11 ways to remove stains from a down jacket

Your down jacket may suddenly get stains from blood, grease, ink, tea or fruit juice. And long-term wear leads to the fact that the pockets and sleeves are shiny and shiny. Warm winter clothes are not cheap, so they need to be saved, and various stains are not at all a reason to throw away your favorite down jacket. But not every way to get rid of dirt from clothes is suitable – you need to take into account the material from which the product is sewn and the peculiarities of caring for the filler – natural or artificial down. Our experts have learned how to remove various stains from a down jacket without marks and any consequences for its appearance.

Basic rules of care

Down jackets are not clothes that can be washed often. Many products are only allowed to dry clean (care information is always indicated on the label). From frequent washing, the down will lose its warming qualities, and the top layer of the fabric will lose its appearance and durability. The down jacket will allow moisture to pass through, will no longer protect against frost and wind.

Therefore, you should try to wash the small spots that appear locally. And contaminants such as blood, tea, grease or ink cannot be removed with a regular washing in an automatic machine without preliminary treatment.

So, if a stain appears on the down jacket, you need:

1. carefully examine the label – if only dry cleaning is allowed to him, then we refer the jacket to professionals;

2. if you can machine wash and use wet cleaning, then we select a detergent to remove dirt in accordance with their origin, material and color of the top of the product (taking into account the recommendations that will be given below);

3. take into account that it is not recommended to use chlorine bleaches to get rid of stains, but most oxygen stain removers for colored and white things can be used for down jackets;

4. stains must be wiped off with a detergent mixture, moving from the edges to the center – this will help to avoid streaks and it is easier to remove the remnants of the used product after processing;

5. evaluate the appearance of the product after local removal of stains and drying – if there are streaks or traces on the surface, then the down jacket should still be washed in an automatic machine on a delicate mode at a temperature of 40 ° C with a liquid detergent.

6. Laundry soap can handle most contamination. Therefore, our experts advise to start removing stains with it – just rub the stained place thoroughly with it and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Minus washing with soap – it takes a lot of water for rinsing, so it is more suitable for pre-treatment before washing in the machine.

And one more piece of advice: do not postpone the removal of stains 'on the back burner' – the fresher the dirt, the easier it is to remove it without traces and tedious washing.

How to remove greasy stains

Fat spots appear on a down jacket often, but it is not difficult to remove them. Moreover, if they are fresh. You can choose from one of five methods. Each of them is safe for the material from which the down jacket is sewn and for down.

Dishwashing liquid (Fairey, Sort)

Mode of application:

1. wet a greasy place with water;

2. drip a few drops of the product (depending on size);

3. wait 5-10 minutes;

4. with a clean cloth soaked in water, gently remove foam and Faery residues.

Machine wash if necessary.

Mustard

Mustard contains allyl oil, which is good at breaking down fats. It is suitable for removing stains from colored down jackets.

How to apply:

1. add warm water to the powder of dry mustard to make a mass similar in consistency to thick sour cream;

2. apply the mixture to the stain;

3. leave for 30 minutes;

4. wash off the mustard with a cloth soaked in warm water.

An easy-to-use, but quite effective way of removing fresh greasy stains is to put a mustard plaster soaked in warm water on the soiled place for 20-30 minutes. Remains of mustard can be easily removed, and the fat will also dissolve without a trace.

Soda or salt

You can sprinkle a small amount of salt or soda on a fresh greasy stain left on the down jacket. Or you can make a mushy mass by mixing them with warm water and apply to the dirt for 15 minutes. Rub the stain with a toothbrush, after which the remnants of soda or salt (or their mixture) must be removed with a cotton napkin soaked in water.

Grated laundry soap

In order not to wash off the lather from the laundry soap, you can use a simpler method: grate it on a grater (2 tsp) and apply to the stain. The shavings will absorb the fat, you just have to brush it off the surface of the down jacket. The method is only suitable for fresh dirt.

Talc or chalk

Powders of talcum powder or crushed chalk, poured onto a greasy spot on a down jacket, are also good at removing grease. On old dirt, you can apply a gruel from a mixture of talc and chalk, let stand for 2-3 hours. Remove the remains with a napkin or a clean, wet cloth.

How to get rid of blood stains

Unfortunately, bloody spots can also appear on the down jacket, and they should also be removed while they are fresh.

The main rule for removing blood from any fabric is not to wash with hot water. At temperatures above 40 ° C, the blood protein coagulates, leaving a yellow mark on the product after washing, which is not easy to get rid of later.

The most effective way to remove blood drops from clothing is hydrogen peroxide 3%. But it can be used only on light materials, a discolored mark may remain on colored and dark materials.

Mode of application:

1. apply a few drops of peroxide to the contaminated area;

2. wait 10-15 minutes;

3. rub with a toothbrush soaked in cold water.

Blood stains may still be visible after machining. They are well eliminated during subsequent washing in an automatic machine.

To restore cleanliness to colored jackets, use a slurry of soda and water (2: 1 ratio). The mixture is applied to the bloody trail for 10-15 minutes and dirt and soda residues are removed with a moistened toothbrush.

A tip from our experts: A small spot of fresh blood is excellent at removing saliva. If, after a nosebleed, red drops remain on the down jacket, you can simply spit on them and rub saliva over the contaminated surface. The method, although not very hygienic, but effective.

How to remove ink stain

If an ink stain appears on the down jacket (a ballpoint pen has leaked in the pocket or a trace from a pen accidentally remains), then one of the following methods will help to remove it.

1. Ethanol. Pour a few drops onto the ink trail and wipe off the dirt with a cotton swab or cotton pad.

2. Polish for hair. Spray a sufficient amount of varnish from a bottle on the stain – it will dissolve before your eyes. Without waiting for drying, wipe off the trace with a napkin, if necessary, apply the varnish again. After removing colored streaks, the contaminated area must be thoroughly rinsed with clean water.

3. Stain remover. 'Vanish' or any other oxygenated bleach if applied directly to the ink stain will also remove it without leaving any residue.

4. Kefir. Can be used as an emergency detergent. The fermented milk drink will not dissolve the ink, but will destroy its structure and will not allow it to be deeply absorbed into the fibers of the fabric until it is treated with stronger agents. After exposure to lactic acid, the trail becomes lighter.

The fresher the ink stain will come off the faster. Only dry cleaning can handle the old ballpoint pen mark.

How to remove tea stain

Tea stains are perfectly removed by any acid found in the household:

1. lemon;

2. acetic;

3. dairy.

4. You need to moisten the tea trail with warm water and apply a small amount of lemon juice, table vinegar or kefir to it. After waiting 15-20 minutes, rub the stained area with a sponge or toothbrush and rinse with clean water.

5. To clean light down jackets, you can use 3% hydrogen peroxide, and a colored or dark down jacket can be cleaned of tea stains with warm glycerin and salt (mix in a 1: 1 ratio).

How to clean lipstick or powder stains on your collar

For girls and women, when wearing jackets and down-padded coats that are fastened 'under the neck', traces of cosmetics often remain on the collar. Pink or red spots are immediately striking if you unfasten the zipper, and do not paint its owner. Removing them is easy, and you need to do it regularly – 2-3 times a week.

Powder traces are easily washed off when cleaning with a damp soapy cloth (with toilet or laundry soap). But with lipstick you have to work hard. You can apply one of the following to the soiled areas:

1. hydrogen peroxide 3% (suitable for white or light-colored jackets);

2. a mixture of soda and water (in a 2: 1 ratio);

3. sodium tetraborate (borax);

4. toothpaste;

5. laundry soap.

It takes time for the cleaning agents to take effect (about 15-20 minutes) and wipe off the remains of the product and lipstick with a toothbrush and a clean napkin.

How to remove greasy areas

Cuffs, places near pockets and collars of down jackets become greasy and shine ugly from prolonged wear. To fix this, you need to pour talc, chalk or starch on the greasy places for 10-15 minutes, rub them in a little and shake them off. The powders will draw out the fat, and the clothes will again take on a decent appearance.

This method is not suitable for removing stubborn dirt. Better to prepare a cleansing mixture. For this you need to mix:

1. 1 tsp ammonia (ammonia);

2. 1 tsp dishwashing detergents;

3. 100 g warm water.

Beat up a thick foam and apply it with a sponge to greasy areas. After waiting 5-10 minutes, remove the remaining mixture with a clean napkin.

Use a window cleaner to remove shine around pockets and sleeves. Spray it from a spray bottle onto the contaminated area, and then clean it with a damp cloth.

Household chemicals

Many stains can be removed from clothing using special household cleaning products. Only chlorine-free bleaches and stain removers are suitable for cleaning down jackets:

1. Vanish Oxi Action – perfectly removes fresh stains of various origins, the average price is 130 rubles per 500 ml;

2. 'Dr. Beckmann '- removes old dirt, 200 rubles for 50 ml;

3. Ecover Ecological Stain Remover – an ecological product based on enzymes and citric acid, 700 rubles. for 200 ml;

4. ACE Oxi Magic – helps to get rid of fresh and old stains, 100 rubles. for 500 ml.

All products are sold for both colored and white items, so you can choose the right stain remover to remove dirt from down jackets of any color.

How to remove white streaks after washing

Often, after washing, white stains remain on down jackets. Sometimes they can appear after snow or rain. The reason is insufficient rinsing. Especially often, this situation occurs after using washing powder. That is why manufacturers of outerwear advise using liquid detergents for washing – they rinse out better and do not leave streaks. You can turn on the extra rinse mode.

1. If white traces do appear, you can get rid of them with a damp cloth or rayon napkin, regularly rinsing it under running water.

2. If the stains are very pronounced, you can first spray them with window cleaning liquid from a spray bottle and then wipe them off with a napkin.

3. The most effective way to get rid of white streaks is to machine wash your down jacket again, but without powder or detergent.

Expert opinion

Down jackets from frequent washings lose their appearance and thermal insulation properties. The fluff can clump and give off an unpleasant odor (if dried incorrectly). Small stains should be hand cleaned to prolong the life of outerwear. You can use industrial stain removers and dishwashing detergents for this. You can use folk methods: hydrogen peroxide, soda, laundry soap, lemon juice and vinegar. All of them remove various dirt well and are absolutely safe for fabric and lint. If one remedy doesn't work, you can try others. The main thing is to wipe off the stains while they are fresh, moving from edge to center so that no streaks remain.

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