Previously, in severe frosts, only fur coats or clothes made of natural down saved people. These clothes kept us warm, but were quite heavy and inconvenient to use.
Technology does not stand still, and now there is a semi-synthetic analogue of natural fluff - bio fluff.
We'll tell you what kind of material this is, whether and how to wash a down jacket with biodown in an automatic washing machine.
Is it possible to wash a bio-down jacket?
Such down jackets and down jackets are easier to care for than products made from natural down.
However, they may become deformed after washing, and one edge of the garment may become longer than the other. The down may become matted, the jacket itself may become wrinkled , and the product will lose its external luster.
Despite this, you can wash products made from bio-down, you just need to follow certain rules.
What is bio-down
Today, more and more people, when choosing outerwear for winter, prefer comfortable and practical down jackets. These products are lighter than natural fur coats, cost less and are easy to care for. The main factor on which the price and properties of a winter jacket or down jacket depend is insulation. Natural down is practically no longer used to fill such products, so manufacturers use various synthetic components. Thinsulate or bio-down is considered one of the best insulation materials.
The now widely known filler was invented in the late 70s of the last century. At that time, active exploration of the coldest regions of the Earth was carried out, and polar explorers needed outerwear that would allow them to work in extremely low temperatures. Fortunately, scientists were able to obtain a synthetic material that resembles natural down, but with higher thermal insulation properties, which then began to be used as a filler for jackets and down jackets and became widespread in the light industry.
Bio-down in outerwear is also called eco-down, since it is environmentally friendly and made from plant materials. This bio-based polymer retains body heat well and does not allow cold air to pass under outer clothing. In various products, bio-down can be either the only component of insulation or mixed with natural fur in various proportions.
Handwash
Washing a down jacket by hand is more labor-intensive than washing it in a machine. But they resort to it because they consider it more careful.
On the eve of washing, you need to check all pockets for foreign objects and unfasten all fur parts.
It is most convenient to wash the item in a large basin or directly in the bathtub. Washing water should be warm, but not hot . The maximum permissible temperature is 45 degrees.
Before washing, straighten the down jacket and “beat” it well so that the down:
- evenly distributed
- became more voluminous
- absorbed water evenly.
The detergent is dissolved evenly in the water, then the item is lowered and gently wetted.
You can use any powder for washing, but liquid detergent is considered more gentle , and dry powder is better at removing heavy stains.
You can replace the powder with soap, preferably baby soap. The soap is dissolved evenly in the solution, rather than lathering the entire jacket.
Exceptions are places with heavy pollution. For better washing results, the item can be pre-soaked, but not for more than a few hours. Prolonged soaking greatly compresses the fluff and spoils the item.
It is not forbidden to use conditioner , but with careful hand washing it is not necessary. Moreover, it is more difficult to rinse it manually.
During the washing process, you need to gently beat the entire down jacket with small amplitude movements. After processing the entire product, you need to wait until the water drains by itself and collect water for rinsing. Carry out rinsing with the same movements, repeat if necessary.
A big mistake when washing would be sudden and monotonous movements, for example, lifting the entire down jacket and suddenly lowering it into the water - this contributes to the filling falling off.
Also, you should not squeeze, especially twist, the product . This will disrupt both the structure of the fabric and the structure of the filler. You need to wait for the water to drain on its own.
How to machine wash?
For washing in a washing machine, you should also use non-hot water - 40-45 degrees.
The best programs for washing outerwear are:
- delicate wash,
- "No folds" mode
- Some models have a special mode for down products - “Down Jacket” or “Down Blanket”.
It is also important to choose the right spin, or abandon it altogether. Spin should be no more than 600 rpm.
When choosing a detergent, you need to keep in mind:
Dry powder washes better, but rinses worse. In some modern machines with a water saving mode, such powder may leave streaks.- Liquid powder, especially for delicate items, washes worse, but will treat the item more carefully.
- Fabric softener is not prohibited, but you will have to use an additional rinse.
For better distribution and then rinsing of the powder, as well as maintaining the shape of the product, it is recommended to place several balls in the washing machine along with a jacket or down jacket. Tennis balls are great .
If there are heavily soiled areas on a down jacket or down jacket, it is recommended to pre-soak them for a couple of hours, or better yet, simply moisten them with water and wash the soiled areas with washing soap.
It is recommended to wash the down jacket with all zippers and buttons fastened, from the wrong side.
This video will show you how to properly wash down jackets in a washing machine:
How to wash jackets with bio down
When starting to clean your outerwear, you must remember that washing a down jacket with biodown should be done with extreme caution. When wet, the material is excessively susceptible to crumpling and deformation. The insulation does not withstand high temperatures and aggressive spinning. To prevent problems, a number of nuances related to the washing process should be observed.
Machine washable
You can wash a down jacket with bio down in a washing machine, unlike its natural counterpart. Allows you to avoid going to the dry cleaner and save money. By following simple recommendations, you can clean your clothes from dirt and maintain an impeccable appearance:
- Pre-wash areas (sleeves, pockets, fittings locations) with regular laundry soap. Scrub heavy stains with a soft brush.
- The washing mode should be delicate. Preference is given to cleaning programs for thin, delicate fabrics. The water temperature cannot exceed 40 degrees. Overheating will negatively affect the quality characteristics of the material.
- The use of conditioner during cleaning of the product is permissible. You need to wash clothes with additional detergents in the washing machine, including a repeated rinse cycle.
- Preference is given to liquid, gel-like substances. Dry powder will leave numerous streaks and stains on things. To get rid of it, you will have to repeat the cleaning procedure. Gels are easily rinsed out of the insulation fibers without leaving white marks on the surface of the jacket.
- The spin cycle must be abandoned. Excess moisture must be removed quickly, the speed should not exceed 600 rpm. Intense exposure will lead to destruction of the structure of the material.
- It is strictly prohibited to soak the product before cleaning.
Frequent washing in an automatic machine leads to rapid wear of things.
Clothes that require constant care should be cleaned manually. Bulk items (home textiles, travel equipment) that are difficult to place in a washing machine are recommended to be dry cleaned.
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Manual
The manual method of removing contaminants is no less effective than the machine method. For successful washing, it is important to remember a number of tips that will save time and effort and preserve the appearance of the product:
- Hand wash your bio down jacket without soaking.
- Before washing, shake the product thoroughly and fluff it up. It is necessary to distribute the material and simplify the wetting process.
- Water for purification is prepared in advance. The liquid is collected into a large container. The temperature should not exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Liquid powder is diluted in water. It is easy to rinse and does not leave stains on the surface of the jacket. After immersion in liquid, shake the down jacket several times to evenly distribute the moisture.
- Avoid strong pressure and friction during the washing process. The item is cleaned with a soft brush, periodically straightening it to maintain its shape.
- At the end of washing, the water is drained and the jacket is hung to get rid of moisture. If desired, lay the down jacket on a flat surface and place an absorbent material (bath towel or other dense fabric). When the excess is gone, start rinsing. The procedure is repeated until the soapy water is removed. You can't squeeze the thing. Moisture should drain from clothes that are in a straightened state.
A simple hand wash with liquid detergent is enough to get rid of standard stains.
If there are difficult stains on outerwear or sports equipment, they must first be washed with a suitable stain remover or laundry soap. When hand cleaning does not help remove dirt, you can resort to machine washing or dry cleaning.
How to dry it properly?
The final result of washing the product greatly depends on proper drying.
Under no circumstances should things with bio-fluff (for example, you cannot simply hang a jacket folded in half on a rope). Eliminating such a gap will not be easy.
For best results, allow most of the water to drain. To do this, you can simply leave the item lying in the bath.
Or immediately lay it out (not hang it up, but spread it over the entire surface of the dryer) to dry, and lay rags down, which you can wring out as they get wet.
If most of the water has drained from the down jacket and it is slightly damp, you can hang it on a hanger vertically .
You can’t put such things on the battery, but you can put a radiator nearby (at least 40 cm from the thing) to speed up the process. Biofluff does not ignite, but melts.
You shouldn’t relax during the drying process either; you should regularly turn the jacket over and fluff up the fluff. True, such things usually do not dry for long - 3-4 hours .
Such things can also be dried in special drying machines. Some have a special mode for down jackets.
If there is no such mode, then the minimum drying temperature is selected (no more than 30 degrees) . It is better to carry out several drying cycles at a low temperature than to set it to high and ruin the item.
Advantages of synthetic filler
Among the main positive properties of synthetic fur we can note:
- environmental cleanliness;
- hypoallergenic, antibacterial;
- good breathability;
- strengthening water-repellent qualities;
- rapid restoration of original shapes after compression or stretching;
- protection against absorption of foreign odors;
- low electrostaticity;
- ease of care;
- long service life.
Synthetic down is valued because in clothes with such filling you can easily withstand winter temperatures down to minus thirty degrees. And in a strong wind, a synthetic down jacket is warm and reliable. In rainy weather, clothes with such filling will save you from getting wet.
Summary
In conclusion we can say that:
items made from bio-down can be washed at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees;- When washing by hand, you need to constantly beat the fluff, and when washing by machine, add tennis balls;
- the product cannot be wrung out, twisted, or folded in half;
- wash and dry the down jacket buttoned up and inside out;
- until most of the water has drained, the item should be in a horizontal position;
- you need to unfasten all the fur parts, and if they do not come off, take the bio-down product to the dry cleaner.
Getting rid of moisture correctly
It is important to dry your down jacket with bio-down correctly. It cannot only be wrung out, but also bent, folded in half and hung on a rope - after a while it will be difficult to straighten the crease. It is better to organize drying in the safest possible way.
- First, let the water drain by placing the down jacket on the bottom of the bath and leaving it for 20-30 minutes.
- Then lay the item out on a floor dryer and lay down rags to wring out when wet.
- As soon as most of the moisture has been removed, hang it on hangers and leave until completely dry.
- Place a heater at a distance of 40-60 cm (you can’t get any closer - the fluff will melt).
- Turn over and fluff the jacket regularly, preventing the filling from clumping.
Bio-down dries relatively quickly - a maximum of 4 hours. You can speed up the process by using a special drying machine. For down products there is a mode of the same name, and in its absence we select the minimum temperature.
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