A down jacket is a very comfortable and practical thing that keeps you warm in cold weather. But not everyone knows that it requires special care. It is not always possible to take a down jacket to the dry cleaner every time, and after washing a down jacket at home, the down may form into clumps. This will greatly spoil its appearance, and even impair its ability to protect itself from the cold. But even if such a situation has already occurred, you should not rush to throw away the item, because there are easy and effective methods for straightening the fluff in a down jacket after washing.
Causes of filler lumps
Down is considered an excellent heat insulator, but only in a dry and fluffy form. When washed, down absorbs water and forms lumps, which is why it loses its thermal insulation properties. Therefore, high-quality products use water-repellent fabric.
The main reasons for the appearance of fluff balls in a down jacket:
- Cheap fabric. Cheap down jackets do not have water-repellent properties, so the down can form into clumps even when worn, for example, after rain or snow.
- Store rolled up. If the jacket lies folded for a long time, the down becomes compressed.
- Improper washing and drying. Even the best quality down jacket can suffer from down clumps after improper washing.
Many people do not pay attention to the labels that indicate how to care for the item. As a result, after washing you may find clumps, but this is not as scary as it seems, because there are several options for fluffing up fluff at home.
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Using a vacuum cleaner
If you have a blower or regular vacuum cleaner in your house, you can try to break up the lint in the down jacket after washing it. There are two methods to do this. If the first option does not work, you can try to return the down jacket to normal in another way.
1 method
A regular vacuum cleaner will do. Lay the down jacket on a flat, hard surface. Install a thin attachment for cleaning furniture on the vacuum cleaner and move it over the clothes, gently stretching the fluff inside each section. The power of the vacuum cleaner should be kept to a minimum.
Method 2
Place the down jacket in a vacuum bag. Remove all attachments from the vacuum cleaner and use a pipe to suck out the air from the bag. Next, blow air with the same vacuum cleaner, changing the operating mode to blowing. Repeat the process several times. Next, shake the down jacket well and hang it on hangers in the closet.
How to fluff up the down in a down jacket after washing?
If the washing was unsuccessful and the jacket turned into a lumpy bag, then do not immediately despair. One of the following methods will help correct the situation and return the product to its previous appearance.
Manual method
This procedure may take several hours, but it is effective, safe and does not require any costs. It is advisable to carry out this procedure when the product is still wet, but this method also works on dry things.
- Using pinching movements, it is necessary to work through each cell separately on both sides. This way we straighten the fluff and distribute it evenly.
- Each cell must be massaged between the palms.
- After completing the processing of each cell, it needs to be patted with the palm of your hand on both sides.
- After completing the procedure of manually straightening the down, the down jacket must be shaken and fluffed by hand.
In the washing machine
You can also break down the down in a washing machine by loading the down jacket into it and setting it to spin mode. It is important that the spin speed is no more than 800 rpm. In addition to the product itself, it is necessary
load some tennis balls. You can also purchase special balls that are designed for washing things with down filling. After squeezing, the jacket must be shaken and beaten with your hands, the lumps should disappear.
Knockout
Straighten the down jacket and lay it out on the bed or floor. Next, you need to take a carpet beater or something similar, such as a kitchen spatula, and pat it over the entire surface of the jacket. It is important that the beater does not have sharp parts, otherwise the fabric may be damaged. This way, you will be able to break up the clumps of fluff. Next, you need to shake the item in all directions to evenly distribute the filler.
Using a vacuum cleaner
1 method
For this procedure, you need a vacuum cleaner that can not only suck in air, but also blow it out. You need to place the jacket in a vacuum bag and use a vacuum cleaner to suck out all the air. Then, it must be pumped back into the package, and this procedure must be carried out several times. This will help straighten out the down and return the washed down jacket to its previous appearance.
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Method 2
A regular vacuum cleaner is also suitable for this procedure. You will also need a brush attachment. It is necessary to place the down jacket on any straight surface, turn on the vacuum cleaner and move the brush attachment over the surface from the inside of the jacket, this will distribute the filler evenly.
Using a hair dryer
This method is suitable for use after washing. You need to direct a cold or warm air stream from a hairdryer to the inside of the product and dry it, simultaneously whisking the lumps with your hands.
Using a steamer
First you need to beat the down jacket with a carpet beater, and then treat it with a steamer or iron on the inside. After cooling, the down jacket will take on its normal appearance.
Drying with temperature change
This method is only suitable for winter. You need to hang the jacket on a trempel and place it on the balcony, after a while it needs to be brought in and hung in the apartment. This procedure is repeated several times. When the temperature changes, the fluff particles lose their adhesion to each other and fall apart. But after such drying, for a better result, you still need to straighten the down manually, fluffing and patting the jacket.
Recovery methods
There are several ways to help restore a down jacket. This can be done with improvised means.
Vacuum cleaner
You will need a unit with a blowing function. How to straighten the filler with a vacuum cleaner:
- place the product in a plastic bag;
- use a vacuum cleaner to remove all the air from there to create a vacuum;
- make a small hole in the bag with scissors;
- set the blowing mode, fluff the thing.
This will take a few minutes.
Hairdryer
In winter, you can dry the down jacket after washing with a hairdryer:
- hang the jacket on hangers with the zipper open;
- turn on cold air, blow from the wrong side.
This will help shake up the filler.
Steamer, iron
There is some fluff in your jacket and you have a couple of hours of free time, so the iron method will do:
- lay the clothes on a horizontal hard surface;
- thoroughly straighten all corners;
- break the fluff with a stick or carpet beater;
- turn it inside out and iron it through the gauze from the wrong side;
- Cool the item and repeat the steps several times.
For convenience, you should use a steamer. This will save time.
How to do it manually
How to fluff a down jacket after washing with your own hands:
- Place it on the table, straighten the fluff that has rolled into lumps. Shake, pinch the thing. Leave it on the table until dry.
- Periodically approach, straighten, pinch. Beat every time.
- Hang the jacket on hangers so that the down does not begin to fade. This will lead to an unpleasant odor.
- If the fluff gets lost when washing a down jacket in winter, a change in temperature will save it. Hang it outside for a while, then bring it home. This is done several times until it dries, whisking the product all the time.
- A dry item can be straightened in the washing machine. They set the “spin” program, put clothes and a few balls there. When finished, remove and beat with your hands.
These methods are not suitable for everyone; not everyone can boast of great physical strength.
other methods
The down jacket looks different before and after washing. Outerwear needs to be restored to its original appearance immediately. In this case, the likelihood of getting an almost new item is higher.
What to do if the down jacket has become thin:
- knead and straighten each cell, each piece of filler with your hands;
- fluff it up like a pillow every time.
If there are no washing balls, use plastic children's cubes. You can use clean sneakers by placing them in a pillowcase or wrapping them in a rag.
Outerwear can be restored after dry cleaning. When none of the methods have helped, you are scared to take on the task yourself, or the jacket is expensive, it is better to turn to professionals. They will return the product to its original appearance.
How to beat the fluff in a down jacket with a beater or stick:
- Shake the slightly damp item vigorously;
- put it on the table and straighten it out;
- work with a beater for a minute or two;
- shake and repeat steps.
What to do with the fluff if it's gone forever? Sometimes it is impossible to straighten the inside of the jacket. This happens when the problem was not dealt with immediately, and the item lay or hung in the closet until the next season. The only option is to replace the filler. In the studio, instead of down, they will put padding polyester inside. It’s worth thinking about what’s cheaper and easier - to give the jacket to a tailor shop or buy a new one.
It is easier to straighten padding polyester than fluff. The manual method or with a carpet beater is suitable. If it has bunched up, you can go from the middle to the sides with a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner. This will stretch it into place.
What to do to prevent the fluff from matting
Now you know what to do if the fluff gets stuck in a ball, but it’s better to prevent the problem from occurring than to solve it. Therefore, you should know a few tips on how to avoid the filler from clumping.
- This item can be washed at a water temperature of no more than 40 degrees and a spin speed of no more than 800 rpm.
- It is necessary to use the rinse mode 2-3 times.
- It is advisable to use not simple powders, but special gels for washing products with fluff.
- Drying must be done hanging.
- Do not dry your jacket on a radiator or in direct sunlight.
- During drying, it is recommended to beat the product by hand every two hours.
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Now you know how to wash a down jacket to avoid the filling from falling off, and what to do if such a problem does happen. Although a down jacket is a practical item, it requires special care, so you should pay attention to the labels and use the recommendations for caring for the product.
Basic mistakes when washing
Common mistakes when caring for a down jacket:
- Soak the jacket for a long time. The absorbed moisture increases in direct proportion to the time the down jacket is in the water.
- The use of bleach will ruin a down jacket: the color will change, the structure of the down fibers will be disrupted.
- Hot water when washing. The maximum permissible temperature is 30 degrees.
- Washing after winter. In dry, warm summer weather, the filler will not have time to clump and will dry quickly.
- Trying to dry a down jacket in a dryer. It must dry on its own, this way the structure will be preserved.
- Horizontal drying causes the fluff to compress. The jacket should be hung on hangers to allow air to circulate inside. If this is not done, the down jacket will stink after washing.
You should carefully study this list and not fall for these mistakes again.
What to do?
The main reason why lint pills is due to lack of rinsing. It sticks together under the influence of water and powder, and if there is insufficient rinsing, lumps form. It is for this reason that when washing a down jacket, it is recommended to take less powder than usual. It is better to wash off the resulting stains initially. Stains that form on the outer layer are easier to remove if they are washed first.
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If after the first wash the fluff has bunched up, then the item must be dried completely and washed according to the following rules.
- Place the jacket, preferably with balls, in the drum.
- Select a program, delicate mode is recommended.
- It is recommended to choose the powder not in granules, but in the form of a liquid concentrate.
- Washing temperature should be no more than 40 degrees.
- After finishing washing, you need to rinse the item again, you can select an additional rinse program, or rinse the item manually under warm water.
After this, the down jacket needs to be straightened and dried well, using a fan heater. Many people recommend hanging it out in the fresh air; in winter, in the cold, the fluff spreads out well without any mechanical stress.
How to prevent lint from clumping
To prevent the down in a down jacket from pilling, you need to wash and dry it properly.
- Washing should be done at a temperature no higher than 30 degrees;
- We set the spin speed to 400-600 rpm.
- It is necessary to use only specialized detergents. For washing down jackets and other down and feather products, special products have been developed and produced to prevent fibers from sticking together. Any liquid product or gel capsules will also work.
- For padding polyester filler, there is a separate range of products that differ in the method of application; as a rule, the washing method and type of filler are indicated on the label.
- It is advisable to repeat the rinsing several times.
Attention! It is strictly not recommended to use ordinary powders!
Proper drying
Proper drying is of great importance. If you simply leave the down jacket to dry without any action, the appearance of the clothing will leave much to be desired, and you are unlikely to wear it.
You cannot dry your jacket in direct sunlight; you cannot dry it near or, even worse, on a heat source (battery, radiator, etc.).
The best way: lay the down jacket on a horizontal plane, for example, on a floor dryer in a well-ventilated area or outside in the shade and periodically, every 3-4 hours, shake and straighten the product.
We store it correctly
After drying is complete, the down jacket will be ready to serve you again. If you plan to put it in the closet for storage until next season, here are a couple of simple rules that will help you avoid problems in the fall when it comes time to wear it again:
- down products cannot be stored in vacuum bags to avoid squeezing and, as a consequence, the down falling off;
- It is best to store such clothes in covers, unfolded;
Proper care and drying will allow you to use your clothes for many years.
