How to straighten the down in a down jacket after washing?

Perhaps every modern person has a down jacket in their winter wardrobe. However, caring for it presents considerable difficulties. A down jacket cannot simply be washed in the washing machine and hung to dry, like other things. When washed, the fluff gets wet, forms clumps and the product takes on an unpresentable appearance.

If you do not take any measures to restore the original appearance of the filler, it will no longer warm you, and you are unlikely to want to wear such clothes.

Using dry cleaning services is quite expensive, especially for those who own light-colored clothes, which have to be cleaned frequently. What to do if the fluff in your down jacket is lost? You shouldn’t despair, you can safely wash your down jacket in the machine, and then use the materials in this article and return your item to its original appearance and volume yourself.

What to do if the down jacket becomes thin after washing?

There are several effective ways to restore fluffiness. Experienced housewives who do not want to spend a lot of time performing this operation manually call for help with a carpet beater, a hair dryer, and even a vacuum cleaner and rolling pin.

Break down the fluff manually

The most costly method in terms of effort and time is the manual method of straightening the fluff. It is suitable only for very patient owners. A high-quality result can be achieved if you start work when the down jacket is still wet and carry out several cycles until it is completely dry.. Using pinching movements, methodically break up the matted fluff in each cell, distributing it evenly over the entire area, then rub the cell with your palms and move on to the next one. During the “manual therapy” process, shake the product vigorously several times.

Dry at different temperatures

This method does not require much effort and time, unlike manually sorting a down jacket, but it will not always be possible to use it. You can arrange contrast drying for your down jacket if the weather outside is dry and frosty.. The method is based on the fact that, either freezing or thawing, the fluff particles lose their adhesion to each other, and the resulting lumps of filler disintegrate and the item gradually acquires its original volume.

Drying a down jacket in a contrasting manner is not difficult at all: after washing, hang the product on a hanger and straighten it thoroughly. If there are large clumps of lint, manually separate them into smaller ones. In this form, leave the down jacket to dry at room temperature for one to two hours, then shake it well and take it out into the cold for a couple of hours before returning it to the house and shake it thoroughly again.Ideally, you need to repeat the procedure 3-4 times until the down jacket is completely dry.

This method may not always give a 100% result, but it greatly facilitates subsequent operations to restore the original volume of the product.

The weather outside should be dry and frosty, otherwise, instead of contrast drying, you can significantly increase the drying time of the down jacket.

Break up lumps with a vacuum cleaner

A very simple and effective method to return volume to a down jacket is to use a vacuum cleaner. Let's look at the two most popular ways to use a vacuum cleaner in non-standard ways.

The first method has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in practice. All you need is a large vacuum bag and a vacuum cleaner equipped with a blowing function. The procedure is as follows:

• put the down jacket in the bag;
• use a vacuum cleaner to pump out the air from the bag;
• switch the vacuum cleaner to blowing;
• fill the bag with air;
• repeat these steps 2-3 times;
• Remove the down jacket from the bag and shake well.

If you do not have a vacuum bag, you can replace it with a regular thick plastic bag of sufficient volume.

For those owners who do not have a blowing mode on their vacuum cleaner, we offer a slightly more labor-intensive but effective method for restoring the volume of fluff. The procedure is as follows:

• turn inside out;
• straighten the down jacket on the table or hang it on a hanger;
• install a furniture attachment on the vacuum cleaner;
• sequentially, cell by cell, move the nozzle over the down jacket, stretching the clumps of down and evenly distributing them among the cells;
• Shake the down jacket well.

To prevent the vacuum cleaner attachment from leaving marks, wrap it in a piece of clean cloth and secure it with an elastic band.

Use a hair dryer

Another faithful assistant in reviving a down jacket is a hairdryer.It allows you not only to add volume to the product and distribute the fluff well, but also to significantly reduce the drying time. The principle of this method is similar to using a vacuum cleaner. The only difference is in the direction of the air flow to break up the rolled down fluff. The air should not be hot, because... the feather may break under the influence of temperature, and streaks may appear on the fabric. How to dry:

• after washing, place the down jacket on hangers;
• let it dry a little;
• turn inside out;
• consistently blow through each cell of the jacket, beating and evenly distributing the fluff;
• Whisk the product periodically.

Fluff with a beater

Another popular way to restore a down jacket is to break up the matted down. It is best to use a carpet beater or rolling pin for this. The main thing is to avoid products with sharp corners. Use this method infrequently, because... mechanical impact on the fabric can ruin it. Beating the fluff is not difficult at all:

• place the down jacket on hangers;
• fasten all zippers and fasteners;
• using gentle blows, methodically break up the lumps of fluff;
• Shake the product vigorously periodically.

What to do to prevent fluff from matting during washing?

As popular wisdom says, it is easier to prevent a problem than to try to fix it. In order not to spend a lot of time restoring the down jacket after washing, it is better to try to avoid or minimize down matting. For this you need wash and dry following certain rules. If the item is of high quality, well stitched, and the manufacturer’s recommendations and our advice are followed when washing, most likely the fluff will hardly mat.

Rules for washing a down jacket

Proper washing and drying will preserve the decent appearance and performance of the product. The first thing you need to do before washing is to read the manufacturer’s recommendations on the label for caring for the product. On the tag you will find what type of washing (automatic or manual) and water temperature are most suitable for this item.

General recommendations from experts when washing down jackets:

• Wash the entire down jacket completely immersed in water as little as possible. It is better to simply wash the contaminated areas;
• If a single stain appears on your jacket, try removing it with a brush and stain remover
• if both hand and machine washing are acceptable, you should give preference to the latter;
• Do not wash clothes filled with natural down at too high a temperature (at temperatures above 40 degrees, particles of the protective fatty coating covering the fluff dissolve and are absorbed into the fabric, leading to the appearance of streaks);
• for the same reason, be sure to purchase a specialized liquid detergent for washing down jackets; it is inexpensive, but allows you to be as gentle as possible with the filling of your jacket;
• The optimal mode for most products is delicate wash at 30 degrees;
• do not use too high spin speeds - it is optimal to set the value within 600–800 rpm;
• use balls for washing and drying in an automatic washing machine (you can purchase specialized ones or use simple tennis balls);
• Always use one or two extra rinse cycles after washing (the standard rinse cycle is not enough to remove detergent residue from fluff).

The process of washing in a washing machine differs little from everyday washing of ordinary things:

1. Before washing, remove all removable elements (hood, fur frills);
2. close all pockets and zippers
3. place the jacket in the washing machine tub;
4. place the washing balls there;
5. add a specialized detergent;
6. set the required temperature and program;
7. turn on the extra rinse mode;
8. Click the "start" button and wait for the process to complete.

Drying correctly

It is equally important to follow the drying technology for products with down insulation. The main recommendations for drying the product are as follows:

• after finishing washing, do not leave the down jacket in the washing machine for a long time;
• remove from the tank and immediately shake vigorously;
• If large clumps of fluff have formed, separate them with your hands;
• place the product on hangers and leave to dry vertically;
• the optimal place for drying is a dry, well-ventilated room with a heat source;
• when drying, do not place the item closer than one meter from the radiator or heater;
• avoid exposure to direct sunlight;
• Shake the down jacket thoroughly every 2-3 hours.

If the weather outside is damp and there is no heating in the house, and you are not sure that the washed down jacket will dry in less than two days, it is better to refuse washing. There is a possibility that the filler will become blocked and the item will be damaged.

When is the best time to dry clean it?

Some down jackets have a special water- and dirt-repellent impregnation, which can be washed off when washed in a washing machine. You will find information about this on the product label along with a recommendation to dry clean this item only. If you don’t want to spoil the item, don’t neglect this rule.

Here are the basic methods of how to quickly and efficiently restore a decent appearance to a down jacket at home. We hope that our advice will be useful to you and you will easily cope with the task.