How to wash your down item
Unlike waterproof clothing, down items need only infrequent washing. Washing too frequently can affect the loft of the down and its ability to keep you warm. For most down items, once or twice a year is the sweet spot — or simply at the end of a season.
That said, giving your down item a good clean is still important. Dirt and body oils can build up over time and cause the down to hold onto moisture which can lead to mould and bacterial growth. Read on for instructions on how to wash your down items in the washing machine or by hand.
What you'll need
You'll want to use a specialist down wash to give your item the best possible clean without unnecessarily affecting the down.
We recommend Grangers Wash + Repel Down 2 in 1, which cleans and re-proofs your down item in one go. There are also plenty of other specialist down washes available, so just make sure you choose one that's designed specifically for down-filled clothing.
Step 1: Prepare your item & washing machine
Before you start, it's worth taking a few minutes to prepare both your washing machine and your down item.
Clean your washing machine:
Run one or two cycles with no detergent, and rinse out the detergent drawer thoroughly. This helps remove any leftover household detergent that could affect your down item.
Prepare your item:
Check carefully for any rips, tears or damage.
Look for any areas where feathers or down could escape. These should be repaired before washing — the last thing you want is to lose your precious down during the wash!
Close all zips.
Loosen any Velcro straps and tight draw cords around the hood, waist or cuffs.
Don’t forget to check all your pockets!
Step 2: Wash your item
Place your down item in the washing machine. We generally recommend washing one item at a time. Always follow the instructions on your down wash, but your garment's care label is the most important thing to check. Pay particular attention to the maximum temperature and recommended spin cycle, as the wrong settings could damage it. In most cases, down items should be washed on a cool temperature with a long, gentle cycle.
Once the wash has finished, rinse the item thoroughly to make sure any leftover detergent has been removed. Then run a gentle spin cycle (no more than 800 rpm) to remove as much water as possible.
Step 3: Dry your down item
This is the most important part of washing down and it's worth getting right! If you don’t have a drier with a low heat setting at home, find a local laundrette and plan your wash cycle to end at a time when the laundrette will be open for drying.
When your down item comes out of the washing machine, it will probably be very heavy with water. Wet down is surprisingly heavy, so take care when lifting it. Handling it roughly while it's wet can put extra strain on the internal compartments and potentially cause damage.
Getting it safely into the dryer
Support the item as you take it out of the machine. Using a bath towel to ‘cradle’ the jacket can make this much easier. If there's a lot of water left, gently squeeze the item using a towel.
Place the item in the tumble dryer as soon as possible, using a low to medium heat setting.
Keep an eye on it
Every 20–30 minutes, take the item out of the dryer and give it a gentle shake. Pat and massage the baffles to help redistribute the down and break up any clumps.
As the jacket starts to dry, you can gradually shake it a little more vigorously. Adding a couple of clean tennis balls here can also speed up the drying a little and help the down to regain its loft.
Don't be tempted to take your jacket out too early! The outer fabric may feel completely dry while the down inside is still damp.
Drying can take around 3–5 hours, depending on the size and construction of the item, so be patient. It's ready to come out when your jacket feels lovely and puffy again.
One last step: Once your jacket is dry, hang it up somewhere at home and allow it to air dry for another couple of days.
If hand washing:
Prefer to hand wash? No problem! Follow the preparation and product guidance in our machine-washing guide above, including checking your garment's care label and using a specialist technical wash rather than household detergent.
Fill a clean bath, sink or large container with cool or lukewarm water, following the temperature on your garment's care label, and add the recommended amount of technical wash.
Gently work the water through the whole garment, paying particular attention to areas such as the neckline, armpits and cuffs.
Once clean, drain the water and rinse thoroughly with clean water until there are no traces of the cleaning product left.
Then finally, follow the drying instructions above :)
And voilà — clean, fluffy and ready to keep you warm & cosy!
P.S.
If you’re unsure about doing this yourself, there are plenty of wash services out there to choose from. Here are a few we recommend:
PPS. Some of these companies only accept their own brand for washing