How to wash a jacket in a washing machine?

Having become accustomed to washing everything in a washing machine, women began to wonder whether it was possible to wash a jacket in a washing machine. Until now, jackets were either taken to the dry cleaner or hand-cleaned at home. But it's worth looking into this issue; machine washing might not harm the jacket at all, but might actually make the job easier.

Which jacket is machine washable?

To determine whether a jacket is machine washable, first read the symbols on the label sewn into its lining. For example, a square within a circle means machine wash is prohibited, while a crossed-out basin of water means hand wash is prohibited.

If for some reason there's no such label, you should look at the type of fabric the jacket is made from. These can be either natural or synthetic fabrics:

• wool;
• wool mixture;
• cotton;
• flax;
• velveteen;
• velvet;
• atlas;
• polyester;
• leather.

Jackets made of wool, corduroy, or velvet should not be washed at all; they can only be brushed. Jackets made of mixed wool are also best brushed, but in some cases, hand washing is acceptable. Leather jackets should also not be washed; they can be damp-cleaned. Jackets made of other fabrics, however, can be hand-washed. Polyester and cotton jackets can be washed in a washing machine.

Machine washing a jacket

The question of how to machine wash a jacket is quite simple. Before putting it in the machine, you need to prepare it: check the pockets for small items and inspect for stains. If there are stains, they need to be washed. We'll discuss how to do this a little later. Greasy and scuffed areas can be wiped with an ammonia solution or a mixture of alcohol and ammonia.

Once the product is prepared, proceed as follows:

1. Place the jacket in the washing machine; you can add two or three items at a time. Make sure they're similar in color and fabric type. For example, a wool-blend jacket and a polyester jacket shouldn't be placed together. However, a cotton and linen jacket will tolerate being placed together just fine.
2. Choose a laundry detergent, preferably a gel-based one. This won't leave streaks on the fabric and rinses out easily. To help the garment smooth out after washing, you can add a little fabric softener.
3. Pour the required amount of product into the powder compartment or container and place it directly into the drum.
4. We close the drum door, turn on the machine and select the washing mode. The “Delicate wash” cycle is considered optimal, but you can also use the “Hand wash” cycle.

Important! After selecting the mode, be sure to check the water temperature; it should not exceed 40⁰C, and also turn off the spin function or set the minimum speed.

Cleaning and hand washing a jacket

If machine washing your jacket is prohibited, you'll have to do it by hand. Start by removing stains. To do this, use a soft brush or a clean cloth and, depending on the nature of the stain, wipe it with a special solution.

• Dirt in the cuff, elbow and collar areas can be treated with ammonia mixed with a small amount of water.
• A stain from a corrector can be removed with alcohol or solvent.
• Grease stains can be treated with dishwashing liquid.
• Chewing gum can be easily removed from a jacket only after freezing it in the refrigerator.
• Coffee or tea stains can be rubbed with a cloth soaked in ammonia.
• Fruit or vegetable juice is washed out with shampoo.

Before treating a stain with any product, test it on an inconspicuous area of ​​the item to avoid damaging the item. Be careful with jackets made of delicate fabrics, such as velvet, velour, wool, or satin. For information on washing wool clothing, seethis article.

Now let's move on to washing:

1. First, soak the item in cool water for an hour, adding liquid laundry detergent. Jackets made of delicate fabrics do not require soaking.
2. Now we wash the product in water at a temperature not exceeding 40⁰C, without applying excessive force, this may cause the fabric to stretch.
3. We take the item out of the water and hang it on a hanger.
4. Using the shower, begin rinsing off the soapy water. If hanging the jacket isn't possible, rinse it in the bathtub with plenty of cool water. Cold water will prevent shrinkage.
5. We leave the product on a hanger or lay it out to dry and let the water drain.

There is no need to wring out the jacket, as this can lead to stretching of the fabric, loss of shape and severe wrinkling, which will make the ironing process more difficult.

If a jacket can't be washed even by hand, cleaning it will be necessary. You can use special brushes or a slightly damp cloth. A leather jacket can be wiped with glycerin.

Drying and ironing a jacket after washing

After washing, it's important to dry and iron your jacket properly. Since most jackets can't be wrung out, they'll take quite a while to dry. A jacket made of cotton, linen, or polyester can be wrung out at low speed in a washing machine.

Dry the jacket on a hanger, making sure to straighten the collar, cuffs, and lapels to create the correct shape. A well-ventilated area is ideal for drying. You can also dry the jacket outside, but only in the shade to prevent discoloration.

Once the item has dried slightly, iron it. If ironing with a regular iron, it's best to do so through cheesecloth or a cotton cloth. This will prevent shiny spots from appearing. Ironing with a special iron is done contactlessly while hanging. After ironing, leave the item to air dry.

If you are unable to iron a damp jacket, be sure to use the steam setting to help the jacket stretch out a little if it has shrunk.

To summarize, no matter how new and delicate your washing machine, some jackets won't wash in it. However, washing them in the shower will refresh them and give them a fresh look without damaging the fabric or shape. How to wash such a garment is up to you.

   

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