Like many people during this cold winter, my puffer coat has firmly been on rotation. Soft, comfy and excellent at banishing that chill, it’s ideal for throwing on whenever I need to go to the shops or out for a walk.
Because of this, it’s safe to say that it’s gotten quite dirty over the years, with foundation on the collar proving to be the worst culprit.
I had always been unsure about washing it, simply because I didn’t want it to lose its puffy appearance, which I’ve heard is a pretty easy mistake to make.
And instead I’ve tried in vain to scrub the makeup off with shampoo or micellar water – two tricks that didn’t appear to work at all.
So when I came across a TikTok posted by @jack.designs about how to safely clean and dry your puffer jacket, I thought it was worth giving it a go.
In the comments, his method even has the seal of approval from a former North Face employee – so this was definitely a green flag, the Express reports.
And after carrying it out, I can safely say that my jacket looks brand new once again, with no traces of makeup left on the collar at all. The simple drying technique also ensured that it stayed puffy with no lumps, so I’d definitely recommend if your jacket is in need of a good wash.
Here’s exactly how I did it.
Before you start, you’re going to need three things – detergent, some sort of stain remover, and a couple of tumble dryer balls, which can all be picked up from your local supermarket.
First, take your jacket and make sure all the zips are fastened, including the pockets and any inside compartments. Then, turn it inside out – this will stop the zips from damaging the inside of your washing machine.
Jack used a laundry sanitiser along with the detergent, but because the makeup stains on my jacket looked particularly bad, I decided to spray it with some Astonish Oxy Active stain remover and leaving it to set in for around five minutes before I put it in the machine.
Then, putting some detergent in the drawer as normal, it was time to wash. Jack recommended a ‘low, delicate wash’ for the best results, but since I was at my parents’ house, their machine actually had an outerwear setting so I opted for that.
Around an hour later, and the time was up. I put it on a quick spin cycle before eagerly taking it out to examine the collar for any remaining makeup.
There actually wasn’t a trace left at all, which I was so impressed by. However, the hardest part was yet to come – the drying process, aka trying to restore the limp, wet jacket to its former puffy glory.
This is where the dryer balls come in really handy, as these bounce around the machine and off the clothing, helping to keep it soft and fluffy.
Another crucial thing to remember is to take the jacket out every 15 minutes or so and give it a good shake, in order to help re-distribute the filling.
I was really worried after the first shake that I’d made a huge mistake. The jacket was still pretty limp, and it seemed to have lost a lot of the filling – especially around the main body area.
But I powered through, and with each shake, it started to look better and better.
By the end of the drying cycle, my jacket was perfectly fluffed up, clean and smelled so fresh. I sort of wish I’d discovered this hack sooner, because it really couldn’t have been any easier to do.
If you don’t have a tumble dryer, Jack says you can still use this method. In the comments, he wrote: “You could line dry it, just make sure you’re constantly giving it a really generous shake every 20-30mins. It will take A LOT longer to dry, but it can be done.”
And a former North Face employee also confirmed that the trick really worked, saying: “Worked at the north face for 6 years. This is exactly how we’d tell people to wash down jackets.”