Like any other outerwear, jackets get dirty over time and require cleaning. Is it possible to wash a jacket in a washing machine? The answer to this question largely depends on the material from which the outerwear is made. In this article we will talk about the rules for caring for a wide variety of jackets.
Not all jackets can withstand machine washing well.
Which jackets can be washed?
Today in stores you can find a huge number of ski, snowboard, membrane, winter and demi-season jackets made of synthetic materials - polyester, raincoat fabric, bologna, nylon and others. Among them there are many products with artificial fillers - holofiber and padding polyester. There are even jackets with headphones sewn into the material.
You can wash jackets made from these fabrics at home - either by hand or in a washing machine. Clothes of this kind are easy to care for. But before you put your things in order, study the information on the permitted cleaning methods located on the labels.
Outerwear made from synthetic materials can be washed in a washing machine
Winter down jackets can also be washed , but following certain rules.
It is advisable to wash genuine leather products, including suede jackets, only in extreme cases when another cleaning method does not help. If you decide to do this, choose the most gentle mode possible, or wash the product by hand. Use a liquid detergent for delicate fabrics.
Cleaning a leather jacket with a damp cloth
From the video, readers will learn about what information is contained on clothing tags:
How to prepare a down jacket for washing?
Cleaning down jackets requires preliminary preparation. It is not enough to simply place a down jacket in the washing machine; the item must first be prepared:
- Remove all contents from the inner and outer pockets.
- Unfasten the decorative elements, fur trim, hood and belt.
- In order to keep the fittings safe and sound, it is recommended to wrap them with cling film.
- It is better to pre-treat the most contaminated areas with detergent (ordinary laundry soap will do) and leave for 15-20 minutes. Typically, such contaminated areas are the lower part of the sleeves, collar, areas near the zipper and pockets.
- Turn it inside out and fasten the zipper - this will preserve the integrity of the fabrics and connecting elements.
The described actions will improve the quality of washing.
IMPORTANT!
It is recommended to wash the down jacket separately from other items. This will improve the removal of contaminants from the product. You also need to set the extra rinse function.
Preparing for washing and removing dirt
Before putting the product into the drum of the machine, you need to remove stains and stains from the surface, and also clean the collar and cuffs from grease. This must be done manually, using regular liquid dishwashing detergent, which quickly dissolves grease.
Before washing a padded jacket in the washing machine, clean the collar and cuffs
Apply a little product to a clean sponge and wipe the dirty areas. If the stains are old, use laundry soap instead of detergent - it has a stronger effect on the surface of the fabric and easily cleans even white jackets. Instead of a sponge, you can use a soft brush.
Before washing, perform several mandatory procedures:
- If your jacket has a detachable collar or hood made with real or faux fur, remove it.
- Remove foreign objects from pockets.
- Check that the buttons are securely sewn on so that they do not come off during the washing process.
- Fasten all snaps, zippers, Velcro and buttons.
- If the jacket has metal fittings, wrap it with masking tape or other material.
- Turn the product inside out and load it into the drum.
Before washing, the jacket must be turned inside out and buttoned completely.
Important Tips
If you do not follow the rules on how to wash a padding polyester jacket in an automatic washing machine, then you will not be able to avoid streaks and lumps. If, nevertheless, the filler has compacted and turned out to be crumpled, it needs to be straightened out.
To do this you should:
- put the jacket in the washing machine again, but put a tennis ball or a washable ball in it;
- hang the down jacket on a hanger and beat it with a carpet flapper or a wooden stick, trying to straighten the inner filling;
- A damp jacket can be normalized using a vacuum cleaner. To do this, apply the tube without a nozzle to the crumpled area and perform a “massage” in a circular motion.
The main rule in washing products on padding polyester is the use of delicate detergents. In addition, the correct regime plays an equally important role. The jacket should be dried in a horizontal position to maintain its original shape.
In what mode and at what temperature should you wash?
When washing any outerwear, including jackets, do not use washing powder - choose only liquid detergent. It is recommended to use special compositions for jackets, such as Sodasan Active Sport, Cotico, Holmenkol Natural Wash and others. The washing mode and water temperature are selected depending on the insulation material and outer fabric.
Cotico – detergent for washing jackets made of membrane fabrics
Washing rules: mode, temperature
Properly washing winter outerwear is not difficult. To ensure that a thing does not lose its appearance and retains its basic qualities, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Do not overload the machine with heavy items. The washing mode for woolen and delicate items, which can be used to clean a down jacket, is not designed for a weight of more than one kilogram. It is better to wash a bulky, heavy jacket by hand.
- Always set the extra rinse mode. Detergents may leave streaks on fabrics after they dry.
- Jackets are washed at a temperature not exceeding 400C. The maximum temperature is indicated on the label.
- Winter clothes cannot always be wrung out, so turn off the spin mode.
What to wash
You need to clean jackets in the washing machine using gel or balm. Powders and soaps do not dissolve dirt well and leave unsightly stains on the fabric.
Large supermarkets stock detergents for washing any product. If possible, it is worth purchasing one that is suitable specifically for your item. It could be:
- Gel for washing sports items, for example, Sodasan Active Sport. It is suitable for technical fabrics.
- Cotico is a product that works in cold water. Suitable for any clothing, but it must be rinsed at least twice.
- Granders Performance Wash is a gel that dissolves dirt in cold water. Cleans any fabric, washes out after the first rinse.
Machine washable
Washing a winter jacket in a machine is much easier than washing it by hand, but it is not always possible. Before cleaning an item, read the information on the label attached to the back of the item; it should say whether this item can be machine washed.
Important ! If it says hand wash or dry clean only, play it safe and don't put it in the drum.
How to wash a polyester jacket
Outerwear with synthetic fillings - padding polyester, holofiber and polyester - can be washed in water at a temperature of +40 to +50 ℃, unless otherwise indicated on the product tag.
It is advisable to use conditioner along with detergent to make the fabric soft and eliminate electrification. To prevent the filler from clumping, place several tennis balls or special laundry balls in the drum.
Choose the delicate or manual mode of operation of the washing unit, with minimum spin speed of the drum (from 400 to 500). The product must be rinsed thoroughly to remove any residual detergent from the filler. Therefore, supplement your wash program with a double rinse option.
Washing the down jacket
Clothing filled with down and/or feathers should be washed at a temperature not exceeding +40 ℃. To prevent the formation of lumps, you need to put special balls or tennis balls in the drum.
The washing mode should be selected delicate or manual, with an additional rinse. Spinning should be carried out at drum speeds not exceeding 600.
The down jacket can be washed by hand using the same water temperature and liquid detergent. You can squeeze the product only slightly, and then hang it on hangers in a ventilated area, away from heating devices.
Tag on a down jacket that can be washed and ironed
How to wash a down jacket in a washing machine?
What mode should I wash on?
- Temperature conditions. It is worth remembering that most synthetic fabrics cannot be washed at temperatures above 40 degrees. Hot water is the first reason that a down jacket loses its shape and the down becomes lumpy. Before washing, carefully study the label from the manufacturer. Quality items not only have labels with care instructions, but also fabric samples for test washing. Therefore, it is better to choose the minimum temperature. There is no need to worry that the quality of the wash will deteriorate at low water temperatures. Modern detergents dissolve well and work even in cold water.
- What program should I use to wash? Each program is designed for a specific type of fabric. When washed in hot water, synthetic material loses its basic properties: shape, ability to “breathe” and conduct heat. Therefore, it is recommended to wash a down jacket with down and feather filling using a manual or delicate cycle. If there is a mode for wool products, then it is better to choose it.
Features of caring for Columbia Omni-Heat jackets
Such products are one of the varieties of membrane jackets sewn using Omni-Heat technology developed by Columbia. Contact of this material with water should be minimized, so it is better to wash such products by hand. Hang the jacket over the bathtub on hangers, treat the stains with soapy water, and then rinse with a shower.
Ski membrane jackets Columbia
Wash in an automatic machine at a water temperature of no more than +30 ℃. Choose a manual or delicate wash program with an additional rinse, at a minimum drum speed during spinning.
Dry your jacket on hangers in an upright position.
How to clean a suede jacket at home
Many owners do not know how to properly care for suede outerwear and how to clean the surface of the leather so as not to spoil it. Suede can be easily cleaned by hand with a damp sponge dipped in warm soapy water.
Special soft brushes are used to care for suede.
Instead of a sponge, you can use a soft brush. Wash off dirt and detergent residue with a clean, damp sponge until no traces remain. A greasy collar can be removed with a solution of vinegar or ammonia. The suede product is dried on hangers in a vertical position.
As you can see, caring for outerwear is quite simple. You need to wash your jacket at least once a year after the end of the season to prevent dirt from becoming embedded in the fabric and becoming old.
