MONTEBELLO, Calif. — October 5, 2023 — A clean down jacket, duvet, or sleeping bag will perform at its best and, with a few tips, it is actually very easy to wash your down product. Depending on usage, we recommend washing about once per year.
While we always suggest following the manufacturer’s recommended washing instructions, the following is generally the best way to wash your down product.
Step 0: What Not To Do
The three biggest mistakes people make when laundering down products are
- using harsh detergents;
- not drying completely; and
- overloading home washers/dryers with larger items such as duvets.
Avoiding these mistakes will help your down last longer and perform better.
Step 1: Use The Right Detergent
It is critical to start with a detergent specifically created for down products, such as ALLIED Feather + Down’s Down Wash. Once you have detergent in-hand, the following four steps will have your down jacket smelling fresh, lofting better, and looking like new.
Step 2: Pre-Rinse
If possible, pre-rinse products without detergent. This helps to saturate the items allowing the detergent to penetrate the fabrics more effectively and get to the down clusters to clean them thoroughly.
Step 3: Low Temp Wash
There is a greater likelihood that the fabrics will require a lower temperature than the down itself. This also saves energy when it is not needed.
Step 4: Additional Rinse
This will ensure that all detergent was completely rinsed out of the down and the product. Leaving residual detergent on the down may cause a reduction in fill power.
Step 5: Tumble Dry
Tumble dry on low temperature until completely dry with clean tennis balls or a clean shoe. If you think the item is dry, it is worth running one last dry cycle. Many people assume it is dry by the feel of the textile, but the down inside remains slightly damp. This may take several cycles. And if your product is insulated with ALLIED’s ExpeDRY down insulation, it will dry much faster than traditional down.
Also Worth Noting
It may be obvious, but do not bleach or iron your down filled products. We also generally recommend against dry cleaning, but if that is necessary because of certain trims on the item, it is recommended to use an eco-friendly dry cleaner who has experience with down filled products.
Posted: October 5, 2023
Source: ALLIED Feather + Down
