When you buy a Patagonia Jacket, you are buying sturdy, comfortable winter clothing that looks cool and keeps you warm, and is also good for the environment due to how these jackets are produced.
Patagonia Jackets are made from different materials, and each of these materials requires a bit of delicacy when you intend to wash them.
This article discusses the ways we can wash some of the more popular types of Patagonia jackets and some precautions that will help these jackets last longer.
Precautions to Take When Washing Patagonia Jackets
Before washing a Patagonia Jacket, here are a few precautions you need to take:
Avoid Using a Top Loading Washing Machine
Top loading machines come with an agitator that is especially bad for Patagonia jackets, and using them could tear the fabric.
Patagonia jackets do better with front-loading machines, which exert less force. If you don’t have access to a front loading machine, it would be safer to hand wash your jacket.
Avoid Using Bleach or Other Harsh Chemicals
Bleach and other chemicals like fabric softeners, vinegar, and other essential oils can destroy Patagonia Jackets.
Bleach causes the jacket to lose color, while fabric softeners deposit a waxy residue on some Patagonia Jackets. These waxy residues, in turn, increase moisture and odor retention in the jackets.
The best way to go is to make use of a mild bleach-free detergent, liquid dishwashing detergent, or a specialized detergent.
Avoid Subjecting Your Jacket to High Temperature
While washing your Patagonia Jackets, a rule to remember is that they do better under low temperatures. Avoid anything that subjects them to high temperatures.
Wash with cold water, place them in dryers with reliably low heat, and do not iron them under any circumstance.
Avoid Washing Your Jacket too Often.
Patagonia Jackets have low moisture and odor retention properties, and this ability makes it possible to wash them as little as possible. Except if there is a large stain, you are better off washing once or twice a season.
If there are subtle stains, try spot cleaning the stains with a damp cloth towel. Washing Patagonia Jackets too often can lead to wear and tear.
Always Read the Fabric Care Instructions
Fabric Care Instructions are a great way to ensure that your jackets last as long as possible.
Fabric care instructions will show you the kind of washing machine to use (if you should use them) and the type of detergent and dryer that would be safe for your fabric. This type of information can save your jacket.
How to Wash a Patagonia Fleece Jacket
The advantage that fleece jackets have over other winter jackets is that it is not as bulky as the others, and it is lightweight and still effective at trapping body heat and providing insulation.
You can wash your Patagonia Fleece Jackets in the following easy steps:
Step One: Prepare the Jacket and Turn it Inside Out.
Ensure that all objects are out of the pockets of your fleece jacket. Then turn the jacket inside out to prevent pilling and lint build-up outside the jacket.
You can also put the jacket into a fiber filter bag before placing it in a machine. Fiber bags protect the jacket from damage and protect the environment from shed microfibres during washing.
Step Two: Place the Jacket in Your Washing Machine
The machine should be a front loader that has a gentle wash cycle. Also, ensure you set the machine on a cold water cycle. Add a mild bleach-free detergent before running the jacket through the wash cycle.
Step Three: Drying Your Fleece Jackets
Line drying is the most recommended method of drying fleece jackets; this will reduce wear and tear on the jacket.
However, you can also place your fleece jackets in a dryer as long as you set your machine to a low-temperature setting. Using this setting makes drying longer, but it will protect your jacket.
How to Wash a Patagonia Down Jacket
Down jackets are known for their fantastic insulating properties and their fluffy look. To wash them in a way that allows them to retain their fluff requires some forethought.
Here are the steps to take when washing a Patagonia Down Jacket:
Step one: Prepare the Jacket for Washing.
Remove every object from the jacket’s pockets and ensure you zip up or button up every pocket in your jacket.
Step Two: Prepare the Washing Machine
Down jackets tend to clump together when you wash them with washing machines. Add a few laundry balls to prevent this, but you can also use tennis balls if you don’t have laundry balls.
Set the machine to low temperature, and add the specialized down detergent used in washing down jackets. You can also use mild liquid dishwashing detergent.
Step Three: Run Multiple Wash Cycles
A single wash cycle is often not enough to clean down jackets. Carefully examine the jacket after each cycle to decide whether to run another wash.
Generally, running the jacket through two or three wash cycles should be enough to clean it.
Step Four: Dry the Jacket
After the wash cycle is complete, you can choose to put your jacket into a dryer with a low heat setting. Don’t forget to add laundry or tennis balls to the dryer.
Your jacket will require several drying cycles since you are drying at low heat. After each cycle, take out the jacket and shake the material. Please put it back in the machine and resume the cycle until the jacket is completely dry.
If you don’t have access to this type of dryer, then air dry on an airing rack or clothesline. Ensure the jacket is under direct sunlight for more efficient drying.
How to Wash Your Parka and Puffer Jacket
Puffer and Parka Jackets are two types of lightweight winter jackets. They are waterproof and give good protection.
The significant differences between both jackets are the presence of a fur hood and the incredible length of the Parka Jackets.
Both jackets are washed in pretty much the same way. Follow the steps below to wash your puffer and parka jackets:
Step One: Prepare Your Jacket for the Machine
Start with checking out the fabric care instructions, remove all objects from the jacket’s pockets, and zip up the jacket all the way. Also, ensure all pockets are closed if they have zips or buttons.
Next, remove the fur hood (if there is one). Washing machines can destroy fur hoods. Instead, wash your fur-lined hoods separately with a soft bristle brush.
Step Two: Place Your Jacket in the Washing Machine
Place the jacket in a washer with cold water and wash with a mild detergent. Avoid adding bleach, vinegar, or other essential oils, and run the machine on a gentle wash cycle.
Step Three: Dry Your Jacket Immediately
As soon as the wash cycle is complete, avoid leaving your jacket in the washing machine, even for a few minutes. Doing this will lead to the formation of mildew or mold.
Squeeze the jacket gently and place it in a dryer with a low heat setting immediately! Add some dryer balls (or tennis balls) to the dryer.
Drying with a low setting will take as long as one to two hours, so be patient, don’t attempt to increase the temperature to avoid ruining your jacket.
Instead, continue running the dryer at a low heat cycle until the jacket is completely dry and ready for use.