to the laundry. Leaving aside their expertise and equipment, it is possible to wash them in a washing machine at home.
The right thing to do is to take a basin or bucket, put a little water in it, put the down jacket in the water, and try to expel as much air as possible, that is, when your down jacket can sink completely into the water instead of floating on it, then you can put it in the washing machine so that the down jacket will generally not explode.
Alternatively, if the soiling is localized you can consider a special neutral down detergent. Put a drop of it on the dirt location and dry it with a hot towel after five minutes to remove the dirt.
Of course, in addition to the cleaning needs attention, daily maintenance is also related to the down jacket and the warmth of the problem.
1, avoid long exposure to the sun
In order to pursue the fluffiness of clothing, you can’t just use sunlight exposure. Because the protein fiber most taboo exposure to the sun, and down jacket sun once life will be discounted once. So in order to avoid the aging of the fabric and down, wash the down jacket in a ventilated place to dry.
2, should not use the vacuum bag squeeze storage
In the spring storage down jacket try not to fold or put it into a vacuum bag squeeze storage, to avoid down squeezing into a group, the best will be down jacket hanging storage.
3, moisture and mildew
When storing your down jacket during the change of season, it’s best to use a breathable finishing bag to wrap your down jacket in a cool, dry place, and be sure to check for moisture on rainy days.
Especially during the rainy season in the wet south, if you find that your down jacket is damp and moldy, remember to wipe it down with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol, then wipe it down with a clean damp towel to dry and put it away.
In general, send the laundry or wash yourself depending on the value and material of the clothing, after all, the saying “there is a specialty in the field” is not true.
