S&T INC. Reusable Laundry Dryer Balls

Down jackets are the royalty of jackets: They’re inexplicably light, take up no space in a backpack or suitcase, are unreasonably warm for such small things, and allow you to add tons of layers without looking like the Michelin man. But if you’re anything like me, you’ve gotten that jacket all smoky in a fireplace, thrown it in the washing machine, and then found your beautiful fashion statement turned clumpy, ugly, and more importantly: not warm. Turns out, the feathers need to be properly distributed for you to actually stay warm and look normal. 

So what now? You can never spill anything or go near a fire? Which means you can basically only wear your feather coat if you’re using a sippy cup and accompanied by an army of "Downton Abbey" style valets. 

Turns out, no You can wash a down jacket in the washing machine without messing it up for all eternity. You just need to do it properly.

Normal detergents aren’t recommended for washing down jackets because they can remove the natural oils from the feathers. Which is what keeps them so fluffy and warm. So instead, invest in a decent detergent made specifically for your down jacket. It’ll be worth it to keep your jacket going strong for years. NikWax Down Wash Direct is highly recommended by companies like Patagonia as well as people who own down jackets. Another good option is Grangers Performance Down Wash.  

Yep, tennis balls. These are the real secret to keeping the loft in your down jacket and avoiding that horrible clumping scenario. 

And if you know tennis players, you can pick up some of their used ones for free. No need to splurge on fancy tennis balls – a set of budget ones will do the job perfectly.  

You can also use purpose-made dryer balls. 

Bear in mind that drying can take a while, so another option is to lay the jacket flat after the wash and let it drip dry until it’s damp, then move it to the machine to finish the drying process.  

Curious about what kind of down jacket to buy? Here's our guide to down ratings and why they matter.