Hiker wearing a padded jacket

How to Wash & Maintain a Puffer Jacket

Washing your puffer jacket can appear to be a daunting task. They’re generally quite large and can cost a fair amount which might make you a little nervous. We don’t want to ruin them with poorly informed washing instructions. You might be especially cautious if your puffer jacket or quilted jacket is also waterproof. We’ve put together a some guides to answer any of your questions about washing and maintaining your puffer jackets & insulated jackets. Including a couple of step by steps on how to machine wash your puffer jacket and how to hand wash your puffer jacket, also know as re-lofting. You’ll also find a step by step for how to re-fluff your puffer jacket further below. These instructions are also valid for padded or quilted jackets.

Can you put a Puffer Jacket in the Washing Machine

Yes, though be aware you must always check your coats product care label. These labels will tell you what temperature the jacket can be washed at, as well as any do’s and don’ts. Quite handy, so we’d recommend to read them.

Most of us in the UK have a front loader washing machine. This type of machine is generally recommended simply because top-loader washing machines have something called an ‘agitator’ which is great for cleaning away dirt but may cause damage to a puffer jacket.

Another important point to make. Please check your manufacturer’s warranty. Washing your jacket in the machine may void this. If any faults become apparent in the future, you may no longer be able to return the jacket if you’ve breached the T’s & C’s.

Washing a coat or jacket in the washing machine may be necessary if worn well enough. You'll of course start to pick up dirt around the cuffs and over time, the coat or jacket will just generally look more dull which can be fixed with a decent wash in the machine. For the sake of the environment we'd recommend only washing in the machine when necessary

Walking on the beach in puffer & padded jacket

How to Wash a Puffer Jacket in the Washing Machine

Below you’ll find instruction on how to prep the jacket before washing, how to wash and also the best way to dry the jacket after washing.

Machine Wash Preparation

  • Empty all pockets of any items, tissues and the odd receipt you may have left in there. Don’t forget to empty the inside pockets. If you’ve left tissue in a pocket it can cause white fluff to cling to the fabric which, as we all know, is painstaking to remove, not without putting the jacket back into the machine.
  • Zip the jacket up. Zip it fully to the top, including any pocket zips. Or, if you have a touch fasten/Velcro fastening, then fasten these up too. A zip flailing about in the machine is prone to cause a snag. Plus, zipping/fastening everything up helps to keep the jackets original shape.
  • Treat any stains now to soften them, ready for the machine wash. You’ll need warm, damp cloth and a stain remover or mild detergent, unless your jacket is waterproof, then use pure soap instead. Avoid using any solvents or products with alcohol as these can damage the fabrics. Dilute the soap in warm water, then soak, and wring out the cloth and gently rub, in a circle motion, over the heavy stains. You must allow the warm water to soak into the dirt.

Washing the Puffer Jacket

  1. Using either a pure soap, available in most supermarkets or our wash in cleaner in your machine. If your puffer also has a waterproof outer You may want to take a look at our guide on how to wash a waterproof jacket if this is the case.
  2. Set the wash to a low temperature. 30 degrees Celsius is most. 40 degrees or higher can damage and warp the synthetic fibres potentially changing the shape of the jacket or ruining it outright. 40 degrees might not seem hot but over an extended period of time I may cause these effects. Washing at 30 is also much better for the environment.
  3. Add in some dryer balls. The dryer balls bounce around the machine, pummelling the synthetic down causing it to fluff up like new.
Walking through dunes in quilted jacket

Can you put Your Puffer Jacket in the Dryer

Yes, you can. Your puffer jacket can go in the drying machine, though it does differ from jacket to jacket. Refer to the label on your jacket before following any instructions.

How to dry Your Puffer Jacket

  1. Set the machine to low heat. It’s very important that you do not have it on high heat. As I’ve mentioned before, a high heat can warp the protective layer and the filler if it’s a synthetic down.
  2. Add in dryer balls to pound the water out and re-loft or re-fluff the jacket.
  3. Remove after 30 minutes give a good shake to make sure the jacket is puffing up.
  4. 4. Repeat the process until fully dry. Tumble drying is recommended to ensure the garment is fully dry and to maintain any DWR.

You can pause the process once the jacket feels adequately puffed up, then let it air dry for the final stage. If possible, hang it on a rotary washing line outside for an extra boost of freshness.

Hiking in autumn with padded jackets

How to Re-Full a Puffer Jacket

There are two ways to re-fluff your puffer jacket. The first, we have already mentioned, simply add clean tennis balls to your washing or drying cycles to ‘beat’ the jacket during tumbling. The second method does not involve a washer or dryer and is a manual process. Spread the jacket out and give it a good shake for a few minutes, then rotate the jacket 90 degrees and repeat the process.

Now that your puffer jacket is clean, refreshed and looking like new, why not take yourself on a out into nature. There are some hike's we've put more guides together for.

We have a guide on a relatively short hike, which usually takes around 2-3 hours and includes a beautiful waterfall. It's the Hayburn & Wyke circular walk. Though if you're interested in more of a challenge then follow our guide for climbing Skiddaw.

ch_uk-Blog - Author - Bradley Stacey

Bradley Stacey

Based in Lancashire, Brad enjoys weekend getaways in his well travelled camper van, exploring Scotland, Wales and everything in-between.

Publish Date: 11/11/2024