Can you wash your Canada Goose or other expensive down coat? That was the question I had after years of paying for a dry cleaner to do it. So I chucked it in my washing machine and I can tell you yes. Yes you can wash a down jacket at home. Read on.
Skip right to the instructions.
One of my earliest memories, although I have no idea how old I was, is of me standing in the front hall of the house I grew up in getting bundled up to go outside on a cold winter day.
Standing there in my coat, boots, snow pants, mittens, and hat, so protected against the weather I was more like a stuffed animal than a human. Arms and legs locked into place by stuffed mounds of nylon, dacron and scratchy wool. The final step before going out into the kind of cold that makes your nostril hairs freeze in place, was the doing up of the coat.
This step normally went well, but if Betty was in a hurry to get me out of the house she'd grab onto the zipper and tug it up fast and hard. If I looked down at the wrong moment the zipper teeth would chew into my chin leaving me screaming and my chin scarred.
That chin scar was how you could tell the kids of all the mothers on the street that had a job, soap opera or drink to get back to. Those kids had the tribal scarring of a tiny red welt on their chin all winter long.
As a kid, my coats were never down filled. They had some kind of revolutionary 70's era pillow filling in them that mainly kept you from getting wet as opposed to cold.
Now my two main winter coats are down filled. The first one, is a white, down filled inexpensive coat known as The Upper East Side coat in New York. Because .... everyone on the Upper East Side owns one. I got mine on Amazon and you can too. They aren't as cheap as they were a few years ago but if you buy the coat in the *summer* the price on it is always lower than it is in the winter.
The second one is a Canada Goose "Resolute" which I've owned for well over a decade. It's huge, warm and comfortable.
The only problem is … you have to dry clean it.
I have a thing about dry cleaning. I hate it. It isn't the price, it's the pain.
I realize it doesn't take that much time and it's really no harder than filling up your car with gas, but I hate that too, so I guess it all makes sense.
Can you wash a down jacket in the washing machine?
YES.
I'd been washing my down coats for years. For some reason, the Canada Goose coat says dry clean only. So for 10 years I watched my beautiful red Canada Goose coat get dirtier and grungier and filthier.
It was $800 when I bought it. The Resolute now sells for $1,500.
One day I took a $1,500 chance and shoved it into the washing machine. And then the dryer.
How to wash a down jacket at home.
Wash & dry a down jacket.
How to wash a down jacket at home in your own washing machine.
Materials
- Down coat
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Gentle washing powder
Instructions
- If your coat has a removable fur collar, remove it.
- Apply stain remover like Resolve to any terrifying stains.
- Wash in the washing machine on warm with the bulky items setting if you have one.
- Repeat stain removal and washing if needed but remember the more times you wash the greater chance your coat colour will fade. Just like jeans.
- Dry in the dryer until the coat is completely dry and puffed up. This could take up to 7 hours for a large coat.
Notes
* If you wash your Canada Goose coat in your washing machine you void the warranty.
*This Resolve product in particular is fantastic.
* If you can feel any down that's squished down and not fluffed up after drying, shake the area of the coat a bit to loosen the wet down and put it back in the dryer.
* Make sure the coat is COMPLETELY dry or you'll end up with stinky damp down.
Recommended Products
I'm an Amazon affiliate some I get a few cents when you buy something I've linked to.
My Canada Goose coat washed perfectly in the washing machine. Perfectly.
Here however, are my disclaimers.
1. If you wash your Canada Goose coat in your washing machine you void the warranty.
2. If you let your coat get as dirty as mine was it might take several washes as well as working in a bit of stain remover. (I had to wash my coat a total of 4 times, using various stain removers in between to get it clean. I started off with the "delicate/hand wash" cold cycle to be safe then gave up and went full force with a regular wash with warm water.)
3. To dry it, you need to add a few tennis balls or dryer balls into your dryer to help smash the down and let it fluff up. Do NOT try to air dry a down coat. It needs to go in the dryer.
4. It will take around 7 hours to fully dry. That's your dryer running for 7 hours straight. Just so you know.
5. I'm not responsible if your Canada Goose coat happens to fall apart if you wash it and you're forced to wear leg warmers, a snood and oatmeal mittens to keep warm. Not. Responsible.
Having said that, I can tell you I will never dry clean my Canada Goose coat again. I'll be washing it in my own washing machine at the end of every season while I fondly reminisce about childhood chin scars.
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I have been washing all my down coats and jackets for years. I do not put them in the dryer. I hang them on the clothesline outside. When dry, I shake them to redistribute the feathers. I should post a video of the shaking part....
I started machine washing my down comforter when I found out it was going to cost $150 to dry clean it. I had only paid $100 for the thing when it was new! So now I wash it in the washer and throw it in the dryer with my wool dryer balls and it comes out like new!
Love your coat, am too cheap to pay for Canada Goose. I have a long black L. L. Bean down coat that is at least 20 years old and still going strong. I wash it at the end of every winter using the same method you describe - works perfectly. I’ve had to replace the zipper twice but the coat is still warm and still looks great.
Hi Nancy
Did you replace the zipper yourself or have it done? I have a Columbia down coat that I need a new zipper and wasn't sure where to take it to get fixed.
I did it myself. I have a Bernina sewing machine that is great for heavy duty work. Try taking your coat/jacket to your dry cleaner. Most dry cleaners have someone who does repairs.
I remember a time when almost everything had to be dry cleaned. Anything warm was made of wool…. coats, pants, sweaters etc. and it was bloody expensive. So when more clothes were made from man made fibres and cotton sweaters became available, it was revolutionary! I can’t tell you the last time I darkened the door of a dry cleaners! Maybe 50 years? I ignore the cleaning and drying instructions on everything! Lol
The estimated cost of $0 in the method box made me laugh though - a potential 3 or more washes and 7 or 8 hours of drying will not be cost-free! 😆
A question on the Resolve Oxi-Action Dual Power Laundry Stain Remover. It's not available in the US right now and I didn't see it on amazon.ca either. Is there a 2nd best product you recommend? TIA, Emie
Hi Emie! I would probably just use a spray bottle of Oxiclean then. ~ karen!
You can probably use Oxyclean powder. I have mixed it with hot water & soaked stains that way, and put a scoop in the wash every load.
Add clean tennis balls to the dryer to puff up anything filled with down!
Even better - use clean tennis balls and then wrap them reeeeeally tightly in kitchen foil! This stops them shedding any yellow fluff and the foil retains some slight amount of heat to help a tiny bit.
After watching approximately 671 videos on You Tube of women telling me that, 'yes, yes I can' declutter with approximately 671 methods at my disposal, I decided I'd get my husband involved. But we had to start in the garage. FINE.
Now, I've recently read an article called 'the Swedish Death Cleaning Method'.
I don't know how the Swedes got involved but it really just means that you view your house imaging that you had died the day before. Just exactly what do you think your kids are going to do with all your s+++, stuff?
But speaking of coats, I've been looking for my long, reversible fur coat. How can one lose such a large item???? Since the other side is swede, I don't think I'll put it in the washer. If I ever find it.
Since I don't have kids does that mean I can ignore the Swedes and keep all my stuff? ~ karen!
Now THAT is one helluva coat, purt near amazing says I. Kudos on the bravery and fortitude to take the chance on DIY cleaning. On the rare occasions when I find it necessary to spend severe Winter outdoors time beyond walking across my small yard to the garage I've chosen the battery operated heated parka route. But should I ever choose down, what temp setting on the dryer?
I started out with a setting of low and when I realized it was going to take my coat until spring to dry, I bumped it up to high. ~ karen!
Thanks - as an aside, notification of replies to comments IS now working as it should. Thanks for whatever techno magic you did.
FYI there is a Canadian brand Toboggan that makes wonderful down parkas for a fraction of the cost of Canada Goose. That being said I’ve only had it for 3 years but it’s wonderful I am so warm (I live in Alberta). The fur is faux but often remove the fur anyways.
Thanks for the tip!! Also in Alberta 🥶
Regarding fur: besides getting tangled or snagged, I think the main issue with washing real fur is that it is of course attached to animal skin, which is basically leather, so heat or excessive soaking can dry it out. Yesterday, I did hand-wash the detachable coyote fur ruff from my 8-year-old Canada Goose parka and it turned out beautifully! I filled a sink with tepid water and a tiny bit of laundry detergent and added the ruff, gently squeezing it while it soaked for a couple of minutes. I then drained it and did the same thing in fresh water, and then carefully squeezed out what I could before laying it on a towel.
I rolled it up in the towel very tightly to help dry it, then immediately unrolled it and, holding each end of the zipper, I shook the ruff up and down as quickly as I could to shake out extra water and help fluff the fur back up. Then I laid it on my glass dining table, repeating the shaking motion a few times until it was dry, which only took a few hours.
Once dry, I brushed it gently with a very soft brush and, voila! Beautifully fresh and clean.
I wouldn't wash every down coat as some of them have leather trim or appliques, but I've washed my black Canada Goose Citadel parka a couple of times thanks to this post. I turn it inside-out when transferring to the dryer and include wool dryer balls and it puffs up beautifully!
That's the nice thing about having an old coat - you don't mind trying out "crazy" things like ignoring the label and just washing it LOL
It's also the nice thing about owning an old house, lol. Glad you're keeping your coat clean. :) ~ karen!
I have a red Expedition model of Canada Goose. Super warm!! The fur on the hood is not detachable (!). I’m trying to find someone (anyone) who has either accidentally or mistakenly washed real fur trim to share what the outcome was. Any thoughts?
I'd go to a thrift store to see if you can buy an old cheap fur collar and wash it! And then report back. :) ~ karen!
Aaagh, hoping you havnt washed it, but seeing as this post is months old im probs too late!! I did detach the fur from my goose, then thought oh sod it ill wash it, and it literally fell apart on removal from machine!! It looked like the glue just gave up all the fur was coming off in hand. And this was a cool wash, so not sure what it didnt like. Hope this helps anyone else thinking of doing it. X
Dad's old coat with a coyote fur trim-not removable. Dry cleaner refused to touch it! And…it fell into shreds in the washer. So now trying to figure out if I can sew a bit of fake fur on to cover up the unfinished spot left. YMMV
Hi Karen, I'm going to do this! I have washed other down jackets with no issue, so here I go. My coat is white and so dirty because I also have a thing about dry cleaning. I do have one question, did you turn your coat inside out first? I read another post that suggested this, but think that this might expose the more delicate interior to too much heat. Wondering about your thoughts on this. Thank you, Meanie
HI Melanie. I did not turn my coat inside out. :) ~ karen!
My Canada Goose is white, so my concern is that the black lining might run into it or that the red label on the arm might run? Did you find these areas colour fast on your red coat? Thanks, Sarah
My mother was always worried about washing down jacket at home always told me. The house washing is not cleaned correctly, and the jacket weighs so much that it is not easy to lift. But since I have read your steps, I have had a wave of hope. May God makes it work, and I surprise my mother. May God grant you a great reward
Congrats on your beautiful clean coat! and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us .
She is correct! I’ve purchased down pillows at tag sales of which they were getting rid of them because they were dirty. I threw them in the wash with oxiclean, let them soak some, then washed. They turned out lovely. Also, if you place a clean dry towel in the dryer with any wet clothes or down items, they dry twice as fast as expected. If you have something large and very wet after washing like a duvet, down coat or pillow I’d add two large, clean towels to absorb even faster. I love your posts & writing style Karen.
Jane
Just learned something new about adding dry towels to speed up the drying process! Thank you!