How to Wash a Down Jacket and Winter Coat

October is when winter coats come out of the closet in Toronto, and it's when you notice last season's grime on the cuffs, a white line of salt along the hem, and a puffer that has gone a little flat. Most down and synthetic jackets can be washed at home. They just need a different routine from the rest of your laundry, and the drying step is where most jackets get ruined.

How to wash a down jacket: the short version

1. Read the care label. If it says dry clean only, stop and take it to a cleaner.
2. Prep the jacket. Empty the pockets, close the main zipper and Velcro, loosen the drawcords and take off any detachable fur trim.
3. Use a front-loading washer on a gentle or permanent press cycle, with a wash made for down (or a technical wash for synthetic fill) at the temperature on the label.
4. Add an extra rinse so no soap is left in the fill.
5. Tumble dry on low heat with two or three clean tennis balls or dryer balls. Expect one to three hours, sometimes longer.
6. Break up clumps by hand as it dries, and keep going until it is completely dry all the way through.

Start with the label

The care label is usually sewn into a side seam near the waist. It tells you what kind of coat you have, and the method changes with each one.

• Down fill. Duck or goose feathers. Many outdoor brands allow machine washing, but not all. Canada Goose tells owners to take its down parkas to a reputable dry cleaner and says that machine-washing voids the warranty. The North Face says home washing is possible but recommends a cleaner that specializes in down.
• Synthetic fill. Polyester insulation. It handles washing well and dries faster than down, but too much heat can damage it.
• Wool and wool blends. Many wool coats are labelled dry clean only. Even when they aren't, a structured wool coat doesn't belong in a regular wash.

If the label and this guide disagree, follow the label.

Prep the jacket before it goes in

• Empty every pocket. Transit cards, lip balm, tissues and receipts all end up in coat pockets, and a lip balm that melts in the dryer can mark the whole jacket.
• Close the main zipper and pit zips. Arc'teryx's down wash guide says to open the pocket zippers, though, so the pockets get rinsed out too.
• Fasten Velcro loosely and slacken the drawcords so they don't snag the shell.
• Take off fur or faux fur trim. Most hood trims unsnap or unzip. Real fur should never go in a washer, and Canada Goose says to remove the ruff before the parka is cleaned.
• Spot-treat the worst areas. Cuffs, collars and the hood edge collect skin oil. Patagonia's down care article suggests a stain remover on very dirty spots before washing.

How to wash a down jacket step by step

Choose a front-loader

Patagonia's down care article explains that the agitator in a top-loader can rip the internal baffles that hold the down in place, and says thick parkas need a front-loader. If your building only has top-loaders with a centre agitator, use a large mesh bag on the gentlest cycle, or find a laundromat with front-loaders. Wash one or two jackets at a time so they have room to move.

Pick the right soap

Patagonia notes that regular detergent can strip the natural oils from down and may not rinse out cleanly, and Arc'teryx says the same. Use a wash made for down, or for synthetic fill a technical wash without softeners or brighteners. Use the amount on the bottle and no more, because leftover soap stops the fill from puffing back up. Arc'teryx also suggests an empty rinse cycle first to clear old detergent out of the machine.

Set the cycle and temperature

Use a gentle or permanent press cycle at the temperature on the label. Arc'teryx's down guide uses 40°C; other jackets call for cold. Never go hotter than the label allows.

Rinse twice

Add an extra rinse, or run a second cycle with no soap. Arc'teryx and Patagonia both stress rinsing the soap out completely. When the cycle ends, lift the jacket out from underneath rather than pulling it by a sleeve. Wet down is heavy and strains the seams.

How to dry a down jacket

A down jacket comes out of the washer flat and lumpy. That is normal. It only gets its loft back once it is fully dry.

1. Use low heat. High heat can damage thin shell fabric and synthetic fill. Patagonia warns that laundromat dryers can run very hot even on low, so check before you leave a jacket in one.
2. Add two or three clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls. They knock the clumps apart as the drum turns.
3. Stop every 20 to 30 minutes. Shake the jacket and pull clumps apart with your fingers. Arc'teryx suggests turning it inside out partway through so it dries evenly.
4. Be patient. REI's down jacket guide says one to three hours; Arc'teryx says it can take more than three. A thick parka may need several cycles.
5. Check that it is completely dry. Down feels dry on the outside long before the inside is. Squeeze the baffles, and if you feel small hard lumps, keep drying. Down stored damp can grow mildew.

No dryer? Lay it flat on a towel in a warm room, away from radiators and direct sun. Patagonia calls this the safest method, but it can take from a couple of days to more than a week. Flip it and break up clumps often.

Restore water repellency (DWR)

Most winter jackets have a durable water repellent (DWR) finish that makes snow and rain bead up and roll off. Dirt, skin oil and road salt all weaken it.

Once the jacket is clean and dry, sprinkle water on the shoulders. If it beads, you're fine. If it soaks in and darkens the fabric:

• Reactivate it with heat. GORE-TEX's care instructions say another 20 minutes in the dryer on a warm, gentle setting reactivates the DWR.
• Re-proof it. If heat doesn't bring the beading back, apply a spray-on or wash-in water repellent made for outerwear, following its directions, then tumble dry to set it. Arc'teryx says DWR typically lasts through about 10 to 20 washes.

How to get salt stains off a winter coat

The white lines on coat hems and sleeves come from sidewalk and road salt. GORE-TEX notes that salt can mask a jacket's water-repellent finish and suggests rinsing it off with fresh water. For a salt stain on coat fabric:

1. Let the coat dry, then brush off loose salt with a soft brush.
2. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, the mix Southern Living recommends for salt stains on winter coats.
3. Test it on a hidden spot, like the inside of a hem.
4. Dampen a clean cloth and blot the stain from the outside edge inward. Don't scrub.
5. Wipe with a cloth dampened in plain water and let it air dry. Repeat if needed.

For leather, suede or fur, a specialist cleaner is the safer bet.

What not to do

• No fabric softener. It coats the down and the fabric and weakens water repellency.
• No bleach, and no detergent with bleach, brighteners or stain removers on the whole jacket.
• No high heat in the washer or dryer, and no ironing unless the label allows it.
• Don't wring or twist it. That can tear the baffles. Press water out gently instead.
• Don't store it damp.

How often should you wash a winter coat in Toronto?

Less often than you might think. Arc'teryx says to wash down when it is dirty, losing loft or clumping. For most people that means once at the end of the season, and maybe once mid-winter for a jacket worn every day. Grey, greasy cuffs, a smell that airing doesn't fix, a flatter look, or snow soaking in instead of beading off all mean it's time.

Between washes, wipe salt off the hem after slushy days, let the coat dry fully before you put it away, and spot-clean small marks with mild soap and water.

Storing your winter coat for summer

When the last cold snap is over, often late April in Toronto, get coats ready for storage.

• Clean it first. Oils and dirt left in over summer are harder to remove in the fall, and Woolmark advises cleaning wool before packing it away.
• Make sure it is completely dry.
• Store it uncompressed. Hang it, or lay it loosely in a breathable garment bag. Canada Goose and REI both warn against keeping down squashed in a tight space or stuff sack, because months of compression make it harder for the down to puff back up.
• Keep it cool, dark and dry. Store fur trim separately, hung so the fur isn't crushed.
• Protect wool from moths with a moth repellent placed so it doesn't touch the fabric, as Woolmark suggests.

When to use a specialist cleaner

• Anything labelled dry clean only, including many wool and cashmere coats.
• Parkas with real fur, and coats with leather or suede panels.
• Down parkas whose maker says not to machine wash, like Canada Goose.
• Expensive technical jackets if you're unsure of the method or have no front-loader.
• Large stains you can't identify.

Look for a cleaner experienced with down, and ask how they clean it. Patagonia doesn't recommend dry cleaning for its products because the chemicals are harsh.

Where Duffloo fits in

Duffloo is a wash, dry and fold service. Your laundry is picked up, washed, dried, folded and brought back, at $1.25/lb with a 20 lb minimum and free pickup and delivery^* in Toronto. The full breakdown is on our pricing page.

To be clear about what that covers: Duffloo does not offer dry cleaning, and down-specific washing and water-repellent re-proofing are not services we list. A dry-clean-only wool coat, a parka with real fur, anything leather or suede, or a technical jacket that needs special treatment should go to a specialist. If you're not sure whether a machine-washable jacket belongs in a regular order, message your Washer Hero through the app before your pickup.

Where we help is the rest of the winter pile: base layers, hoodies, sweatpants, fleece, flannel sheets and towels. You can choose low heat or hang dry (send hangers for hang dry) at checkout, supply your own detergent in a sealed bag, and add duvets and comforters as large items. Our FAQs list what's included and how extras are priced, and our guide to washing every fabric covers the rest of your closet.

FAQ

Can I wash a down jacket in a regular washing machine?

Usually, if the care label allows it. Use a front-loader on a gentle cycle with a down wash, and avoid top-loaders with a centre agitator, which can tear the baffles. Some brands, including Canada Goose, say not to machine wash their down parkas at all.

How long does it take to dry a down jacket?

On low heat with dryer balls, plan on one to three hours, longer for a thick parka. Air drying flat can take a few days to more than a week. Keep going until no clumps are left.

Why is my down jacket clumpy after washing?

Wet down sticks together, so clumps are normal until it is completely dry. Keep tumbling on low with dryer balls and pull clumps apart by hand.

Can I use regular detergent on a down jacket?

In a pinch, but Patagonia and Arc'teryx recommend a wash made for down, because regular detergent can strip the down's natural oils and leave residue. Never use one with fabric softener or bleach.

How do I get salt stains off my winter coat?

Brush off the dry salt, then blot the mark with a cloth dampened in equal parts white vinegar and water, working from the edge inward. Test on a hidden spot first, wipe with a damp cloth and let it air dry. Take leather, suede and fur to a specialist.

Photo: Daniel Bowman, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).