Keep your favorite outerwear looking and feeling its best this season, from stylish shackets to cozy puffers and classic wool coats. Discover simple, expert-approved methods for washing and tackling stains right in your laundry room, ensuring your layers stay fresh. Before you toss your beloved jacket into the wash, always check its care tag, and remember that for delicate items or those with special embellishments, a gentler approach might be needed. For all your apparel needs, explore the offerings at InktasticMerch.
Keep your favorite outerwear looking and feeling its best, from stylish shackets to cozy puffers and classic wool coats. Discover simple, expert-approved methods for washing and tackling stains right in your laundry room, ensuring your layers stay fresh throughout the seasons.
A Quick Note on Washability
Before you toss your beloved jacket into the wash, take a moment to check its details. While most outerwear can be safely cleaned at home, items with non-removable leather or fur accents, heavy structuring, or real fur or hide components are best spot-treated or professionally steamed. For pieces without these delicate elements, a gentle hand or machine wash can work wonders.
Many common outerwear styles are suitable for home laundering, including:
- Down, fiberfill, and synthetic puffer coats & vests
- “Shackets”
- Fleeces
- Teddy coats
- Trench coats
- Denim jackets
- Wool coats and jackets
- Faux fur coats and vests
Pro Tip: For vintage outerwear, always inspect seams and stitching for any loose threads or signs of wear before machine washing. If you find any, a gentler hand wash or a careful steam treatment is a safer bet. For vintage faux fur that sheds easily, avoid washing altogether and opt for steaming. Always consult the care tag to confirm that water exposure is appropriate before using cleaning sprays or steam.
Step 1: Tackling Stains Before the Wash
Pretreating stains is a crucial step for keeping outerwear pristine. Choose a stain remover suitable for your fabric type and apply it to any affected areas before washing. Gently work the solution into the stain with a brush, starting with a small amount to avoid over-saturating the material. You can add more product as needed. This method is also effective for high-wear areas like collars and cuffs. Always perform a spot test in an inconspicuous area first to prevent color bleeding.
Step 2: Washing Your Outerwear with Care
Before washing, remember to remove any detachable fur or leather trims. Place your garment inside a mesh laundry bag to protect it from snags and tears during the wash cycle. This also helps maintain its shape and finish. It’s best to wash coats separately from other clothing and avoid overloading the washing machine.
For woolen items or puffer jackets, a specialized shampoo designed for delicates is ideal. These formulas are often optimized for cold water and are enzyme-free for a gentle cleanse. For cotton or synthetic fabrics like denim, fleece, or trench coats, a versatile detergent that handles tougher grime effectively is recommended.
When machine washing, add your chosen detergent to the dispenser. Select a cold water setting with a low spin speed, such as the “handwash” or “delicate” cycle. A low spin is essential for preserving the garment’s fit. If your coat has significant buildup, consider using an extra rinse cycle.
Step 3: Drying, Refreshing, and Finishing Touches
After washing, lay your outerwear flat on a drying rack or hang it to air dry, reshaping it to its natural form. Most outerwear, including wool blends, faux fur, denim jackets, synthetic “shackets,” and trench coats, should not be put in the dryer, as high heat can damage the fabric and construction.
However, many down, fiberfill, and synthetic puffer coats can be safely air-fluffed in the dryer on a no-heat setting. Adding dryer balls can help restore loft. Fleece jackets can also be dried on a no-heat setting to prevent shrinkage. For faux fur, a wide-tooth comb can gently detangle and brush the fibers as it air dries, ensuring a smooth finish.
To keep your outerwear smelling fresh between washes, a light mist of a fabric refresher spray can work wonders.
Mastering the art of jacket care extends beyond these pages; discover more helpful articles and tips by exploring our Blog.
