How to dye a down jacket in dry cleaning and at home, choice of paint

Almost every person has a down jacket in their wardrobe. With regular wear, there comes a time when outerwear begins to lose its original appearance; the colors are no longer as rich as when purchased. But the situation is not critical - it can be corrected. To do this, you can paint the down jacket with dyes. It is necessary to follow the advice of experts so that the result does not disappoint.

Is it possible to dye a down jacket?

In fact, any fabric whose shade has lost its saturation or the owner no longer likes can be repainted. The same statement applies to a down jacket, however, to get a decent result you will have to make some effort. You can dye a down jacket with your own hands using dry or liquid pigments. An easier, but more expensive option would be to take the product to a dry cleaner for repainting.

Usually, people decide to paint it when scuffs appear or general fading of a favorite item that you don’t want to part with. Trouble can also arise when washing a product with an aggressive detergent: often even new down jackets become covered with streaks or fade after drying. Light-colored items are best dyed and can be easily given a dark or bright shade.

Is it possible to dye a down jacket?

If you are not happy with the color of your outerwear, you can repaint it. In this case, you can go in two directions: do everything yourself or take the down jacket to the dry cleaner.

The most common reason for wanting to update the color of clothing is its fading. As a result of wear, some elements may become worn, and therefore the color may differ by several tones from the original one.

Down jacket paint

Before purchasing dye, it is important to clarify what the down jacket is made of. Some products are suitable for synthetic materials, and others for cotton fabrics and natural fillers.

It’s worth going to a specialized store for paint and paying attention to products from well-known brands. Cheap paint for a down jacket often has the opposite effect: the item is painted in spots, unevenly, and has to be thrown away.

Good pigments can also be found in an art store, in the arts and crafts department, or in a hardware store. The ideal option would be acrylic dyes, which are sold in a wide variety of colors and provide a durable, high-quality coloring effect. Acrylic paints can be mixed with each other to create interesting shades.

Fabric dyes are sold in the form of liquid, paste, crystals, and powder. Regardless of the shape, you need to familiarize yourself with the properties of the pigment indicated in the instructions and test it on a small area of fabric. On the inside of the down jacket there is often a piece of material on which the experiment is carried out.

It is equally important to choose the right shade of dye that can cover the base color and, when applied to it, will give an acceptable final result. Often there is a table on paint packages where you can see the approximate result of painting depending on the original color of the product. The new shade should be 1-2 shades darker than the previous one.

Dye selection

Before going to the store, you need to find out the material of the down jacket. For synthetic fibers, compounds made from chemical elements are suitable. First you need to purchase paint from a specialty store. You should not save on money and buy from unknown manufacturers.

Important! Dye purchased cheaply in the subway can ruin clothes.

High-quality compositions can be found in a regular art store. Acrylic is designed specifically for dyeing fabrics. The main advantage is the huge palette of shades. If a person has not found the right color, he can combine several colors. Dyes are also sold at hardware stores. Before purchasing, it is recommended to test the product on a small piece of similar material. Artificial dye is presented in the form:

powder;
crystals;
paste placed in a jar.

Preparing for coloring

In order for the painting to be uniform, you need to carefully prepare the item in advance, first of all, clean it. To begin, lay the product out on a flat surface and carefully inspect it for stains, drips, and traces of grease.

They are scrubbed with a sponge soaked in a solution of the following components:

500 ml water;
a tablespoon of ammonia;
a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent.

Rub the contaminated areas with a foam solution until the stain disappears. Difficult to remove stains are cleaned with a soft brush, then a clean sponge is moistened with plain water, the foam is washed off, and the item is allowed to dry a little. If necessary, all manipulations are repeated. If the stain remains on the down jacket, it will stand out even more after dyeing.

After getting rid of stains, you need to wash the entire item. The easiest way to do this is in a washing machine on the “Delicate Wash” or similar modes. The ideal option is to use a special detergent for washing down jackets, or another SMS in liquid or gel form.

Washing a down jacket by hand is more difficult, but still possible. To do this, the product is soaked in soapy water in a suitable container, after a few hours it is washed, rinsed and gently squeezed.

Dyeing process

Before you begin directly dyeing, you must first remove all buttons and other elements for decoration from the clothing.
If this is not done, traces of rust may remain on the jacket. Dyeing clothes consists of stages:

dilute the dye;
dip the down jacket into the resulting solution;
after the desired shade has been obtained, remove the product and allow it to dry, which should only happen at room temperature or outside, but in the shade from the sun's rays.

When working with paint, you must wear gloves to protect your hands from chemical exposure and so that no trace of the dye remains on them.

Before dyeing all the clothes, experts recommend testing the dye on fabric of the same texture and looking at the result.

Main process

If you plan to do the work manually, you need to stock up on durable gloves. This will help avoid ingrained paint marks on your hands. Remove all buttons, clasps, and decorations in advance so that there are no traces of rust left on the fabric.

Dyeing a down jacket in the washing machine

The dye is diluted with water at room temperature in the proportion indicated on the package. Pour the product into the washing powder compartment, or directly into the machine drum. Set the washing mode for 1-1.5 hours. Afterwards, an additional rinse is carried out, pouring a little water into the machine with the addition of vinegar - this will help consolidate the result and reduce the risk of shedding.

Painting in a container

This method is more labor-intensive, but also gives good results. Select a basin that is suitable in size, and then proceed as follows:

prepare a solution from 10 liters of warm water, a bag of dye and 150 g of salt;
dissolve salt and pigment well so that there are no lumps left;
the down jacket is immersed in water, straightened out, excluding crumpling, otherwise the folds may remain unpainted;
leave the item for 2 hours, periodically turning it over using two wooden sticks or another convenient device;
take out the down jacket and rinse it well;
dilute vinegar with water separately (per liter of liquid - 15 ml of table vinegar), rinse the product in this mixture to consolidate the result or leave it in it for 15 minutes;
take out the item, wring it out, and let it dry completely.

Dyeing a down jacket at a dry cleaner

The easiest way to dye a down jacket is to dry clean it. Unfortunately, not every company provides such services, so you will have to call them in advance and find a suitable one. Usually, the down jacket is first professionally cleaned, accessories and fur are removed, and only then the item is dyed using modern preparations. Drying is carried out in a powerful dryer, so the fluff does not cake and remains in perfect condition.

Step-by-step algorithm for coloring at home

As noted, down jackets can be dyed at home. Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to mix the working composition, which will then need to be applied to clothing. The procedure for making the dye is usually given on the packaging. But at the same time, you need to take into account several recommendations for mixing the workforce.

The dye must be prepared in a separate container, observing the given proportions. If powder is used, the latter is first diluted in water and then brought to a boil.

When carrying out the staining procedure, you must also consider the following:

paint does not always give the desired result, regardless of the quality of the chosen composition;
if the procedure is carried out manually, then it is necessary to wear personal protective equipment;
After the procedure, streaks may form, regardless of how accurately the recommendations are followed;
Drying the down jacket with a hairdryer or near heat sources is prohibited;
Before the first dyeing, the composition must be tested on an inconspicuous area of the down jacket.

Immediately before dyeing, remove buttons, buckles and other decorative elements, including fur, from clothing.

In container

When dyeing a down jacket at home, you will need a large container in which the clothes can be laid out without crumpling or wrinkling. The jacket should be completely immersed in the solution. Otherwise, the paint will lie unevenly and streaks will appear on the dried product.

In the washing machine

Painting in a washing machine both makes the procedure easier and ensures a more uniform distribution of pigment throughout the material. In this case you will need:

Take 1 package of dye for 1 kilogram of down jacket.
Dilute the paint in water warmed to room temperature.
Place the down jacket in the drum and start the machine.
When the machine finishes filling the water, pour the diluted dye into the powder compartment.
Wash the item in a suitable mode and hang it out to dry.

If dyeing is done black, after washing it is necessary to start the rinse cycle. To fix the shade, use a weak solution of table vinegar.

Down jacket care

In order to wear your favorite item for as long as possible while maintaining its attractive appearance, you need to follow the following rules of care:

wash the down jacket only with SMS for delicate fabrics, wool, that do not contain bleaching components, and better - with specialized products;
use gel or liquid forms that are practically streak-free;
Before storing the item, wash it, then dry it thoroughly for several days, and only then put it in the closet;
Before storing, fasten zippers and buttons, and always use a hanger;
do not store the down jacket folded, do not use thick plastic bags for this purpose;
Make sure that the fur on the down jacket is not wet, always dry it in time and never wash it together with the main item.

With proper care, a dyed down jacket will last for several more seasons. It is worth choosing suitable things for washing and rinsing it so that the new color does not lose its brightness for a long time.