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How to Wash a Down Jacket Without Ruining the Fill

A front-loading washer, a cleaner made for down, an extra rinse and a long, low-heat dry. Here’s how REI and Patagonia say to do it.

By SHOP & SPOT EditorsLast reviewed Nov 9, 2026Research-based guide · 2 sources

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A white puffer jacket hanging in a store window.

Photo: CGXL MEDIA on Unsplash

This guide is for anyone with a dirty or flat-looking puffer jacket who wants to wash it at home instead of paying for professional cleaning.

Down loses its puff when it gets dirty or oily, and a careful wash can bring it back. The risky part isn’t the washing; it’s the drying.

First, read the care label

Every jacket is different. If the label says dry clean only, follow it. Otherwise, the steps below come from REI’s and Patagonia’s care guides. See our laundry symbols guide if the tag is all icons.

What you need

  • A front-loading washer. REI says most down jackets can be washed in a front-loading home machine.1 Patagonia recommends front-loaders and says a top-loader on the gentle cycle will do if that’s all you have.2
  • A cleaner made for down. Patagonia says regular detergents can strip the natural oils in down and recommends a cleaner designed for it.2 REI says down needs a gentle, detergent-free cleaner.1
  • Two or three clean tennis balls for the dryer.

How to wash it

  1. Zip all zippers and close the flaps.
  2. Use the down cleaner as directed, on the cycle the label allows. Patagonia suggests the permanent press cycle.2
  3. Rinse well. Patagonia suggests running an additional cycle with no soap at all.2

How to dry it (the important part)

  • Low heat. Both REI and Patagonia say to use low heat.1,2
  • Tennis balls. REI says to toss one or two clean tennis balls in the dryer to break up clumps.1
  • Time. REI says drying may take one to three hours, and that drying it completely is critical.1
  • No shortcuts on storage. Patagonia warns that stuffing wet down is a recipe for mildew, so make sure it’s completely dry before you pack it.2

Our advice: stop the dryer every 20 to 30 minutes, take the jacket out and break up any clumps with your hands. When it’s done, the baffles should feel evenly fluffy with no damp lumps.

Between washes

Our advice: spot-clean collars and cuffs, hang the jacket to air out after wearing, and store it loose on a hanger rather than in its compression sack.

Quick checklist

  • Check the care label.
  • Front-loader, down cleaner, extra rinse.
  • Low heat with tennis balls.
  • Keep drying until there are no clumps at all.

Sources & method

How we researched this

  • This is a research-based guide, not a hands-on product test.
  • Every measurement and safety figure is attributed to the source it comes from. Where we give our own advice, we say so.
  • We don’t rank or recommend specific products in this guide.

Sources

  1. How to Wash a Down Jacket, REI Co-op. Accessed Nov 9, 2026.
  2. How to Wash and Care for Your Down Jacket, Patagonia. Accessed Nov 9, 2026.

Review history

  • Published Nov 9, 2026.