How to clean a down jacket at home
The down jacket rightfully deserved the championship among winter clothing. It is warm and cozy in it. It is a reliable protection against snow, gusty wind and rain. But when the cold season passes, the down jacket is folded into the closet until the next frost.
Before sending it for storage, you should remove all stains and remove dirt. This can be done at home.
How to clean a down jacket without washing
Cleaning a down jacket without washing and dry cleaning is not difficult if the product is prepared and cleaned according to the rules.
Preparation for cleaning
Preparation is an important step that cannot be ignored. If you forgot an old candy wrapper in your pocket, and then decided to clean the stain, then the coloring pigment from the paper will certainly show through on the material of the product. This will add problems to yourself and ruin a good thing.
- Unfasten fur details, collar, cuffs, remove jewelry from the down jacket. If the product has an applique, consider what material it is made of. The cleanser must be suitable for both the main garment and the fabric of the design. If possible, wash all the details of the garment separately.
- Check pockets, inside and outside. Shake out debris, crumbs, and pieces of paper.
- Close the zips on the pockets, sleeves and main closure.
- Look carefully at all stains and dirt, determine their nature. You need to understand in advance how to clean the down jacket and what is required for this.
- Depending on the zones and the amount of stains, the product can be washed in whole or in part at home.
Dry cleaning process
Dry cleaning allows you to zonal renew the item, selectively remove stains and dirt. This is an option for how to quickly put the product in order. To make the process take a minimum of time, it is recommended to remove contaminants immediately after they have appeared.
Don't build up stains all season long in the hopes that you will someday get them out in one go at home. Fresh dirt is always easier and easier to remove than old ones.
- Do not stretch the cleaning process. Do not allow liquid or stain remover to penetrate deeply into the material and wet the filler.
- Do not use abrasive, hard sponges or brushes.
- Test all cleaning agents on the inside of the product beforehand.
- Dry clean on a flat, horizontal surface. You cannot do this by weight, so that streaks and stains do not form.
- Soak a soft sponge in a prepared product and treat all areas of contamination. Pay special attention to pockets, cuffs, belt and collar. Places are most often salted here.
- After using chemicals, rinse the treated area with clean water.
- Do not dry the product in direct sunlight or on a hot radiator. Choose a dry, shady, well-ventilated area.
- Try to dry the down jacket flat on the hanger.
- Shake and beat periodically to distribute the down filling evenly.
Special cleaning products
It is not recommended to use classic washing powder to clean the down jacket. Its components are difficult to rinse with water, since a down jacket is a product consisting of many layers and insulation. As a result, whitish streaks, streaks or new spots may remain on the front side of the garment. The chemical components of cleaning mixtures have a negative effect on the condition of the fluff. Insulation can stick together and pick up in lumps, which will be difficult to break and fluff.
Special cleaning products for down jacket remove stains, clean the material, and leave the down fluffy and soft. For example, the special liquid NIKWAX Down Wash Direct makes the down fill more resistant to moisture. And Toko Eco Down Wash loosens the insulation, prevents it from clumping after cleansing.
Cleaning a greasy spot
Greasy places give the down jacket a sloppy, worn look. Pockets, a hood, a fastener bar, a belt like to get shiny already in the middle of the season. You can update such zones with the help of available tools.
How to remove greasy spots on a jacket, especially if there is no chemistry specially designed for this at home? There are a lot of folk remedies.
Ammonia
Ammonia can remove greasy stains. It is better to carry out cleaning in a well-ventilated area so as not to breathe in poisonous fumes. The product can be used alone or in combination with ammonia.
Do not pour ammonia directly onto the material of the down jacket. Dampen a foam sponge and walk over the area of contamination. After 10 minutes, rinse the area with warm water.
Petrol
Gasoline has always been an excellent stain remover for greasy and greasy streaks. Check in advance on an inconspicuous area of matter how it reacts to the agent and whether it can be used in this case.
To remove grease with gasoline, apply a thin layer to a sponge moistened with water. Then rub the stain and wait for about 10 minutes. After the time has elapsed, wipe the area of the down jacket with a damp cloth with a pleasant smell.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is great for removing greasy and greasy stains. With its help, you can clean not only the down jacket, but also the fur collar, cuffs and pockets. Pour some liquid onto a sponge or cotton pad, and then apply to the problem area of the product.
Soak the ammonia for 10 minutes and then rinse the item well in warm water. To let the persistent ammonia scent disappear, hang the product on the balcony to ventilate.
Salt
Salt doesn't so much remove stains as it absorbs grease. Therefore, some recommend a little warm up the greasy area with a hair dryer, and then sprinkle with salt. Leave it on for 10-50 minutes and then brush off the remaining salt with a soft brush.
Salt can be mixed with citric acid or fresh juice. Dilute the mixture with water to a thick porridge and apply to the stain. After a couple of minutes, scrub the dirt with a brush and remove the remaining mixture with water.
Vinegar
Vinegar is great for removing grease and greasy stains. It can be used alone or paired with table salt. Dissolve a tablespoon of vinegar in half a glass of water. You can add a tablespoon of salt.
Treat all problem areas and then clean off any residue.If desired, you can rinse the area with cool water for a shine.
Dishwashing liquid
Liquid detergent for dishes has long won the lead among universal stain removers and fighters against grease. Apply and lather the liquid onto the surface of the sponge, then rub any greasy areas.
Once cleaning is complete, remove the residues of the product with warm water.
How to remove tough stains
Complex, multicomponent stains, especially old ones, are not easy to remove. Do not wait until the end of the season, but clean the product immediately after soiling.
- Remove blood stains with hydrogen peroxide. Then rinse the material well under running water.
- If there are rusty marks on the jacket, remove them with acetic acid or fresh lemon juice.
- Sprinkle a handful of salt on the blot of gasoline so that it absorbs dirt. After an hour and a half, wash the product thoroughly with laundry soap.
- If your winter garment has white spots from the detergent powder after the previous wash, rinse the area under running warm water. The divorces should disappear. If this does not work out, you will have to wash the down jacket in the washing machine again with a minimum dose of detergent or in the rinse mode.
How to eliminate unpleasant odor
Unpleasant odors can easily appear even on a rarely worn item. What can we say about the down jacket, which you wear several times a day during the season.
- Sweat odor is removed with laundry soap. Rub the soapy water over the problem areas, and then wash the down jacket with a fragrant conditioner or powder, adhering to all the rules.
- An unpleasant musty smell appears if the product has not been completely dried. Wet litter starts to clump and smell unpleasant. In this case, repeated washing with high-quality drying will help.
- The smell of tobacco or cigarettes is corrosive and persistent. A steam cleaner will help you here. It helps to clean the down jacket at home without washing. There is also a folk remedy for eliminating tobacco aroma: steam a glass of vinegar with boiling water and hang the product over the steam. After a couple of hours, the hot vapors will completely dissipate the unwanted odor.
Cleaning the white down jacket
A light down jacket looks presentable and attracts the attention of others. But it also attracts dust and dirt. The slightest stains are visible on the white material. Owners of such a product are advised to immediately get rid of dirt, and not collect them before the first wash.
To care for white items, you will need laundry soap. It is a versatile cleanser that tackles almost all stains. You need to rub the soap into the problem area, and after half an hour, wipe the remains with a damp sponge or napkin.
In addition to professional stain removers, hydrogen peroxide restores the whiteness of fabrics. Dilute 2-3 teaspoons of the product in a glass of water and scrub the stain. After half an hour, rinse with water or a tissue until clean.
Cleaning the fur hood
Down jacket with fur trim looks luxurious! Therefore, any contamination immediately catches the eye, and the product looks sloppy.
- Wash your fur collar separately from your garment.
- For fur, the optimal water temperature is considered to be no higher than 30 degrees. Do not use hot water for washing, especially if the item is black or white.
- Soak the fur in soapy water before washing. To do this, use a laundry soap or fur detergent.
- Do not rub or twist the fur while cleaning. Work mainly in problematic, contaminated areas.
- Remove greasy stains with a mixture of a teaspoon of ammonia, two teaspoons of salt and a glass of water. Apply the prepared product only to the selected areas, and after half an hour wash in soapy water.
- Comb the fur with a wide-toothed comb in the direction of the pile growth.
- From folk remedies, talcum powder, starch or semolina are excellently cleaned. Apply one of your chosen products to problem spots, then shake well. If white grains of sand are stuck in the fluff, remove them with a vacuum cleaner.
Down jacket care rules
Proper care will prolong the life of the product.
- Follow the care instructions on the tag. This will save you the hassle and frustration of washing.
- Wash your down jacket 1-2 times a year. If you don't want to do it yourself, have it dry cleaned.
- Dry the product well, even if you've zoned out stains. Avoid dampness and moisture ingress on the insulation. The thing should dry for at least 2 days.
- Avoid bleaching and coloring products for cleaning your down jacket. This can adversely affect the condition of the material and filler.
- After drying, you can even iron the item with an iron at low to medium temperatures to fix the moisture removal.
- Keep the down jacket hanging from a hanger. Try not to fold or crumple it in a cramped closet until next season. The thing can be deformed, and the insulation can fall off.
Fashionistas have always associated their favorite down jacket with comfort and warmth. To keep the product warm in any weather, take care of the down jacket even during the off-season.
Video: how easy it is to clean a down jacket
