A lightweight down jacket should be near the top of any good backpacking gear list. You’ll wear it just about every night on the trail – and for lunch stops, snack breaks, summit selfies, and safety in wintry conditions. But when’s the last time you washed it? Yeah… that’s what we thought. That’s why we pulled together this short guide on how to wash a down jacket.
Most backpackers are afraid to wash down because they think that getting down wet will ruin it, but that’s not actually true. You can – and should – wash your down jacket (and wash your down sleeping bag as well).
Washing down not only gets rid of smells and stains but also – and more importantly – rejuvenates your coat’s insulation. When down gets dirty, sweaty, or grimy, it clumps together and loses its loft, compromising its insulating qualities. But when it’s properly washed and dried, down will fluff up just like new and insulate your body much better.
The good news is, properly washing a down jacket is super easy. It takes a little more time than washing everyday clothes, but it’s well worth the effort.
WHAT YOU NEED TO WASH your down jacket
To wash your down jacket, all you’ll need is
- Down wash
- A front loading washer
- A dryer with low heat
- Three clean tennis balls (or special dryer balls)
For down wash, we recommend Granger Down Wash, Gear Aid ReviveX Down Wash, or Nikwax Down Wash. We’ve used each of these down-specific detergents, and they all work very well.
Stay away from regular detergents, fabric softeners, and bleaches. Regular detergents can strip away down’s natural oils and leave residues that cause down to clump together and lose its loft – which effectively ruins your jacket’s insulation.
Before washing, always check your jacket’s care label for specific instructions from the manufacturer. The down jackets we recommend call for down-specific detergents. If the manufacturer doesn’t specify using a down-specific wash, Woolite would be gentler on clothing than other detergents.
For a washing machine, it’s generally best to use a front-loading washer because it will be easier on your coat. Top-loading washers can sometimes snag and rip gear. I’ve used both types of washers to clean down coats and never caused any damage. Still, we tend to be very cautious with gear I like. If you’re worried about your top-loading washer, consider taking a trip to a laundromat in your area.
Washing your down jacket
Here are step-by-step instruction to wash a down jacket:
- To get started, use a small amount of stain remover or down wash to pre-treat any really grubby spots.
- Place your jacket in the washing machine on a warm cycle (not hot or cold) and put in the down wash as directed.
- Let the jacket run through the full wash and rinse cycle. Then run it one more time without any detergent to make sure all the soap is removed.
- Optional: For added protection, you also have the option of using Down Proof after your completed wash cycle with Down Wash. Down Proof reapplies a durable water repellent to both the outside of your jacket and the feathers inside your jacket to make them more resistant to wetting out.
- When it’s time to dry, use a very low heat setting on your dryer.
- Throw in three clean tennis balls to help break up wet clumps of down. If you don’t have any tennis balls, you can put shoes inside clean socks or make sock balls as a substitute.
- Pull your coat out of the dryer every 15-30 minutes to break up any clumps that might be forming. The more your coat dries, the easier it will be to remove clumps.
The drying process will be slow, but it’s the most important part. Be patient. It usually takes around 2-3 hours to dry a lightweight down coat. Don’t risk frying your jacket fabric by turning up the heat. You’ll know when your coat has fully dried when it is light, fluffy, and clump free.
Make sure your coat is completely dry before packing or compressing it. Compressing wet down can hurt the insulation properties of your garments.
Always store your down jackets and sleeping bags uncompressed in a clean and dry spot.
Conclusion
We hope this guide helped you revitalize your favorite piece of gear. Washing your down jacket removes sweat and other body oils, dirt, and stains, so your down can retain – or regain – the insulating loft that’s so useful for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. For more information about down jackets, check out our Best Down Jackets guide.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
