Maker suggests picking a gentle wash setting. (If your jacket’s care label calls for “specialty detergent,” he says that means down wash.) Use only a small amount of detergent-Richardson adds roughly half a tablespoon to one load-and avoid bleach or fabric softener. Want to ensure your coat remains as fluffy as possible? Richardson recommends down wash-just be sure to use it with warm (but not hot) water, because cold water won’t activate it. “Most detergents, if not all, are now formulated to kick butt and take names in cold water,” she says. When washing her parka, Maker prefers using a mild, unscented detergent and cold water, because it’s the gentlest on clothes. Once it’s ready for the machine, throw your jacket in by itself (or with a blanket, if needed for balance). Last but not least, always check the care label before washing for tips from the manufacturer on how to clean the garment. You’ll also want to spot-treat stains from makeup, oil or dirt before tossing the jacket in the wash (but more on that later). If it’s faux-fur, you can machine wash it separately on a delicate setting,” says Maker. “If it’s real fur, you can take it to a dry cleaner or furrier. (You don’t need to use a mesh laundry bag when washing a puffer few people have one big enough.) Next, remove any fur or faux-fur trims that the coat might have, as those can be cleaned separately. Related: How To Wash Your Clothes To Make Them Last Prep your puffer for the machineīefore you put your coat in the wash, empty the pockets, fasten all velcro closures and make sure the jacket is fully zipped to avoid it snagging inside the machine during the cycle. If your machine does have an agitator, Maker suggests adding something else to the load, like a blanket, to balance the cycle. When washing at home, it’s best to use a front-loading washing machine without an agitator-the cone-shaped spindle typically found at the centre of a top-loading machine-because these can be rough on clothes and garments can get wrapped around them. Because they’re filled with down or down alternatives (like polyester fabric), heavy dry-cleaning fluid can mess with their warm, fluffy feel, explains Patric Richardson, a Minnesota-based laundry and clothing expert and author of Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore. The founder of Clean My Space, a Toronto-based housekeeping service and online cleaning advice platform, has been washing her puffers at home for years.Ĭontrary to popular belief, parkas don’t fare well at the dry cleaner. Melissa Maker’s decade-old parka is still as warm and wearable as ever. We asked two laundry pros to share their tips on how to wash, deodorize and store a down-filled jacket to make it last. These heavy-duty coats aren’t cheap, but the right one will keep you warm year after year if properly taken care of-and that means figuring out how to keep it clean. A good puffer jacket is the key to making it through harsh Canadian winters.
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