How to wash a drape coat in an automatic machine

On the pages of various information sites you can read that a drape coat cannot be washed in a washing machine. It would seem that here is the answer to the question that nullifies the topic of this article, but it was not so. Experts say that washing a drape coat in a modern machine is still possible. However, there are many restrictions that must be taken into account. And rules that must be followed. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Preparing the item for washing

If you are determined to wash your drape coat in the washing machine, then first focus on preparing the item for this procedure. The better the coat is prepared for washing, the less likely it is that it will suffer from this washing. So what actions should we take?

Never wash a drape coat unless absolutely necessary.

You cannot wash clothes that have glued elements in a machine, so first you need to check whether your coat has such elements. If there is, then you will have to refuse washing.
Choose the right detergent. No powders, just wool washing gel or shampoo. Moreover, if you wash a black coat, take a gel for black clothes, which rinses well and dissolves in cold water.
Use a brush and detergent to scrub all visible dirty areas.
Unfasten all detachable elements and turn out the pockets, simultaneously removing small items from there.
It is necessary to limit the contact of the coat with the walls of the washing machine drum.To do this, we get a special bag for washing clothes and put a neatly folded coat in it.

That's all, you can finish the simple preparation. The drape coat can be placed in the washing machine. We will not put any other things, the coat will be washed “in splendid isolation.”

We wash automatically

Well, now we can go directly to the question: how to wash a drape coat at home? We agreed that we would wash the coat automatically, although it is quite possible to choose hand washing, it is much more gentle and safer. By the way, some users ask the question: is it possible to wash a drape coat by hand and we, in general, have already answered it. Okay, let's get back to automatic washing.

Having placed a bag with a folded drape coat in the drum, we close the hatch.
Open the powder cuvette and pour in the pre-selected gel or shampoo. There should be no additions in the form of rinse aid or conditioner.
Without activating the pre-wash, select the “delicate wash” mode.
If the default washing temperature is 40 degrees, reduce it to 30.
Press the button or set the selector to the “no spin” position.
If your washing machine can also dry things, then you also need to turn off the drying.
If the machine is equipped with a built-in function Eco Bubble, it also needs to be disabled. Bubble washing can only be harmful here.

Well, that seems to be it. The desired program is selected, adjusted along the way, the drape coat can be washed by pressing the “start” button. Next, we can only wait impatiently for the end of the washing program, after which we need to immediately take out the coat and take measures to dry it. Remember that the longer a drape coat is left wet, the more likely it is to deteriorate. However, it is absolutely impossible to force drying by resorting to various powerful heat sources, but we will talk about this later.

Drying and ironing

It will not be possible to bring a drape product into proper condition without proper drying after washing. After washing the product, you need to find a place where you can put it to dry and let the water drain completely. For example, place the dryer above the bathroom or on the balcony, but then place a large basin under the dryer.

Do not twist the drape coat with your hands under any circumstances; firstly, this is difficult to do. And secondly, it will wrinkle, and the seams and glued areas of the fabric may come apart due to physical effort.

You can also use a large terry sheet to remove excess moisture from the fabric. They wrap the coat in a roll and blot the moisture. Repeat the procedure several times, changing the sheet. When the water stops flowing from the product, the coat needs to be spread out on a horizontal surface, giving it the correct shape. Leave the coat in this position until it becomes slightly damp, only then can you hang it on hangers and move it to a well-ventilated place, such as a balcony.

The coat hangers will dry well and straighten out. But do not hang a wet item in a vertical position; under its own weight, the fabric may stretch and the coat will lose its shape. Drying such clothes in a special machine is contraindicated. Also, you should not dry your drape coat near any heat sources: radiators, heaters, electric fireplaces, etc. This may cause the item to shrink.

As for ironing, a properly dried coat will not need it.It is enough to lightly pass the steamer over the coat hanging on the hanger, and you can put the item on again.

Dry and wet cleaning

We figured out how to wash a drape coat, and then dry and iron it. Now let's say a few words about dry and wet cleaning, because in fact, these are the main methods of caring for such clothes.

Particular attention should be paid to dry and wet cleaning, since washing is not required for this item often. And in general, if you carry out such cleaning in a timely manner, then the product will not have to be washed at all, and this will definitely extend its life. Dry cleaning a drape coat involves removing the formed pellets, dust and wool.

Dust can be knocked out of the fabric by hand or use a vacuum cleaner with a special attachment on it. You can remove stuck hairs of wool and pellets using adhesive tape on a roller. You should not tear off the pellets manually. Thanks to dry cleaning, you can get rid of shiny areas on the elbows, cuffs and collar. Here are some ways:

Sprinkle the contaminated areas with starch or talcum powder and leave for a couple of hours. After exposure, clean the coat using a clothes brush with soft bristles.
Some housewives advise rubbing the shiny areas with the crumb of black bread. However, we would not use this method if the coat is light-colored.
To get rid of grease, take a paper towel and iron the greasy areas through it with a slightly heated iron. The fat should be absorbed and the coat should be clean.

Sometimes you may need not only dry cleaning, but also wet cleaning. If the manufacturer allows this, then if dirt or stains appear on the coat, you can do without a global wash and just wet clean it. To do this you need:

Prepare a solution of a small amount of wool detergent in water.
Using a soft sponge or cloth, apply the solution to the dirty area and rub.
When the stain is gone, rinse the foam out of the fabric. This should be done carefully, trying to wet the coat around the treated area as little as possible. You need to thoroughly rinse any remaining product to avoid any streaks.
Then the coat needs to be dried, removing excess water with a terry towel.

If dry cleaning does not help bring the collar into proper condition, then try applying a solution of ammonia salt on it in a ratio of 1 to 4. This mixture works well with greasy areas, but first test it on an inconspicuous area of the fabric.

So, we managed to answer the question: how to wash a drape coat? If you still have any questions, formulate them and write comments on this publication. We will be happy to read them and answer any additional questions. Good luck!