When winter is in full swing, you’ll notice a sea of black puffer jackets everywhere you go. If you’ve just pulled yours out of the cupboard to join the crowd, only to discover a musty smell and the crusty remnants of last year’s meat pie, you are not alone. Don’t worry, we’ve got some good news for you: you absolutely can wash your puffer or down jacket at home.
To clean your puffer jacket safely, all you’ll need is some Wool and Delicate Wash, a washing machine, a dryer, and some tennis balls.
Our step by step guide to keeping your puffer fluffy, cozy, and warm.
Before you begin, always read the care labels. No jacket is made the same and some may be made of a combination of materials or require specific washing instructions. Some of the big name brands like Kathmandu and Anaconda have specific washing instructions available online.
- Remove any super obvious marks or stains with a soft damp cloth.
- Don’t forget to empty the pockets! Nobody wants tears over ruined AirPods.
- Zip up all of the pockets and turn the jacket inside out.
- Wash on a cold gentle cycle with our Wool and Delicate Wash. Do not use any products containing bleach or fabric softener.
- Do not wring it out. Bonus points if your machine lets you run an extra rinse cycle instead of a spin cycle at the end.
- Lay the puffer on a flat aerated surface to dry
- Finish it off in the dryer on a low heat cycle with a few tennis balls.
A little secret… Step 7 is the answer to your making-your-puffer-puffy-again query! The bouncing motion of the tennis balls will add an extra fluffiness to your puffer jacket by redistributing the down feathers on the inside.
You can watch us washing our own puffer jackets, here.
What to avoid when washing your puffer jacket.
Your down puffer will keep you warm all winter long, so when it comes to washing it it’s your time to give some TLC back to it. To avoid damaging your down jacket, here’s what you should avoid:
- Fabric softener. Stick to a delicate detergent or if you’re really worried, a down specific wash.
- Dry cleaners. Solvents used in the dry cleaning process can damage your jacket.
- A washing machine with an agitator. These can damage your puffer jacket and cause rips and tears. If you can’t avoid agitation (for example in an old top loader), just make sure the cycle is set to as delicate as possible.
- Wringing. Don’t wring your down jacket, wringing damages the down and the outer fabric.
Still feeling a little worried about washing your puffer jacket?
If you’ve still going through ‘maybe-i’ll-ruin-it’ anxiety you can also play it really safe and hand wash your puffer jackets.
Just soaking your jacket for up to an hour in mildly warm water using Dirt Wool and Delicate Wash will work. To dry use the same steps above!
How often you wash your puffer?
This is really up to you and how often you wear it or get dirty. We would recommend around once a month. Remember, a clean down layer will keep you a lot warmer than a dirty one so we’d recommend cleaning twice or more a season.
Looking after your winter warmers properly ensures their longevity and performance. What’s more sustainable than whipping the same puffer out season after season?
