How to properly wash a down jacket with tennis balls

A down jacket is a functional, comfortable, practical and irreplaceable item in your wardrobe.

The more popular such outerwear became, the more often people wondered how to wash them so that things did not lose their appearance and lasted as long as possible.

A universal solution is tennis balls, washing with which removes stains, distributes the filler and protects the fabric from pilling.

The secret is not to simply throw balls into the washing machine drum. You need to apply a simple algorithm of actions so that the result is perfect.

Preparing for washing

For most people, down jackets have become one of their favorite types of clothing.
Depending on the model, they are worn not only in winter, but also in spring and autumn. Light-colored products get dirty very quickly and look untidy. If you send an item to dry cleaning, such a service will cost a lot of money and require time. The best option is to wash your down jacket with tennis balls at home. The problem of self-washing only concerns products made from down and feathers. The filler on padding polyester does not cause any difficulties in care. The natural composition often gets lost during the washing process, which makes drying difficult and the down jacket loses its shape and appearance. To prevent this from happening before washing at home, you need to read the instructions on the label. Clothing manufacturers indicate on the labels whether it can be washed by yourself and under what conditions.

As they rotate, they hit the drum and bounce off, thus constantly whipping up the filler. Balls also help to wash the product more efficiently. All that remains is to stock up on the necessary balls.

To ensure that the quality of washing a down jacket with tennis balls is high, and the product does not lose its original appearance, you need to know what is best to use. Experts advise using tennis balls. They can be bought at any sports store. They are inexpensive, so they are always available.

After purchasing, you need to prepare them for washing the down jacket with tennis balls. They can shed, which can ruin the color of the down jacket. It is advisable to soak them in boiling water before use, and then dip them in a solution with bleach. This procedure will help remove the dye and after rinsing the helper balls will be ready for use.

However, such items may not always be at hand. They can be replaced with special balls that resemble round hedgehogs covered with spikes. Many housewives are afraid to use tennis balls, so they buy special ones. They are made of PVC and covered with rounded elastic spikes. They are sold in hardware and household appliance stores. Such products are intended not only for washing down jackets. You can use them to wash other things as well.

Such useful items prevent pilling from forming and washed items become softer. How many tennis balls you need to wash a down jacket will depend on its size. To properly wash a jacket for an adult, it is enough to have 3-4 jokes. To get maximum results, you can use up to 6-8 pieces.

Tourmaline balls can be used for any type of underwear, including underwear. They can be used for two years. Stores offer products made from polypropylene against pilling and hedgehog balls with a diameter of 6.5 cm. These are reusable items, inexpensive and easy to use. Let everyone decide for themselves which balls are needed for washing a down jacket, taking into account the composition of the product and their capabilities. Any of these balls will prevent the fluff from clumping during the washing process.

Basic Rules

Washing items filled with down in an automatic machine will definitely give a positive result if you follow all the basic rules. Before loading, you should always check pockets and close all zippers on your down jacket. Only delicate mode is selected. If the machine is the most modern, then it probably has a program designed for such things.

You need to rinse the item at low speed 2-3 times. This will make it possible to remove any remaining detergent and end up with a perfectly clean down jacket. It is advisable to dry such a product in a washer-dryer. If it is not there, then you can use any heat source. It is best to do this in the fresh air, for example on the balcony in the warm season. or in a well-ventilated area.

It is very important during the drying process to periodically shake and turn the down jacket inside out so that the composition becomes fluffier. This will allow you to get a more voluminous washed product. Use a hanger for drying. When the item is completely dry, it is advisable to put the down jacket in the machine with the balls again and turn on the spin mode again. This procedure will help distribute the filler more evenly.

What not to do

Not everyone washes down jackets at home. Many people take these items to the dry cleaner. However, if you decide to wash it yourself, then you need to know what not to do so as not to spoil the product with down filling:

use water above 30°C;
bleach and soak the product;
hang in the closet undried;
Dry too long on a towel either indoors or outdoors.

If you follow all the recommendations correctly and perform a high-quality wash, your favorite down jacket will look beautiful again and will last for many more seasons. Read this article about how to clean a down jacket without washing.

We recommend using tennis balls or rubber balls (such as dog toys), which will prevent the filling from turning your jacket into a shapeless thing.

Balls may fade and leave marks on the surface of outerwear. To prevent this from happening, first soak them in water. It should be hot, with bleach added.
If you don't want to become a tennis player just for the sake of doing laundry, buy tourmaline spheres. They are environmentally friendly, economical, efficient - an ideal option. Throw them in the drum with your jacket and they'll do the trick.
How to wring out a down jacket if you use this method? Very simple - without removing the balls, at low speeds.

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Modern washing machines have a special program for washing things filled with fluff. If it is not there, be sure to choose the delicate mode, setting the temperature to no more than 30 C.

The main problem that you may encounter is the formation of lumps from fluff. As a result, the dried jacket loses its shape, becomes thin and completely ceases to warm the owner in the winter. Balls for washing down jackets help to avoid such trouble. How do they help?

When the drum of the machine rotates, the balls quickly bounce off the walls, hit the jacket and break up lumps of fluff and feathers.
During spinning, the effect is enhanced several times and the smallest particles of insulation are distributed evenly.
In addition, tennis balls for washing can restore a product if it was previously washed incorrectly and the fluff has become matted.

The balls together with the powder give the jacket a kind of massage that destroys old stains. Cleaning becomes stronger, and this is another reason why you should wash your down jacket with tennis balls.

Tennis balls perform well in washing. They are durable and can be easily purchased at a sporting goods store. Many people ask what tennis balls are needed to wash a down jacket. Our experts advise buying good quality products and choosing tennis balls.

After purchasing, soak the balls in a strong bleach solution for a couple of hours. This must be done so that they do not fade and spoil the jacket when washed.

How to wash a down jacket with tennis balls? Place 3 balls in the machine along with your outerwear and follow the recommendations described above.

If you want to find out what to replace tennis balls with when washing, then know that small plastic balls equipped with spikes get good reviews. They resemble massage balls or the ones you buy for animals. They can be purchased at a hardware store. The package consists of two pieces and is inexpensive, so there is a great demand for such balls.

To wash a jacket, just put 4 balls in the drum. They actively fluff up fluff, help clean the jacket and speed up automatic drying. After using them, you do not need to knead each ball of fluff manually; it will distribute itself evenly.

What else can you replace tennis balls when washing a down jacket? Tourmaline balls are very effective, but expensive. The developers of the new product guarantee that when using tourmaline balls you will not need washing powder.

Outwardly, they resemble a round rattle. It contains small ceramic balls. They are the ones who contribute to environmentally friendly washing of the down jacket, because ceramics contain minerals necessary for cleaning. How to wash a down jacket with such balls in a machine? Since the jacket is bulky, you will need 6 balls.

When in contact with water, they improve its quality, destroy microbes, and raise the pH level. From this, the water acquires the properties of a powder and washes away grease and dirt well.
Ceramic granules release ions with a negative charge into the water. This enhances the movement of molecules and improves the penetration of water into the fabric fibers.

Take the new tourmaline balls out of the box and place them in the sun for a few hours. This type of thermal charging is recommended by manufacturers. After washing the down jacket, do not forget to remove the balls from the machine drum and dry thoroughly. This way they will last longer.

The main thing is to beware of fakes. The high cost of the invention led to the appearance of many low-quality products on sale. Carefully inspect the packaging and check the quality certificate from the seller.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

The balls hit the drum and the down jacket, preventing the down from clumping.
The washing powder or gel is knocked out of the fibers and filler, so there are no streaks left on the down jacket.
Due to intensive interaction with the fabric, the balls cope with dirt, so you need to add less gel.
Softens the fabric and prevents pilling.
The item is washed without additional rinsing, saving water and electricity.

But there are also disadvantages:

Balls made from low-quality materials can ruin the item.
They knock loudly on the drum of the machine.

How to wash a down jacket: the label will tell you

The label on the down jacket must contain instructions for using and caring for the item. The washing modes and parameters are indicated on the factory tag with special icons that will tell you how to wash the down jacket correctly so as not to spoil its appearance.

Carefully inspect the item and find out what kind of filling is inside, how the down jacket is quilted and what the quality of the seams is.

Cosmo TV: Cleaning a down jacket at home

Despite the name, a down jacket is not always filled with down.

padding polyester;
feathers;
membrane fabric with down filling;
feathers and leather inserts.

General rules

Before loading the jacket into the drum, fasten the buttons and zippers. If there is fur on the hood and sleeves, remove it to avoid damage.

Choose your powder carefully. It is advisable to use special detergents, such as “Sport Fein Fashion”. They retain the natural down covering and do not damage the fabric.
Dry powders are not recommended. They are poorly washed and are not able to clean feathers properly.
It is advisable to use a conditioner to soften water. Judging by the reviews, most housewives prefer Lenora. After using it, there are no soap stains left on the jacket fabric, the down jacket dries faster, spreading a pleasant smell around.

If the sleeves or hem of your outerwear are very dirty, before placing it in the machine along with the tennis balls for washing, clean them with a soft brush using a high-quality stain remover, such as Vanisha.

Before turning on the machine, be sure to set the double or triple rinse at low speed. This is necessary to completely rinse the powder from the insulation and fabric, and also to more thoroughly beat off the fluff with balls. Otherwise, stains may remain on the jacket, which will take a long time to remove with a wet sponge.

During washing, do not be surprised by the increased noise coming from the automatic machine. The balls bounce off the metal drum, hit it and cause a roar.

Choosing a powder

Most housewives have learned from their own experience that only liquid detergents should be used to wash down jackets. The powder does not rinse out completely and can leave unsightly white streaks on the surface of the fabric. For the same reason, you should avoid conditioners and softeners. It is strictly forbidden to use soap shavings and homemade laundry products prepared on its basis. Because of this, the fluff can easily clump together.

The choice of product also depends on the material from which your clothing is made:

Almost any washing liquid is suitable for padding polyester;
It is better to clean feather-down filler with special concentrates for down jackets;
down jackets made of membrane fabric should be washed by hand using especially delicate detergents;
down jackets with non-removable fur and leather inserts must be professionally cleaned;

For down jackets Today you can easily find a large number of cleaning products for down jackets on sale. Among them, the following drugs are considered the most common:

Down and Wool Wash. This detergent is well known to skiers and other people who love winter sports. In addition to the fact that the product is good for cleaning surfaces, it protects the filler from clumping and does not spoil the fatty layer of the down, which allows it to remain more elastic and very soft.
Heitmann. This product is intended for washing down jackets and sleeping bags that have natural filling. The gel contains lanolin, which creates natural protection for down.
Eco Nordland Sport. This liquid balm has a natural base. Using the product you can wash down jackets and thermal underwear. The active substances included in the balm begin their action at 20°C.
Domal Sport Fein Fashion. Using the balm you can clean down jackets, sportswear, even shoes. The drug allows the down to remain waterproof while maintaining its own structure. After the balm, bright impregnations and applications remain intact. The product has one minor drawback - things must be rinsed thoroughly after the drug.
Liquid powder Profkhim. The drug can be used when washing down jackets, blankets, and feather pillows. The product has the same positive properties as Domal balm. Thanks to it, the colors of the product are preserved, the fabrics do not lose their original appearance, and the down and feathers do not lose their fatty coating.
The following drugs are also considered quite popular today: Nikwax gel and Unipukh liquid powder.

Washing each item requires studying the product's operating instructions. Down jackets are washed in water at 40 degrees in gentle or hand wash mode. When using tourmaline balls, you cannot set the water heating mode above 50 degrees. For the effect to meet expectations, it is necessary to load the recommended number of balls into the drum. General recommendations:

wash at a water temperature acceptable for the product;
do not neglect soaking in case of heavy contamination;
use liquid laundry detergents;
sew up sharp rivets and spikes on the product;
fasten the locks before the procedure;
place washing balls in the sleeves, inside the clothes, leaving the rest outside;
The down jacket is spun at low speed.

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Recommendations will help maintain the appearance and performance, the down jacket will last longer and retain heat.

How to wash a down jacket in a washing machine

If there are leather inserts or other external parts, then you should take the product to dry cleaning or use dry cleaning methods at home.

Determine the type of filling and how the inside of the down jacket is quilted.

Firmwares can be:

horizontal;
horizontal-vertical;
diamond-shaped.

Products filled with synthetic padding polyester are best suited for machine washing.
A down jacket with horizontal or horizontal-vertical stitching can be washed in an automatic washing machine, and to prevent the down from getting lost, use balls. Automatic washing is also suitable for down jackets with diamond-shaped seams.
If there is no hand wash icon on the label, then you can safely trust the down jacket to the washing machine. It is worth noting that high-quality down jackets can be washed more easily and without consequences.
Down jackets with feathers inside are best washed on a delicate cycle.

Which mode to use

To wash a down jacket, set a special program: Delicate wash or Bio-down. These modes will allow you to carefully remove all stains without deforming the item. If the washing machine does not provide these modes, then install the program Washing woolen products:

The water temperature should not exceed +30+40 degrees. Hot water causes clothes to warp.
It is better to avoid spinning the product in the washing machine. Some clothing manufacturers allow spinning, but at 400 rpm. It will be more difficult to straighten the stray lumps of fluff after spinning at a higher speed.
Instead of spinning, it is better to add a Rinse mode, which will completely remove the remaining detergent components from the fabric fibers.

Drying a down jacket

If the automatic machine has a drying function, after washing the down jacket with balls is finished, you can turn it on and dry the product. When it is missing, remove the jacket from the drum, shake it well and hang it on hangers in a warm place, for example, not far from the radiator.

Thoroughly beat the down mixture several times a day. The more often you carry out this procedure, the better the feather will be distributed, and the dry jacket will retain its volume. Be sure to dry the item completely before hanging it in the closet. The insulation must be completely dry so as not to trample or deteriorate.

What you need to know to wash a down jacket correctly

For down jackets that can be washed in an automatic washing machine, it is necessary to select a mode in which not only the dirt will disappear, but also the shape and factory condition of the filling will be preserved.

Before washing the down jacket in the washing machine, unfasten the hood, cuffs, fur collar and other appliques. You can place a ball in the hood, wrap it up and put it in a laundry bag. It is better to wash the fur collar and other parts of the down jacket separately.

Take out all the contents from the pockets and do not fasten them so as not to spoil the shape.
Turn the down jacket inside out so as not to damage the front side of the item. This applies to down jackets with any internal filling.
Fasten the fasteners, put the down jacket and balls in the washing machine.
Add powder for washing things and remember: before using detergent, you need to study the label of the down jacket, which will tell you what and at what temperature it is better to wash a particular product.
Select a program or set machine wash parameters manually.

Some models of washing machines can be equipped with a special mode for washing down jackets. If it is not in your automatic machine, then you can configure everything yourself.

The water heating temperature in the machine should not exceed 30 °C.
Turn on the extra rinse function.
The spin speed in the machine should not exceed 600 rpm.
If your automatic washing machine does not have an additional rinse function, then at the end of the wash, turn on the rinse mode separately to thoroughly wring out the product.
Do not wash several down jackets and other items at the same time in one machine. This can severely deform clothing.
Stains and stains can be removed from a down jacket with a drop of dishwashing detergent, which must be applied to the material with a sponge, and then gently wiped with a cloth soaked in warm water.

The main problem is the insulation. It stubbornly refuses to retain its original shape, gets into clumps and spoils the appearance of the product. However, housewives with extensive experience say: You simply don’t know how to dry things correctly - that’s what causes all the troubles.

Let's figure it out in order.

For a down jacket, only a drum-type machine gun is suitable. Using a semi-automatic machine is guaranteed to turn your favorite clothes into rags. It’s even better if your device is equipped with a drying function. If you cannot boast of this, you will have to use a simple method: hang the washed item on hangers and leave it where it will dry most quickly. For example, on the balcony, near the radiator, provided that it is not too hot. If you're in a hurry, you can even use a hairdryer.
The washing mode that should be chosen for a down jacket is delicate. Temperature is moderate, not higher than thirty degrees.
Jacket deformation is another problem that many owners face. How to avoid it? We will give you this advice: before starting the machine, fasten the zipper, buttons and other fasteners that catch your eye. And then simply turn the item inside out so that the inside out is in front of you, not the face. If there is fur on the hood, remove it. As a rule, it comes off easily.
Be sure to rinse the item several times to ensure that all traces of the detergent used in washing are removed from the insulation.
Young housewives are often intimidated by the spin cycle - they say that it cannot be turned on if there is a down jacket in the machine. But this is a far-fetched warning. You still have to turn on this function, because this way your outerwear will dry faster. It is necessary to set the speed to 400-600 rpm.
Are you still using powder? Then don’t be surprised that after washing, unpleasant white stains remain on the surface of dark clothes. This product dissolves more difficult than its liquid counterparts and is less easily washed out with water when rinsing. So it’s better not to be lazy and look for special washing liquids for particularly demanding materials.
You can use a rinse aid, but a special one that will not turn the insulation under the fabric into lumps. If this is not at hand, it is better to refuse to use this product, as well as air conditioner.
The item should spin freely in the drum. In one cycle you need to wash one jacket, without other clothes.

Straighten the item, carefully hang it on hangers and leave it to drain in the room, laying an oilcloth or cloth on the floor that will collect water. If your machine has a drying function, use it.
Shake your clothes from time to time and look for lumps. If they do appear, carefully move the stuck down fluff with your fingers to straighten the insulation and give it its original shape.
Another method that can be used if the item has lost its shape is to beat the filler with your hands. There is also a method for the lazy: just put the down jacket in the freezer while it is still damp. But we are not responsible for the result: it may unpleasantly surprise you.

Soak the item before washing.
Use water hotter than 30 degrees.
Add bleach, rinse with the wrong product or conditioner.
Lay out clothes on a table or floor to dry.
Dry for more than two days.

Why are balls needed?

PVC silt balls with spikes of various sizes are the most effective items for washing down jackets

Balls used in washing are round or cylindrical objects that are placed in the drum of the washing machine along with dirty laundry.

When washing down jackets or products with fine-grained or granular filler, the balls can partially eliminate the problem when the filler clumps into dense lumps and knots.

The principle of operation of any balls, balls or other objects placed in the machine drum is quite simple - the ball moves freely between clothes, exerting a mechanical effect on it.

Since automatic cleaning has a high intensity even at a low number of revolutions and in a gentle mode, it turns out that a very light object can exert a lot of impact/pressure on clothing.

Washing clothes with balls is almost always safe and does not lead to loss of product quality. The only exceptions are things that already have some kind of flaws: a cut, a torn area, a loose seam.

In such cases, the impact of the ball can only worsen the problem. Before loading an item into the drum, carefully inspect and check its condition. First you need to fix the problem, and only then wash the product in the machine.

Types of laundry balls

Magnetic spheres are good for washing delicate items

When washing down jackets or other items that require deep cleaning, items of different shapes, different hardness and perforation can be used.

These or the collective concept of “wash ball” include the following items:

A tennis ball is a regular ball for playing tennis. Can be purchased at any sports store. After purchasing, you will need to soak it in warm water for 2-3 hours with the addition of universal washing powder. It is not recommended to purchase products that are too cheap.
PVC ball with spikes - a hollow or solid sphere with small spikes measuring 3-7 mm. Excellent for cleaning down jackets and outerwear filled with down. Prevents the appearance of lint clumps, helps remove difficult stains and eliminates the need to pre-clean cuffs, collars and other problem areas.
Magnetic ball – a rubber hollow ball with holes that has a magnetic core/frame. They have increased mass compared to other similar objects. Mainly used for washing cotton, delicate fabrics and wool. They have proven themselves well for restoring down filling.
Tourmaline sphere is an alternative to washing powders in granular form. The sphere is a hollow rubber ball underneath, inside of which there are small tourmaline balls. They supposedly enrich the water with minerals and promote the formation of alkali and free ions.

It is worth mentioning right away that all laundry balls and balls, including tourmaline spheres, do not serve as a substitute for detergents. They are able to improve the penetration of washing powder into the structure of the fabric and, due to the constant impact on the fabric, increase its ability to remove dirt from the fibers.

Tourmaline spheres are a separate matter, since even the manufacturer himself is not always able to explain how their know-how works. We recommend not to use them as a full-fledged replacement for powder, but to use them only for washing children's or delicate items with very light soiling.

How many balls do you need?

Spheres are sold in sets of 2-3 pieces

The number of balls required for washing directly depends on the size and volume of the item that needs to be cleaned. You can take into account the degree of contamination, pre-treatment of difficult stains, etc.

In order not to go into a tedious description, we have compiled a table in which we indicate how many balls and balls are needed to wash a particular item.

Tennis ball	PVC ball	Magnetic ball	Tourmaline Sphere
Sweater, pullover	1-2	1-2	2-3	2-3
Windbreaker	1-2	2-3	2-3	2-3
Trousers, jeans	2-3	3-4	3-4	4-5
Down jacket	3-4	6-8	10-12	6-8
Coat	3-4	6-8	10-12	4-6
Long coat	6-8	8-10	10-12	6-8

Washing or cleaning

The people to whom you entrusted your down jacket are not responsible for the results of the work. It turns out that you cannot be indignant and demand compensation for damage caused to the item if they return to you something that only vaguely resembles a warm jacket. And this is the most compelling argument against this service.
The second disadvantage is the high cost of dry cleaning. You are spending money on something you could do yourself for free. Naturally, we advise you to work a little, so that later you can confidently say that you have mastered all the intricacies of handling the most capricious detail of your wardrobe. But if you are not confident in your own abilities, it is better to trust the professionals and rely on their competence.

How to properly wash a down jacket at home so that the down does not tangle

First, let's decide which tool we will use. These are definitely not dry powders, as we said earlier. Also, you should not use formulations that contain chlorine and other aggressive active ingredients.

We offer two options:

Special shampoo.
Liquid soap is less effective, but will do if you have no other detergents. The main thing is that it should be colorless.

Before washing, you need to prepare your jacket. Unfasten the fur and anything that can be detached, such as the hood. Fasten the zippers, and wrap parts that may leave marks on the fabric with waterproof film. If it's not there, just place the item in a vertical position. This will help avoid not only unpleasant marks, but also the appearance of white streaks and wetting of the insulation.

And now the main thing is how to wash. Be extremely careful and delicate. Do not perform actions that will negatively affect the shape of the product. Do not stretch the sleeves when removing dirt, do not rub the fabric too hard. If there are only a few stains on the item, use a mild liquid lint remover and a brush. This way you will avoid the filler getting wet and simplify the drying process.

Hang your outerwear on hangers in the bathroom.
Wet the surface. Do this carefully. If there is little dirt, use a sponge or brush.
First, you should clean the areas that are most dirty, and then proceed to treat the entire surface.
When washing off the foam, you should direct the water stream at an angle so that it does not fall inside onto the filler.
Do not use conditioners - they, like powder, lead to the formation of white stains.
The temperature of the water used for washing is no more than 30 degrees.

The first and most important rule is only vertically. A horizontal position will ruin the item, especially if the filler inside gets wet and forms clumps. Nothing good will come of it if you lay your clothes on a towel - they simply won’t dry.

Don’t think that the very next morning after washing you can go to work in your favorite down jacket - it will still be too damp. Wait two days. This time is enough for your jacket to take on its previous appearance.

Take the time to fluff up the insulation after contact with water. This can be done with a simple beater, which you use to rid the carpet of dust accumulated in it. Walk over all areas several times so that the insulation under the fabric does not turn into one sticky lump.

directly on the radiator;
near an open fire.

How to iron a dry jacket? Is it necessary to do this at all? Not all models require ironing. If there are wrinkled places that irritate you and spoil the appearance of the product, we recommend vertical steaming or ironing at 110 degrees.

Magnetic balls

A great option for replacing tennis balls when washing a down jacket is a magnetic sphere. This new product is made from natural ingredients and is safe for health. In addition to improving the quality of washing, it helps protect the machine from scale because it reduces the amount of salts in the water and effectively softens it.

The polyurethane sphere is smooth and has a strong magnet inside. To clean a down jacket you need 6 balls. They will completely knock the dirt out of the jacket.

When using a sphere, be sure to halve the amount of powder you pour into the washing tray. Due to the softening of the water, very little detergent is needed. After washing, you can leave the magnetic ball in the drum. It does not require rinsing with water and drying, unlike tourmaline balls.

Don’t worry about what balls you need to wash your down jacket. Use any of those suggested in our article, and you will see that washing outerwear at home is not difficult at all.

Technology from start to finish

Small stains are not worth washing the entire down jacket for. To remove them, use a special gentle cleanser and treat the surface with a soft brush.
Be sure to turn your clothes inside out, fasten buttons or zippers, and remove fur parts.
Turn on the rinse mode twice.
Press at a speed of 400-600 rpm.
Be sure to use a hanger afterwards. We advise you to dry outerwear of this type only in a vertical position, fastening all the fasteners, shaking occasionally so that the filler is properly distributed inside.
Fur can be washed separately using a product designed for delicate fabrics and materials. When drying, shake the rim several times.

In this article we told you how to wash a down jacket by hand and in an automatic machine. Follow the rules, do not try to soak your jacket, use only a good product designed specifically for such things. And don’t forget: good outerwear will never lose its shape, even if you don’t take it to the dry cleaner, but take responsibility for maintaining its impeccable appearance.

Kinds

Manufacturers offer several categories of laundry balls. You can purchase two or three categories with different effects on dirty things. If you are prone to allergies, it is useful to have hedgehog balls and silver-coated devices at home. The combination of mechanical action with an antibacterial effect allows you to reduce powder consumption to a minimum.

The cost of laundry balls ranges from 120 to 230 rubles per set.

Tourmaline

Inside the rubber body there are large and small elements made of natural stone, mineral chips, and nanopowder. When combined with water during washing, an antibacterial and anti-mold effect is manifested, clothes are washed better, and the accumulation of static electricity when wearing things is reduced. Tourmaline balls improve water quality, are suitable for hand and machine washing, and activate stain removal.

What is the secret of the pronounced effect when combating stains on clothes? When heated, tourmaline changes the acidity of the water, the level approaches the alkaline state, which allows you to wash things without powder. Other particles act as a natural conditioner, which allows you not only to wash away salt impurities from the laundry, but also to saturate it with air, giving it softness and freshness.

The cost of tourmaline balls is higher than that of other types; if used correctly, the products retain their properties for two to three years. Some housewives write that mineral components exhibit an active effect for 1.5–2 years. Place two balls with mineral filler in a machine or basin of water.

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Magnetic

Inside the rubber ball there is a magnet core. Sets of 4–12 products are available for sale.

Magnetic balls are an ideal way to soften liquid during washing. Scientists have proven that hard water negatively affects the parts of the washing machine and the human body. It is enough to put several balls with magnets for washing in the drum - and the water will become softer, the quality of washing will improve, and the consumption of powder will decrease.

When processing wool products you need 4 units, for delicate fabrics - 6 balls, with a full load - 12 pieces. For very hard water, magnetic balls alone are not enough: you need anti-scale compounds, which can be purchased at the supermarket or use home remedies.

Against pellets

The original products are made of safe polypropylene; there are small loops on the surface for reaching uneven areas on wool and cashmere items. The balls not only prevent the appearance of pills, but also collect particles of small debris, animal hair, dust particles, carpet fluff, and other types of dirt from the surface of clothing.

Using several balls reduces the risk of washing machine filters clogging with small debris and reduces energy consumption. With frequent use, pilling does not appear on clothes. Unfortunately, it is impossible to restore existing uneven areas with elongated loops and small “balls” of threads.

With antibacterial effect

Housewives place silver-coated balls in the drum if they need to further disinfect things. Exposure is required if items cannot be washed at high temperatures. Laundry balls inhibit the development of bacteria, soften water, and make things soft. If there is no antibacterial coating in the washing machine, smooth balls compensate for this deficiency.

For washing and softening things

Manufacturers offer balls with thick needles and bulges. Externally, the products look like balls for dogs or massage rubber “hedgehogs”. During washing, 2 items are placed in the drum. When scrolling the laundry, the balls prevent the clothes from creasing and make it easier for powder particles to get into the folds and all areas of the clothes.

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The spikes are soft, not sharp, and do not harm clothing items or the surface of the drum. Due to frequent contact with the “needles”, the effect of numerous touches of the fingers is created; the filling in down jackets is whipped, which prevents the natural component from creasing. Housewives note an excellent effect when washing outerwear and wool products. Hedgehogs are not used for washing thin, expensive fabrics.

Features of washing outerwear

The only disadvantage of down jackets is the difficulty of washing. If a warm jacket is constantly worn by its owner, it means that it quickly gets dirty. Accordingly, it must be washed regularly. But how to wash a down jacket without ruining its shape and thermal properties? Until recently, washing warm clothes had to be carried out at a dry cleaner, where it was possible not to spoil the warm filling of outerwear.

Why is this necessary?

high-quality washing of clothes, since each tennis ball, when spinning the drum, whips up the filling of the jacket, thereby preventing it from matting;
quickly washing away dirt from hard-to-reach places;
thoroughly wash all seams and joints.

How to replace tennis balls when washing a down jacket? If desired, such balls can be replaced with small but dense balls. The main thing is to make sure that fluff (if any) does not come off of them, otherwise it will stick to the clothes, which will significantly worsen the quality of the wash.

Tennis balls

After purchasing, soak the balls in a strong bleach solution for a couple of hours. This must be done so that they do not fade and spoil the jacket when washed.

How to wash a down jacket with tennis balls? Place 3 balls in the machine along with your outerwear and follow the recommendations described above.