How to clean a puffer jacket

Puffer jackets are great insulators and can keep you warm in very cold weather. So you would want to preserve them for as long as possible. But they do need special treatment.

Puffer jackets can actually be washed and dried, provided you do it safely. Here are a few tips:

1. ZIP UP your the pockets and body of your jacket.

2. Set your washing machine to the COLD setting.

3. Add a small amount of washing powder. Maybe half a scoop or less. One scoop can still be too much and can result in too much suds.

4. Place the jacket in the machine and start washing. If your machine is a top loader, then place the jacket in a mesh bag to protect it from damage by the agitator.

5. After washing, turn the jacket INSIDE OUT and place the jacket in the tumble drier in the highest heat setting.

6. Dry for 40 minutes at a time. Repeat 3 to 4 times (or as many times as you need) until the jacket is puffy without any area of lumpiness.

Note it is VERY IMPORTANT to ensure that your dryer does not burn the shell of your jacket, often made of polyester and nylon. To test it, you can dry any old polyester material on high heat. If it comes out all creased up, then your dryer is not suitable for drying puffer jackets. Or you can try drying any polypropylene material, and if it came out burnt, then the dryer is not suitable. Take your puffer jacket to your local drycleaners!

DISCLAIMER: The author of this article is not responsible for any damage to your garments caused, as a result of following the advice in the article.