Author Topic: Washing down jackets.  (Read 845 times)

Pitboot

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Washing down jackets.
« on: 19:02:09, 29/06/19 »
Had a call off my good lady wife last night while I was at work. Nearly in tears, she told me that without thinking she had put her down jacket in the washing machine along with a synthetic gilet. At the end of the wash she took out the gilet, which was ok, and then saw the clumped and clotted mess that was her pride and joy.


"Don't panic", I told her, then she was worrying a; the jacket would be ruined, and b; I would be upset because I had bought it for her. She was using "Tech Wash" rather than "Down Wash" (I'm convinced they are the same thing.)


I told her to leave it in the machine, still damp, and I would sort it out today before my next shift.
I inspected the jacket and it was severely clumped up, the down was in hard white pellets inside the baffles but there was no damage anywhere, so I opted for radical action. I just set the dryer to low, then added a clean trainer, and set it off.
Fifteen minutes later I did a check and it seemed to be working ok, then after 45 minutes I stopped the dryer and pulled the jacket out. I was pleasantly surprised to find the jacket as good as new, clean, and with the down lofting properly. Big kisses from Mrs P too.
I know the advice is to use a couple of tennis balls, but I don't have any. Some years ago when there was a down cleaning business near here the owner told me about the trainer trick, seems he finished all of his clients down gear with a warm tumble dry and a training shoe.

fernman

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #1 on: 09:07:57, 30/06/19 »
Memo to self: next time I find a tennis ball, pick it up and keep it, and the next one after that!

The shell of my down jacket has a DWR finish. What, I wonder, would happen to that if I washed the jacket? I am guessing it would be lost, and that the best I could then do would be to use Nikwax Down Proof - which might (or might not?) be better.

gunwharfman

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #2 on: 10:04:47, 30/06/19 »
I assume its the same thing but when I wash my down sleeping quilt it too just goes into large and small clumps of down and it looks as though I've totally ruined it. I lay it outside over three chairs and then wait, (I take it into our conservatory at night) sometimes when the weather is not warm enough I can wait for nearly three days before it dries properly. But when dry it just bounces back to its former glory, puffy, light and looking as good as new.

Gadabout Bounder

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #3 on: 17:42:41, 30/06/19 »
Is that correct Gunwharfman - you're surely missing breaking the clumps up?


I've just cleaned and reproofed a down sleeping bag. Laying it out, in the sun or not would not have broken up the clumps.


It went in the tumble dryer with drying balls, pulled out shook out/broke clumps up at least twice and then went in the airing cupboard & finally hung over a door upstairs to thoroughly dry.

With your method I'd be concerned with mildew.

'We've spilt the same blood in the same mud'

Pitboot

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #4 on: 18:56:38, 30/06/19 »
Fernman, if you use nikwax down wash your DWR finish should not be compromised.

gunwharfman

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #5 on: 19:41:29, 30/06/19 »
You are correct, I forgot to put in the words that I do break up the clumps to aid drying but I've ever had a mildew problem, in fact until you wrote the word I've never even considered the possibility, now I will. I've washed my quilt many times over the last three years or so and to date, I have never had a single problem. It's just the drying that takes the time. I've never had the nerve to put it in our dryer, but maybe next time? I remember the very first time I washed it, I was so nervous and in its wet state I thought I'd really ruined it, but as stated before, it just bounced back and even today it still looks as good as new.

Maybe it's just my imagination but I now think it's lost some of its warming qualities, or maybe is just because I'm getting older and notice cold nights more? I've solved this problem by fitting a £5.99 Decathlon blanket over me. I've just sewed a couple of small loops to the top corners of the quilt, fitted buttons on the blanket and I just secure them together, which stops the blanket sliding off me during the night.

I didn't want to spend out money again for a new quilt so I just improvised. It works well. I had meant to change the blanket for a down one but have never got around to it yet.

Gadabout Bounder

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #6 on: 19:57:28, 30/06/19 »
Had exactly the same worries beforehand and more so when this soaking wet mess came out of the washing machine.


After it was dried (a little bit of a pain) I will happily do it again and again.


You have nothing to worry about (disclaimer - I take no responsibility for anyone messing up the process), go for it, it's a piece of cake.
'We've spilt the same blood in the same mud'

gunwharfman

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #7 on: 20:07:12, 30/06/19 »
As a point of interest about down garments. When I first started serious hiking I bought a down sleeping bag and when it needed its first clean it I took it to a local launderette. I'd never do this again for any down items! My bag looked lovely when I collected it but all of the body of the down had just collapsed, it didn't keep me warm after this which is why I bought my quilt. I've always assumed it was because of the cleaning chemicals they used? They obviously would not accept this, they and I could see that the bag looked perfect after their clean.  I didn't know how to argue my case so I just moved on!

fernman

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #8 on: 21:05:55, 30/06/19 »
Fernman, if you use nikwax down wash your DWR finish should not be compromised.

Thanks for the advice, Pitboot, I hadn't thought of that.

A word of warning to those contemplating washing down sleeping bags, you have to be very careful how you handle one if it's soaking wet because the internal baffles, as they're called, that keep the down in separate compartments can tear. Many years ago I had a RAB bag spoiled this way by so-called professionals.

Sonatine

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #9 on: 10:46:21, 01/07/19 »
If anyone has a rab jacket/bag, they offer a professional cleaning service £35/45. May be worth the cost given hassle free and I am sure they will ensure a good outcome. Details here: https://rab.equipment/uk/rab-wash

Pitboot

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Re: Washing down jackets.
« Reply #10 on: 15:23:42, 01/07/19 »
Yes, this is good value, considering that if you do it yourself you need to buy the soap/cleaner, water and electricity for the wash and dry, then the time and effort you need to ensure a good job.


The first time we washed Mrs P's jacket a seam split at the cuff and we lost some down. RAB were good enough to repair the split after replacing the down lost, and a clean and dry, for about £40, a couple of years ago.

 

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