How to Wash a Down Jacket by Hand

Co-authored by Ayad Mirjan and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: September 25, 2024 References

Down jackets are well-known for their thick, insulated layer of soft feathers. While these garments can usually be washed in a front-loading machine, you might want to wash your garment by hand if you have an older appliance or a top-loading machine with an agitator.^{[1]
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Research source} First, wipe off any visible dirt from the outside of the coat, then let the item soak in soapy water for an hour. After cleaning the garment, you can rinse it off and let it drip dry on a clothing rack. Once the jacket is slightly damp, place it in the dryer on a low heat cycle.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cleaning and Soaking the Jacket

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1
Wash your garment when it looks visibly dirty. Don’t feel obligated to clean your down jacket every time you wear it! Instead, monitor the outer material of the garment for visible dirt build-up. If you aren’t sure if your jacket needs to be cleaned, try smelling it—if it reeks of sweat or other unpleasant scents, you might want to give it a good washing.^{[2]
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- Don’t wash your jacket after each use; instead, be on the lookout for dirt and bad odors.
- If you go camping or hiking a lot, you might have to wash your jacket more frequently.
2
Wipe off any visible dust and dirt on the outside of the jacket. Lay your coat on a flat surface and look for any spots of dirt or dust. If you see any grimy spots, use short, careful movements to remove the dirt with a rag or brush. Carefully tuck your jacket inside-out, and repeat the same cleaning process by brushing away any visible dirt. Once the inside of the jacket is clean, turn it right-side-out.^{[3]
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- The cleaning process will be a lot easier if the jacket isn’t visibly dirty.
- A soft-bristled brush works well when cleaning off the surface of a down jacket.^{[4]
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Examine the front, back, and sides of your down jacket for any loose zippers, untied fasteners, or loose velcro. Before hand-washing your garment, check that all of these pockets, openings, or zippers are completely secure, so the garment can soak evenly.^{[5]
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4
Fill a large tub or basin halfway with cool water. Find a basin, bucket, tub, or sink in your home that’s large enough to fit a down jacket. Pour enough cool water into the container to drench the garment completely, but not enough to spill out of the basin or tub.^{[6]
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- Choose a place that you won’t need to use for another task. For instance, if you need to wash dishes or use the sink for something, don’t place your down jacket there.
5
Stir a small amount of down-safe detergent into the basin. Examine the care label on your jacket to find specific detergent recommendations. Next, pour a spoonful of gentle or down-specific detergent into the basin of water. Mix the soap into the water until suds form.^{[7]
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- Some detergents will specify if they can be used with down materials. If you can’t find a specialized detergent, use a product with “gentle” written on the label.
- Full-strength, commercial detergents may damage your down feathers in the long run.
6
Soak the jacket for 1 hour. Place the garment into the tub basin or other container. After you arrange it in the suds, check that the jacket is fully soaked and submerged, so it can get a thorough cleaning.
- Set a timer so you can remember how long the jacket soaks for.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Rinsing and Drying the Garment

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Drain out any soapy water from your tub, sink, or basin. Next, refill the container with clean, cool water. Submerge the coat in the water to rinse any suds out of the garment. Repeat this process several times by draining and refilling the container with clean water, then soaking the down jacket. To be safe, continue rinsing the garment until it’s completely free of suds.^{[8]
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2
Squeeze out any excess water without wringing the material. Lift the garment out of the tub or basin and squeeze different sections of the item. Work from left to right as you squeeze out any extra water from the jacket. Keep squeezing the sleeves and body of the jacket until it’s no longer dripping wet.
- Try not to wring out the jacket—this could displace the down feathers, and make your jacket uneven and less insulated.
3
Place your jacket in the dryer on a low heat setting. Remove your jacket from the clothing rack once it feels damp or nearly dry to the touch. Next, arrange the garment in the dryer with 2-3 dryer balls to ensure that your jacket says puffy. Set the dryer to a low heat setting and run the cycle. Once the jacket is dry to the touch, place it on a hanger and store it in a closet or wardrobe.^{[9]
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- You can also use tennis balls if you don’t have any dryer balls on hand.^{[10]
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