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 and gone to join the crowd - only to notice that last year’s meat sauce and pie is still crusted on the front, know you are not alone. And, we’ve got some good news for you.
You absolutely can wash your puffer jacket at home.
To clean your puffer jacket, all you’ll need is some wool and delicate wash, a washing machine (yes a washing machine), a dryer and some tennis balls.
Our step by step guide to keeping your fluff fluff’n, cozy and warm.
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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.
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Remove any super obvious marks or stains with a soft damp cloth.
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Don’t forget to empty the pockets! Nobody wants tears over ruined AirPods.
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Zip up all of the pockets and turn the jacket inside out.
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Wash with a mild, gentle cycle and our Wool and Delicate Wash . Do not use any products containing bleach or fabric softener.
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If you can run an extra rinse cycle instead of a spin cycle at the end. Do not wring it out.
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Put it in the dryer on a low heat cycle with a few tennis balls (This 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.
What to avoid when washing your puffer jacket
Down is resilient against the cold, but when washing, it needs a little extra attention from you. To avoid damaging your down jacket, here’s what you should avoid:
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Fabric softener. Stick to a delicate detergent or if you’re really worried, a down specific wash.
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Dry cleaners. Solvents used in the dry cleaning process can damage your jacket.
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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.
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Wringing. Don’t wring your down jacket, wringing damages the down and the outer fabric.
Still feeling a little worried to wash 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!
You can also watch us washing our own puffer jackets, here.
How often you wash your puffer is really up to you and how often you wear it or get dirty. We would recommend around once per month, based on low-key daily use.
It’s important to remember though that 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?