We clean the greasy areas on the sleeves, pockets and collar of the down jacket.
How reluctant to wash a slightly stale down jacket, especially in the middle of the season! It seems that it is not so dirty for machine washing, and even more so for dry cleaning. In addition, it will dry for a week, and then what to wear? Yes, and a little scary: suddenly ruin the jacket, you will have to fork out for a new one. But there are a couple of secrets on how to clean a down jacket from grease without resorting to either machine or hand wash!
You still have to work with your hands
Great news that greasy areas can be cleaned without washing! The only disappointment is that you will have to get rid of the greasy marks manually, because it can take quite a long time. But remember that for a down jacket, such cleaning is much more gentle, and do not be lazy.
Better stock up on the following things.
- With a soft brush. Still, getting rid of grease is not as easy as getting rid of fresh greasy stains, so sometimes you have to rub it.
With a sponge. It is needed to distribute the product at the beginning of cleaning and remove excess at the end. Sometimes you can wipe the stain with it, but we do not recommend replacing the brush with a sponge.
Napkins or paper towels. With their help, we will try to absorb excess moisture so that the contaminated places after processing dry out as quickly as possible. They can also remove excess fat.
Gloves. You will have to remove the stains by hand, and many of the products that we want to offer do not have a very beneficial effect on the skin of the hands. Better to take care of protection.
Now we will deal with the basic means against grease - both factory and folk.
Purchased household chemicals from the nearest store
Oh, this burning desire to cover the stain with salt or to dip it in solvent. And what about the products intended for cleaning and washing, how did you displease you? Wouldn't it be more logical to first give a chance to those products that were created with the aim of solving this particular problem, and only then hit upon everyday "quackery"? In most cases, no radical methods are required if you buy the right product and carefully, slowly and according to the instructions, treat the stain with it.
So how to wash greasy places on a down jacket without using grandmother's methods?
- Liquid stain removers. It is best to use special stain removers for greasy stains, and if you decide to buy another, check if it is also a bleach, as is often the case.
Liquid detergents. The second item in the ranking is occupied by gels and liquid for machine washing. Yes, they are pricey, but you will need to open one gel capsule or use a cap of the product to clean.
Liquid soap / shower gel / shampoo. All these products are less effective at removing stains, because they are designed to cleanse human skin and hair, which requires delicacy. But their use can give quite a good result, especially if the pollution is not too strong.
It is hard not to notice that all products have the word “liquid” in their names, and this is really important. Cleaning a down jacket with factory household chemicals usually involves the use of thick foam, and this is difficult to achieve with other products. That is why it is better not to use a solution of ordinary soap or powder.
- Wait a minute! But what about everyone's favorite and respected fighter with greasy stains - dishwashing detergent? Yes, it is not intended to remove stains, but the effect is excellent: you simply cannot count how many clothes were saved from the trash with the help of "Fairy" and other similar means.
Whisk the product into a lather with a little water.
Apply lather to greasy areas with a sponge and let sit for 10 minutes.
Now start brushing the fabric with a brush. It is recommended to go from the edges of the dirt to the center, so as not to smear the dirt again.
Remove any remaining foam with a sponge and pat dry with a paper towel.
If you bought a special stain remover, then carefully read the instructions. The technology for working with it may differ from that adopted with conventional cleaning agents.
What to do if the pollution is strong and the desired result was not achieved the first time? Repeat cleaning one more time! Or resort to grandma's tricks.
Folk ways
Experienced housewives probably already know how to clean greasy places on a down jacket with salt or starch, but for beginners it will be extremely useful to find out this information: these methods help in the fight against any greasy spots on various materials!
Method 1: salt or starch + lemon juice
This method is the most gentle: not a single aggressive element! But for it to work, you need to apply a little trick. The fact is that the rest of the tips include some substance that is designed to dissolve fat, but here there are only absorbents. So, they will have to help them do their job of absorbing fat by softening it.
Heat the greasy area with a hair dryer or steam.
Apply a slurry of salt and citric acid.
Leave it on for a few minutes and then scrub with a brush.
Use a sponge to remove the remaining mixture and blot the fabric with a napkin.
In general, you can heat a greasy area before using any of the presented methods of dealing with greasy spots: this will make it even easier to deal with them.
It is not necessary to use only salt or only starch: you can mix them in equal proportions to ensure absorption at different levels.
Method 2: ammonia + soap
How to remove greasy spots on the sleeves or pockets of a down jacket using available tools? You can't imagine an easier way!
- Mix dilute 1 teaspoon of ammonia and liquid soap in 100 ml of water.
Apply to stain and rub lightly.
Wait a few minutes and remove any remaining mixture with a sponge.
The unpleasant smell will disappear very quickly, but the fabric will look like new!
Sometimes what you mistake for greasy stains can be worn, especially when it comes to pockets and sleeves.
Method 3: ammonia + hydrogen peroxide
- Mix the ammonia and peroxide in equal proportions.
Moisten a cotton pad with the mixture and wipe the dirty area.
Repeat several times until the desired result is achieved.
Make sure the fabric does not warp from these harsh agents by using a small amount on the inside of the fabric or on the patch that came with the down jacket.
Vinegar also copes well with greasy areas, albeit a little worse. True, the smell from it disappears for a long time, so it is easier to use ammonia. As for gasoline and other solvents, this is still too aggressive for the fabric, and this method is clearly not suitable for gentle cleaning.
But this is not scary: the above funds are quite enough to remove stains from your favorite down jacket, but the bonus will be that, for all their effectiveness, they are absolutely safe for the fabric!