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A jacket is probably something I'm going to wash this spring. I'll probably hand wash it in the tub with down wash and then tumble dry on low.
The cheaper puffer down jacket I did wash, without regard to the washing instructions, did turn out as you describe with a smell. I still have it and its wearable, but I just count on the same warmth it once had. In any case, the lesson learned was to always follow the tag instructions....
If you're going to wash it in the tub, put it in the machine to spin dry. Otherwise it will take forever to dry in the dryer under low.
EDIT~ Dry clean if it's horribly dirty, but never water and soap.
That’s not true at all. I wash my down comforter a couple of times a year. I use a commercial front loader, warm water gentle detergent. I also use a commercial large dryer.
Dry on permanent press. For longer than you think. Feathers kind of ball up, so the top feathers will feel dry, but the middle feathers are not dry at all and it’ll wick out and the comforter will feel wet again.
I use a percale comforter cover that gets washed with my sheets.
When the time comes for the 850 fill coat this spring, after tub washing, I may put it between two towels and apply some pressure for initial drying first (I don't think I'll try rolling it up in the towel as it might hurt the down). Then maybe in the washer to spin for a while, then finally the dryer. For those who dry their down coats, do you zipper up everything, including the front, or leave open? The much thinner down coat I washed and dried in the past was left open in the dryer one time and everything zipped up another time. The open one dried in half the time. I hesitate doing this with my much more expensive jacket as it might hurt the zippers or worse.
I always zip everything up. I vaguely recalling some manufacturer (?Lands End or LLBean) saying to do this years ago, and I've just stuck with the plan. I don't find it takes overly long to dry.
Turn your clothes inside out to prevent/reduce wear.
Empty pockets and zip and button everything to preserve shape.
For dark colors, wash with a cup of white vinegar (and detergent) on cold, and use the gentle cycle whenever possible to help set and preserve those colors.
Dont use fabric softner on down because it will effect the feathers.
Anything knit, or subject to shape altering stretch is better off dried flat on a rack, at least until the water-weight has mostly evaporated out of the item. You need a rack to allow air to circulate all around the item.
When the time comes for the 850 fill coat this spring, after tub washing, I may put it between two towels and apply some pressure for initial drying first (I don't think I'll try rolling it up in the towel as it might hurt the down). Then maybe in the washer to spin for a while, then finally the dryer. For those who dry their down coats, do you zipper up everything, including the front, or leave open? The much thinner down coat I washed and dried in the past was left open in the dryer one time and everything zipped up another time. The open one dried in half the time. I hesitate doing this with my much more expensive jacket as it might hurt the zippers or worse.
Rolling it in a towel to help get rid of more water won't hurt it as long as you don't roll it very tightly or pull on the seams a lot. What might hurt it is hanging it or carrying it unsupported while wet and risking tearing the internal baffles that prevent the down from settling into one spot. As for the puffer jacket that smells, re-wash it and dry it correctly this time. Don't use no heat and don't use high heat. You need a middle of the road heat setting. You don't have to dry it super fast, just keep it TUMBLING. The motion will help prevent clumping. If your dryer doesn't offer that, take it to a laundromat with machines that do. Lower cost "down" items aren't usually completely filled with down. It is a mixture of bigger coarser feathers and less down. The feathers can get permanently crushed or bent, reducing their ability to loft or trap air. I'd zip things up, not only to protect the shaping, but to prevent the zipper teeth and tabs from snagging the fabric. Also fasten any Velcro tabs. The last thing you want is snags in a down garment's fabric...tiny bits of down will leak out of it forever.
Last edited by Parnassia; 01-16-2021 at 12:19 PM..
Turn your clothes inside out to prevent/reduce wear.
Empty pockets and zip and button everything to preserve shape.
For dark colors, wash with a cup of white vinegar (and detergent) on cold, and use the gentle cycle whenever possible to help set and preserve those colors.
Dont use fabric softner on down because it will effect the feathers.
Anything knit, or subject to shape altering stretch is better off dried flat on a rack, at least until the water-weight has mostly evaporated out of the item. You need a rack to allow air to circulate all around the item.
What I've used to flat dry a down jacket is a sweater "rack" that is uses mesh, not cross poles. Supports and distributes the weight well and allows good air circulation. There are various types available such as:
Agree. Don't use any type of fabric softener, dryer sheet, extra chemicals. The less residue that ends up coating your down the better.
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Solly says — Be nice!
