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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LISA
I just bought a CG Expedition. When I got it home I put it right on. Now I am sneezing like crazy, so I smelled the fur. It smells like mildew. Anybody know what I can do? I really like the color, you can't get it anymore, it is pre-Bain and I am worried that the fur is not the only thing that is mildewed (could also be the down.) Any suggestions?
Luci
On mine, the fur on the hood cannot be unzipped, its attached. So I guess, I cannot put it in the washing machine ;-( right?
Karen
I probably wouldn't Luci, but I'll tell you that I know a lot of people that do wash fur. The premise being that animals get wet outside all the time. I think the real issue would be the chemicals in the detergent you use ruining the oils in the fur (but that's just a guess). The fur they use on these coats is coyote so you could do what I suggested to another reader which was to find a cheap coat from a thrift store that has some coyote on it and wash that to see how it reacts to the washing machine. It seems like a lot of work but it might be worth the test. ~ karen!
Susan
Hi Karen,I wash everything but was apprehensive with my Canada Goose Coat.I have an agitator in my washer is that ok.I saw another post and it said to use a washer without an agitator only.Thanks,Susan
Karen
Hi Susan! I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your question. :( I can only guarantee the results from a front load washer. I'm not sure the agitator would make a big difference but you never know. If you're worried about it you could just take your coat to a laundromat and wash it there. They have large front load washers and it's a lot more convenient and less expensive than taking it to a dry cleaner. Or ... you could take a chance and try the agitator route. ~ karen!
Susan
Hi Karen,my friend happened to have a top load machine without an agitator so we crossed our fingers and washed it.My black Canada Goose Trillium jacket is now restored to it original condition.Thanks so much for your post I wouldn't have taken the risk on my own.
Zoe
Yes I would like to know this as well. I have a Canada Goose Chilliwack Bomber with a coyote fur hood that is not removable. Would it be ok to machine wash the jacket with a garment bag covering the hood, on delicate? Would it also be machine dryable with a garment bag covering the fur?
Karen
Hi Zoe! I really don't know I'm afraid. The one thing I can suggest is trying to find a vintage coyote fur collar and washing it in the washing machine on delicate and seeing what happens! In fact if I go to a second hand store in the next little while I'll see if I can buy one and wash it so we know what happens. :) ~ karen!
Zoe
Wow, thanks Karen for your quick reply. I thank you in advance for even offering. Your helpfulness is greatly appreciated!
Karen
No problem. 1. I know what a horror show it is, not knowing whether to clean the coat or not and 2. It's my job to help people figure things out. :) ~ karen!
Lisa
I have Expedition, red, cannot remove the furry hood. Should I assume I will ruin my coat hood if I wash it?
LISA
So glad I just got the PBI Expedition, the fur is detachable. I really had to think about it, because I wanted a dark color so I could wear it in the city without feeling silly, but the deal-breaker is that I do not want to dry clean. I only want the Expedition, it is so warm and I finally feel like I can brave outdoor winter. I will have to get used to the bright blue jacket and people thinking I work in the Artic, but I will be warm and my coat will be washed and dried.
Smiley
Searched if I can wash my Dauhters Canada Goose and found your blog. Thanks for the experiment on everyone's behalf. Glad to hear u can wash in machine- only concern I have is my daughters fur trim on her hood is not removable. Can I still wash it? Does anyone know. Thanks
Charray
Thanks for sharing this. Just picked up my red Canada Goose from the dry cleaner. Paid $32 for the cleaning and the arms and side are still dirty. I've had to send it back a couple of times in past to get it clean, but the chemicals are really hard on the fabric.
I will say a little prayer and throw it into the washing machine. Out of curiosity, is your washing machine a drum or front loading machine? I have the latter, but wondering if I should take it to a commercial laundry washer.
Karen
Hi Charray - Let me guess. You brought the dirty coat home and thought .. pfttt ... forget this. I'm gonna see if I can wash it myself, right? I had the same struggle when I was deciding whether to wash mine. I couldn't find anyone who had done it so I sucked it up and gave it a shot. I can't guarantee anything of course, but I'm sure you'll have good luck with yours. Scrub the arms and side a bit with a stain remover then wash. And yes, my machine is a front loading washing machine. A small one at that! ~ karen
Charray
Thanks for sharing this - too bad I didn't see it earlier. Just picked up my red Canada Goose from the dry cleaner. Paid $32 for the cleaning and the arms and side are still dirty. I've had to send it back a couple of times in past to get it clean, but the chemicals are really hard on the fabric.
I will say a little prayer and throw it into the washing machine. Out of curiosity, is your washing machine a drum or front loading. I have the latter, but wondering if I should take it to a commercial laundry washer.
colleen
Great post - I also took the risk to wash down comforters years ago and they turn out great. Since aluminum dryer balls were mentioned above, I thought I could contribute my experience with them. I make aluminum dryer balls from my used (washed) aluminum foil - you have to compact the layers and get them as smooth as you can, otherwise I think they would just be torn apart. As a result, the aluminum balls get tumbled in the dryer and form into beautiful, shiny, spheres. Not sure if they do provide much static relief, but I live in a very dry area and don't use dryer sheets, and my husband prefers wool socks, so there's always some static clinging. Since the balls get extremely hard, they are extremely loud. However, my dryer is in a separate room at the back of the house, so the faint banging I hear when I walk by is handy to let me know whether or not it's still running. They do crack after a year or so, and they tend to hide inside clothing, so I always have two or three around. I don't use fabric softener, either, and my clothes are always nice and soft. My husband sneaks dryer sheets in once and a while, but I honestly prefer the texture (and lack of synthetic scent) with just the aluminum. Hmmm. Didn't realize quite how passionate I am on the subject. I feel I could go on, but I'll spare you all.
roxy
I have a Kanuk washable down coat that is sadly coming to the end of it's wearable life. Great coat. *sniff* Before the Kanuk I had this fancy schmany washable white down 3/4 length coat. Washed up great...finally fell apart one day. *sad* I went looking at a Canada Goose, and the dry cleaning (chemical/price) thing was the deal breaker. (I am a slob who has a dog who is a slob...well you get it.) I may now reconsider. Maybe an end of season sale...
Dea
I wish I had washed a "dry-clean-only" duvet. The cleaners didn't dry-clean it. They laundered it -- in HOT water! It did fine. Except. It shrank from a Queen size to an oversized twin. It's even too small for a Full size bed. If I'd washed it myself, it would have been in cold water, and I could still use it on my bed. I should have listened to my mother -- she said, "If it's something that people wore or had before about 1880, they washed it. You can too. Dry cleaning didn't come along for everyone till after that." You can even wash wool fabric if you do it by hand in cold water and use a very mild soap such as Ivory liquid. About the only thing you really can't always wash successfully is rayon and some treated silks. Silk is washable -- how do you think those ancient Chinese kept their clothes clean? You just have to iron it while it's still wet, with a not-too-hot iron. I can actually remember my grandmother (back in the 50's) washing her featherbed. She used a big soapstone tub and a stick to get the darned thing clean. Like most everyone else, I hate dry cleaners. Since they all went to franchises and/or big chains, and the little mom-and-pop cleaners went out of business, stuff comes back still dirty and smelling of naphtha. Ugh!
chris
After reading about this I decided to take a chance on one of my pieces to test.
So I came home took the CG vest put it in the washer and hoped for the best.
At first I was worried when it came out from the washer feathers were not in place and was flat.
20mins in the dryer and I was so happy it all went back in place put it for another 20mins. came out wonderful.
Next is my parker.
Thanks to you all.
Elizabeth
I have an Eddie Bauer arctic-rated down coat ( half the price as yours and warmer than warm) that I have always washed, along with anything else down, including my duvets. Adding a towel absorbs the moisture in the dryer. I never dry clean anything. Dry cleaning chemicals are bad stuff.
Karen
Yes, I've washed all my duvets, pillows and other down coats as well, but not the Canada Goose. It was a much greater investment than the other things and therefore much scarier to do. And I had read over and over and over again on the Internet NOT to wash it at home. Though no reason was ever given. Like I said, my white down coat made of similar materials even says you can machine wash it. Clearly it all worked out, it just took few years of walking around in a filthy coat to get me to do it. ;) ~ karen
RosieW
May have missed, but saw no mention of treating with stain repellant. The one I use now is - (The following from the front label): "Force Field Upholstery, Rug and Fabric Protector Repels Stains, Spills & Water/ Creates an Invisible Barrier."
This stuff works! I used it after having sofa reupholstered 9 years ago. Sofa is off white. There are no stains. I've used it on new wool rugs. I spray it on my hats and caps. 22 oz. container . Contents will cover +/- 125 sq. ft. (Roughly one full size sofa or one 6x9 rug.)
Just found a link to the first product of this type I had, couldn't recall the name, which is Vectra.
I'd love to think I'm helping a bunch of y'all. Eons ago Scotch brand was the only thing I knew about and certainly didn't hold up for me.
CAUTION: Read the label precautions about where and how to spray. Not inside. I usually do it in my garage to avoid drifting.
I'm done, finally.
Rosie, Sugar Hill, Georgia
Karen
Thanks Rosie! I wouldn't have even though of using a stain protector. I think for now all my bravery on this coat is used up, but maybe in a year or two I'll consider it. ;) ~ karen!
Natika
The Canadian Goose jackets are catching on in northern Japan too. I went skiing in Yamagata over the winter break and spent a few hours in Sendai on the way home. They were everywhere!
There's also a girl I see every morning during my commute sporting one (hardly necessary in my area) and I just found one in a used store on the weekend (used yet still going for over $400!!!!)
I'm afraid I'd have to dry clean one here if I had one though - no dryers in most Japanese homes and I'm not prepared to spend 7 hours at a laundry mat!
Got any tips for making wool coats black again? Japanese coats suck, but my Canadian one is looking a bit sad...
LISA
Pumice stone is what I use to remove fuzz and make wool coats look good when they are covered in lint. I recently took a very long time to de-fuzz a much loved double breasted pea coat. Very glad I did, it looks great and did not have to dry clean at all.
Christin K
Just look carefully for any small tears or worn spots in the fabric. I washed some down pillows this summer and one of the cases tore - I had feathers everywhere. It looked like a goose exploded in my washer. Took me forever to wipe them all out. Of course the laughing slowed me down some...
jainegayer
I always wash my down barn jacket in the washer. It says dry clean only. I throw my sneakers (they were washed too) in there to fluff the feathers. I even wash my cashmere sweaters in the washer with cold water then air dry them. I feel like such a rebel when I disobey the dry clean only labels.
Carole
I have always washed my CG coat, duvets, pillows etc. and there has never been a problem. I add large bath towels to the dryer cycle to absorb moisture and therefore items do not take as long to dry.
auntiepatch
I grew up in So. Calif. but we did live in Boston and Western Ill. for a few years. Burrr. Back in So. Calif. now where it's in the 70 & 80's this month!
Cynthia
Apart from the cost and effort involved in dry cleaning, there is the potential health problem of all of those vapours from the dry cleaning fluid (which is something like embalming fluid) being breathed in.
I read years ago that foam rubber mattresses let off a vapour that is full of toxic elements when they are new. The author suggested to never sleep on a new foam rubber mattress or pillow until it had been put out in the sun for 24 hours.
I think it's time dry cleaning was boycotted. Imagine the health risks of the people who work there?"
The coat is very cute.
I'll get myself some tennis balls today and make sure the dryer stays on longer. I have two feather cushions n my couch and they smell like wet dog, even though I dried them for an hour and a half. Any level of moisture must set up a gamey smell in the feather shaft.
Sandy Huges
I can only comment on the new dry cleaning solvent and can assure you it is nothing like "embalming fluid". However did you know that wrinkle free shirt, pants and sheets are indeed soaked in embalming fluid that stay with the garment even after washing, unlike the dry cleaning solvent. I use the dry cleaner on a regular basis its really not much of an effort.
I have had my Canada Goose coat dry cleaned every year for the past 5 years and it is as good as new and my warranty isn't void and there is no mold or mildew growing on the inside as it was properly cared for. Down must be dried in the drier low and slow.
Grammy
20 years ago when my daughter was getting married I got a book that had handy tips for a great wedding without busting the bank. One of the things was about preserving the wedding gown after the nuptials. It told horror stories of many companies who claimed to preserve the gown charging many hundreds of dollars and just tossing it uncleaned in a box, sealing the box up, saying it would void the warranty if the box was opened, then going out of business before the bride had a daughter who wanted to wear it. Everything ruined.
So, this tip was to just wash the gown in the washing machine and dry flat. The book said go in the back room of any bridal shop and you'll see a big-ass washing machine. What do you think they use it for? People trying on bridal and bridesmaid gowns require that the gowns be cleaned before someone else wants them. Duh.
I didn't check out the back of bridal shops, but since the 30,000 seed pearls (not real pearls) would have been ruined with dry-cleaning chemicals, and the gown was satin and lace (both synthetic), I decided to try handwashing. It took a couple of days of delicately swishing and then rinsing rinsing rinsing in the large bathtub, and several more days drying on huge thick towels laid out on the floor, but it worked. Even a small red-wine stain and whatever black stuff that was smeared at the hem after a lot of dancing and partying in it came out. It cost some bucks for the acid-free tissue and bags and box to store it in, but otherwise it was free and the gown is in beautiful shape. No reason to think a jacket made for outdoor wear shouldn't hold up to washing.
I don't live where it's cold enough for down, but it seems obvious it needs balls in the dryer for fluffing. I'd take Karen's word for that, in addition to how long to leave it in the dryer. I never thought of tennis balls, but that's kind of a cool thing, I think. I use felted wool dryer balls I got from a sheep farm in Wyoming and I can attest to them cutting down on drying time for regular laundry, in addition to eliminating static and making everything come out unwrinkled. They might not be heavy enough for fluffing down in a heavy jacket, but I don't know that for sure.