When worn, any item tends to get dirty. Outerwear, which absorbs the main environmental influences: snow, rain, wind, dust, is more susceptible to contamination. Mechanical friction causes the sleeves and pocket edging to become dirty. One way to remove stains is to have the item dry cleaned, but due to its cost and time, this may not be suitable for everyone.
One type of fabric that can be washed in a regular machine is polyester. This material is widely used for sewing jackets, coats, and raincoats. Our article contains instructions on how to wash such polyester items in an automatic washing machine.
Rules for washing outerwear
Before machine washing your coat, read the information on the label. This is information about what fabric the outerwear is made of, what temperature conditions it can withstand and what processing methods it accepts.
The main difficulties when washing a coat are related to the fact that it can shrink, stretch out, or lose its shape. If there are decorative elements on it, they may be damaged during washing. Therefore, regardless of the type of fabric, it is necessary to prepare the coat for the procedure.
To begin, carefully unfasten or cut off all fur elements with scissors. Metal buttons, clasps and jewelry may leave rust stains and should be removed. Before placing your coat in the drum, turn it inside out so that the fabric has less contact with the detergent.
Washing coats in an automatic machine is usually carried out at a temperature of +40 ° C or less. For cleaning products, you can choose dye-free baby shampoo or powder for delicate fabrics. To prevent yellow stains from appearing on a white coat and white spots on a dark coat after washing, you need to carry out several rinse cycles.
Useful tips
Depending on what you are washing, the recommendations are different. But there is a general set of useful tips that will come in handy when cleaning any item from your wardrobe. For example, light stains on fabric are best removed with a soda solution, gently wiping them with a sponge. When washing, it is always advisable to fasten buttons, zippers, and empty pockets so that the item does not become deformed during processing and the presence of foreign objects.
It is better to organize subsequent storage of outerwear in special cases. Such covers can be transparent or colored, they are equipped with perforations and protect clothes from dust and moths. It’s better to hang things in the closet or fold them horizontally into compartments under the bed, depending on where and how you have storage.
It's best to avoid using synthetic insect repellents on your clothing. The natural material, as well as the smell of perfume and human sweat, attracts moths and other pests. Aromatic products with natural cedar extract will cope best with them. This option for protecting things from moths will not harm your health.
A coat is a must-have wardrobe item for any season and any style. Having undergone dramatic changes in shape and color throughout its history, it remains extremely popular to this day. Proper care and proper preparation for cleaning and storing it will save time and resources. With proper care, which you now know the most important thing about, outerwear will last for many years.
Drape
Drape is a rather delicate material. You can clean it yourself by hand, but only if there are no taped seams. It is not recommended to wash a drape coat in an automatic machine.
Before washing, coats can be soaked for no more than 10 minutes. To prevent the fabric from losing its shape, do not twist or squeeze it while cleaning - only squeeze it gently. To wash a drape coat, use shampoo or soap solution. The water should be cold (+20 °C).
After cleaning, the product can be rinsed by holding it vertically under a cold shower. Next, you need to hang it on hangers in the bathroom so that the water runs off, and dry it either in the same room or outside.
Leather product
A leather coat looks stylish and lasts a long time. You can clean this item at home:
- Remove dust with a damp cloth.
- Remove simple stains with a mixture of water, liquid soap and ammonia. The solution is easy to prepare: mix 200 ml of water, a few drops of liquid soap or baby shampoo and 2 tbsp. l. alcohol Soak the sponge in the solution and clean the surface of the product.
- Remove salt stains and stains with vinegar. Wipe the skin with a cloth soaked in a solution of water and vinegar 9% (ratio - 2:1).
- Clean greasy sleeves and collar with a mixture of lemon juice and glycerin (1:1).
Cleaning a coat with soapy water: YouTube/Advice for future use
Wool
To wash a wool coat in an automatic machine, set it to hand wash. If there is no such program, bring the water temperature to +40 °C. If the wool content in the fabric exceeds 90%, the bar must be reduced to +30 °C. Turn off the spin and dry mode. Fill the detergent compartment with a special composition intended for woolen products. It may be a powder or a gel capsule. To keep your wool coat from losing its shape, place it in a laundry bag. Place the clean, damp product on a hanger in the bathroom so that water can drain from it.
How to wash a coat - choice of products
An important feature when washing an autumn coat is that the product is classified as delicate.
It is demi-season coats that are most often created from natural fabrics that require careful washing. Choose liquid, gel or capsule detergents.
A winter coat may contain down or feather, padding polyester or holofiber as insulation. Based on this, the available funds are distributed:
- padding polyester, holofiber – liquid, gel products, capsules;
- down and feathers – specialized liquid products for down jackets, capsules.
Tide and Ariel capsules
- Price - 15 pieces of Tide - from 170 to 304 rubles and 13 pieces from Ariel - 190-365. The average cost of a capsule varies in the range of 12.8–23.8.
- Description - Available in capsule format. Suitable for machine wash only. The product cleanses, removes stains and enhances color.
- Purpose: You can wash delicate fabrics. Suitable for any type of material.
Pros/cons - despite the stated ability to whiten and remove stains, the capsules do not contain chlorine or aggressive substances, and are therefore suitable for washing coats. The disadvantages include the need for additional use of air conditioning.
Clean Home series washing gels
- Price - for 1 liter you will have to pay from 185 to 370 rubles.
- Description - Available in gel format, which is excellent for delicate washing, both by machine and by hand. There is both a universal gel and gels divided by color spectrum - for white, black, colored.
- Purpose - suitable for any type of product and material, including coats made of delicate fabric. Exception: winter coats filled with down and feathers.
Pros/cons - apart from the wide range in price (from low to moderate), can only be described on the positive side. Prevents the formation of pellets. Does not contain chlorine, phosphates, dyes, or aggressive chemicals. Washable even at low temperatures. Rinses out perfectly.
Gels BiMax, Tide, Persil, Ariel also deserve attention. Their characteristics, description and purpose are identical. They are great for washing coats of any type thanks to the gel base. Tide has the lowest price - you will have to pay 172 rubles per liter. BiMax has an inflated price tag (for 1 liter - 270 rubles), while having a number of disadvantages, unlike the products under consideration - it has an unpleasant odor.
You should make a choice based on color and type of material. For color and black, you cannot use the “For white” marking to avoid color washing out.
Focused products for cashmere, wool and delicate fabrics: Lint
- Price - for 750 ml - 107–120 rubles.
- Description - the gel formula allows it to dissolve in water without a trace.
- Purpose: Suitable for woolen and delicate fabrics.
Pros/cons - rinses well both after machine and hand washing. Prevents the formation of pellets. Does not contain bleach or phosphates, making it suitable for colored and white materials. The downside is that it has a fragrance, but it is unobtrusive.
Heitmann – gel for washing winter coats with down and feathers
- Price - from 399 to 479 for 250 ml.
- Description - a liquid gel product specially designed for winter coats made of down and feathers.
- Purpose - suitable for any type of washing.
Pros/Cons - Maintains color vibrancy. The filler does not roll, does not fall off, and retains its thermal insulation and air tightness properties. A significant disadvantage is that it does not always fully cope with contamination.
Beckmann stain removers
The unsuitability of products containing chlorine and active oxygen for cleaning coats has already been indicated. Next up are stain removers. The Dr. line has proven itself well. Beckmann.
- Price - from 113 to 197 per 50 ml - depending on the type of stain.
- Description - for each type of stain there is a different stain remover option (fats and sauces, fruits and drinks, blood and protein stains, etc.)
- Purpose - suitable for washing woolen and delicate fabrics by machine or hand washing.
Pros/cons - the product will help you deal with stains even on items that are not recommended for washing (cleaning only). They have a directional effect. Does not contain fragrances or phosphates.
Washing powders, bleaches, stain removers with chlorine or active oxygen should not be used. Therefore, when choosing from the line, remember that products containing active oxygen are not recommended for coats made of natural fabrics.
Cashmere
Cashmere can be washed if the label indicates that the fibers have synthetic additives. Pure cashmere can only be washed by hand. If you need to clean sleeves, hem, or remove a stain from clothing, it is better to treat them topically without resorting to washing. Thoroughly dilute the detergent in water, apply it to the dirty areas with a sponge, and then remove excess foam. When processing, be extremely careful, as the fabric easily rolls and shrinks.
Only cashmere coats with synthetic additives can be machine washed.
If you need to wash a cashmere coat and the information on the clothing tag allows this treatment, adhere to the following rules. The water heating temperature should not exceed +30 °C. In warm water, the fabric quickly shrinks and becomes deformed. The detergent should be the softest and most gentle. Aggressive components will quickly lead to the formation of pellets, the appearance of fluff and stretched threads. If you plan to machine wash, do not remove stains first. It’s best to immediately take your cashmere coat to the dry cleaner and not try it at home.
In what cases is it better to trust professionals?
There are situations when home appliances are unreliable and you should take help from specialists or contact a dry cleaner.
- according to the manufacturer's recommendations;
- white color of the product;
- the presence of difficult to remove stains from fuel oil or oil;
- there is no possibility for independent removal;
- there is no desire to spoil products if you are unsure of your own methods.
Taking good care of your coat, timely cleaning and washing will help extend the life of your favorite item.
What is the difference between nylon and polyester?
How to wash a polyester jacket
Polyester
A polyester coat can be safely thrown into the washing machine. But the material is afraid of hot water; under its influence the fibers are deformed.
To wash the product in an automatic machine, set the temperature to +30 ... +40 °C. Turn off the spin mode: the creases that form during this process cannot be straightened with an iron. Set the washing mode to gentle, pour liquid detergent into the powder compartment. After the wash cycle, carefully straighten the coat and hang it on hangers over the bathtub to drain.
Drying
Drying coats should not be done in direct sunlight or near heating appliances, so as not to deform the fabric. Each material requires a special approach.
The drape coat should be dried on a large terry towel. Lay out the product and carefully smooth out any irregularities. When the towel gets wet, it should be replaced. Before putting the product in the closet, make sure it is completely dry.
When drying a wool coat, special care should be taken to prevent it from becoming wrinkled or losing its shape. To do this, hang it on a hanger immediately after washing. And when most of the water has drained, finish drying with an iron. Carefully lay the coat on the ironing board and iron through a layer of gauze. Be careful not to stretch the fabric.
Cashmere coats should not be hung dry. Lay it out on a terry towel or sheet and change them as they get wet. After drying this way, the item does not need to be ironed.
To dry a polyester coat, carefully straighten it and hang it on hangers in a well-ventilated area. Usually the irregularities are smoothed out. If this does not happen, iron with an iron with the steam function in the “silk” mode.
Remove stains: 8 ways
Although polyester is quite resistant to stains, stubborn stains appear on it too. To get rid of them, it is better to use mild means.
Before using any method, be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area. Soak a cotton swab in the product and press it onto the fabric for a couple of minutes. If the cotton wool is not stained and the polyester does not lighten, then the stain remover has passed the test.
| Character of stains on polyester | Removal agent |
Salt
| |
10% borax solution
| |
Hair fixation spray
Lemon juice and salt paste
| |
| Hydrogen peroxide Dried blood can be removed with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Before use, be sure to test in an inconspicuous area how the fabric behaves! Cold water Fresh blood can be easily washed off with cold water. Sometimes it is enough to rub the area with an ice cube | |
Vinegar and cold water
|
