Temperatures are dropping and it’s freezing cold in the morning. Time to wear the cosiest coat ever: the puffer coat! A puffer coat is super comfy, keeps you warm and goes with all your wintery outfits. But what to do when the coat of all coats has stains and smells musty? Without thinking you throw your tees and jeans in the washer, but it’s a different story with puffer coats. The good news is that cleaning your puffer coat is a lot easier than it seems! With these easy-to-follow steps, you wash your puffer coat and keep it looking amazing for longer.
How to wash a puffer coat?
Washing a puffer coat may feel like you’ve just been asked to climb Mount Everest. But wait! You can throw your puffer coat in the washing machine. An absolute no-go is taking your puffer coat to the dry cleaner. Dry cleaners often use chemicals to clean the garments. Down and chemicals are not a good match! Most people think that a proper chemical cleaning leaves them with a super clean jacket, but that’s not exactly the case. A chemical cleaning will only cause the down feathers to deform, and the jacket will lose its shape. Also, the greasy layer of the down disappears after a chemical wash, meaning the coat will no longer keep you warm.
It really is no problem to wash your puffer coat in the washing machine. Some washers even have a special programme for down-filled garments and sleeping bags, but don’t worry if your machine doesn’t have one. With this easy-to-follow step-by-step guide, you wash your puffer coat.
# Step 1: Check the care label
It’s an open door, but check the care label on the inside of your coat. Here you’ll find all the information you need to wash your puffer coat correctly.
# Step 2: Close all zippers
Another open door we kick in, but better be safe than sorry. Before you pop your puffer coat in the washing machine, it’s best to fasten all zips, buttons, Velcro closures and buckles to prevent the lining from damaging. And, last but not least, remove everything from your pockets!
# Step 3: Wipe off dirt
Wipe all the dirt and dust off your puffer coat using a dry, clean cloth.
# Step 4: Wash on a low temperature
If your washer doesn’t have a down programme, use the gentle settings and wash at a cool temperature.
Note: Don’t use the water or time saving programmes! These programmes have a high rotation speed, and will damage your puffer coat.
# Step 5: Put tennis balls in the drum
Grandma knows best: wash your puffer coat together with four or five tennis balls. Down tends to clump together in the washer, but the tennis balls loosen it up and distribute the padding. The tennis balls also ‘knock’ the dirt off your coat. Talking about a win-win situation!
# Step 6: Dry
Your puffer coat is now super clean. Time to dry! You can let your puffer coat air-dry or pop it in the dryer.
Drying a puffer coat in the dryer
Toss your puffer coat, a wet towel and the tennis balls in the dryer and use the gentle cycle and a cool temperature. The tennis balls distribute the down evenly over the coat. The wet towel prevents your dryer from stopping once the outside of the puffer is dry.
Air-dry a puffer coat
What if you don’t have a dryer or prefer not to use yours? You can easily let the puffer coat air-dry! Lay the coat down on a clean table or chair to prevent the down from sinking.
Turn your puffer over regularly and shake it up to prevent the down from sticking together. If you have an old-fashioned mat beater: go nuts! :)
# Step 7: Impregnate your puffer coat
The puffer coat is now clean and dry, but no longer waterproof. You can use a special impregnation agent to make your coat waterproof.
Find your new puffer coat in the outlet
