From the river, chairlift, to backyard fun, your puffy jacket is your go-to. Season after season we rely on it, but, without proper care, your overworked down jacket can lose its loft and ability to insulate properly. Here are a few tips on how to wash your down jacket to keep it working top-notch, season after season.
Keep It Puffy
It’s never a good idea to store your beloved puffy bunched up in a bin or backpack. The feathers will lose their luster and start to stick together – which makes insulation patchy, creating cold uneven spots. Even synthetic insulation can pack down over time, so be sure to only stuff your jacket when you need it compressed for hiking, traveling, etc. Otherwise, keep it hung up before its next use!
Washing Your Jacket
If you don’t have the funds to take your jacket to a professional cleaner, there are safe ways to clean it. We suggest using the Nikwax downwash and other Nikwax products (available at our stores), as they are specifically designed for hydrophobic and regular down. Nikwax products effectively clean and restore the water repellency of your jacket, while still maintaining insulation.
How to Use Nikwax Downwash for Your Puffy
Machine Wash (for down clothing only):
- Use a front-loading washing machine only.
- Remove all detergent build-up from the detergent dispenser.
- Place maximum 2 items in washing machine.
- Add 100 ml.
- Wash according to care label, preferably on low setting and slow spin.
- After the washing cycle has finished run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed, to remove excess water.
If your washer does not have a slow spin cycle and you’d prefer to hand wash:
Hand Wash (use gloves):
- Add 100 ml to 12-15 L of hand-hot water.
- Immerse item and agitate to mix, ensuring complete wetting.
- Leave to soak for 5-10 minutes, then agitate thoroughly.
- Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear.
- To remove excess water transfer item(s) to a washing machine and run multiple spin cycles, each time incrementally increasing the spin speed.
Drying Your Jacket
Machine Dry: When clean, you can use your dryer on the lowest heat setting along with a tennis ball to help re-fluff your jacket. If your dryer doesn’t have a “low” setting, air drying will work fine.
Hand dry: To hand dry, remove your jacket from the wash and leave it on a flat surface in a well-ventilated room. As your jacket dries, be sure to tease apart clumps to restore loft to the down. Continue to tease apart clumps as your jacket dries. Total dry time can be up to 24 hours.
