How to wash a coat in an automatic machine?

washing coats in the machine Is it possible to wash a coat in a washing machine? Housewives often ask this question after their favorite piece of outerwear gets so dirty that it is absolutely impossible to appear in public in it. The general recommendation from manufacturers of such clothing is that you should not wash your coat in an automatic washing machine.

However, people’s experience tells us the opposite; if we take into account all the nuances, then in some cases the coat can still be washed automatically. Read about how to do this in this article.

Is it forbidden to wash coats in automatic mode?

The possibility or impossibility of washing a coat in an automatic machine depends on the item itself. Or rather, on the fabric from which it is sewn, on the quality of tailoring, on the quality of coloring of the fabric and much more. Only a few know how to sew coats, so for most, a correct assessment of this factor is not available.

You can evaluate the quality of fabric dyeing; to do this, just soak an inconspicuous area of the coat in warm water for 1 hour and see what happens. If the fabric has faded and the water has turned a characteristic color, it means that washing such an item is definitely cancelled. The most important thing to look at is the type of fabric your coat is made from.

It is best not to wash a woolen coat, or rather a coat with a high percentage of wool, in automatic mode at all, even if your machine supports the “hand wash” mode and you have a special powder for washing wool. It is better to wash such a coat very carefully by hand in lukewarm water, and even better to clean it.You can read more about washing woolen items in the article How to wash woolen items?
Coat made of synthetic fabrics (polyester). This coat can be washed safely in an automatic machine. It is enough to select any gentle washing mode, turn off the spin cycle and set the temperature to no higher than 40 ⁰C - washing will go well, and the result will be excellent.
A cashmere coat should definitely not be machine washed. In 99% of cases, even with a very careful approach, the item will be damaged. Moreover, not only machine washing, but also hand washing is contraindicated for cashmere clothing. And in general, getting such a coat well wet means sending it “on its last journey,” so try to get by with dry cleaning.
A drape coat is a little more resistant to washing, so you can risk washing it by hand. And, of course, no automatic machine. Automatic washing will ruin the item. It is better to wash a drape coat in parts, without allowing the item to become completely wet, and it is even better to do it with dry cleaning.

Important! If your coat is heavily soiled and you don’t want to risk washing it, take the item to the dry cleaner and trust the professionals.

Preparing to wash your coat

When preparing to wash a coat, you should carefully, because the final result depends on the quality of preparation. First of all, you need to study the information label that the manufacturer sewed onto the item.. Most likely, you will see the designation of a basin crossed out by two lines - this means that the manufacturer categorically prohibits washing the coat. If you haven’t found such an icon or are ready to take a risk, then consider the following advice from experts.

Before washing, find information about the percentage of natural fabrics in your coat.If their percentage is above 65, then refuse to machine wash, and do hand washing locally, because getting the coat wet will lead to shrinkage, pilling and other troubles.
The detergent must be machine washable, liquid and suitable for the type of fabric and color of the item.
Before washing, examine the coat for glued elements. If there are any, keep in mind that they will most likely fall off during washing.
Before washing, coat pockets must be emptied of small change and any other items.
Before washing, test the coat fabric for dye fastness, as described above.
Take into account any information contained on the coat label (washing temperature, possibility of drying, spinning, etc.).

Note! When preparing to wash your coat in automatic mode, consider the characteristics of the machine. First of all, you need to pay attention to the volume of the drum and the maximum weight of its load, as well as the washing programs available in the machine’s “arsenal”.

Washing a coat in a washing machine: step-by-step instructions

washing a synthetic coat in the machine Having decided to automatically wash your coat and having carefully prepared for this process, you can begin. Experts have prepared brief step-by-step instructions on how to wash a coat in an automatic washing machine, let’s take a look at it.

Clean the washing machine drum of any other dirty laundry. You can wash such a thing as a coat only “in splendid isolation.”
Pour liquid detergent into the powder tray. Pouring the product into the drum is not recommended. You should also not use conditioner or dry powder.
Turn the coat inside out and then carefully place it in the washing machine drum.The coat should not be twisted or folded.
Close the cuvette and the hatch of the washing machine, select one of the available delicate wash modes at low drum speeds. Disable automatic spinning and drying; these functions cannot be used on any coat.
Adjust the default temperature suggested by the washing machine. If we wash a polyester coat, then set the temperature to 40 ⁰C, if the item is made of other materials, then the temperature needs to be set lower.
We start the washing program and wait for it to complete. Next, remove the coat from the drum and hang it on hangers over the basin so that excess moisture drains away.

Important! After finishing washing, it is very important to rinse the coat well (to avoid streaks from the powder). To achieve this, you will have to turn on the extra rinse mode.

How to dry a coat without spoiling it?

Specialists working in the best dry cleaners in the country say: “...washing a coat correctly is only half the success, so that the item does not spoil; it still needs to be dried properly...” And, indeed, improper drying forms ugly folds and dents on the coat, which then even with the help of a steamer cannot be removed. Therefore, it is better to do everything right right away than to rack your brains later on how to iron a clean coat.

Thus, in order not to spoil the coat, you need to “take three successful steps”:

carry out proper washing of the item;
remove water without squeezing the item;
dry the item.

As noted above, you first need to remove excess water from the coat, waiting until it drains on its own. Next, you need to lay the coat out on a horizontal surface (preferably to dry) and dry until damp. You need to dry your coat directly on hangers away from heat sources and direct sunlight. During the drying process, the coat must be straightened every 3-4 hours to prevent wrinkles and wrinkles from appearing.

Removing dirt from coats without washing

coat cleaning If you cannot wash your coat either in a machine or by hand, then you need to take measures to clean it. You can wash your coat or not, but somehow you need to remove dirt from it, which is why you need to use wet or dry cleaning methods, which can be very effective.

Dry cleaning perfectly removes surface stains. Its essence is a methodical mechanical effect on the fabric, which allows you to clean off dried dirt from its surface. To clean a coat this way, you need to have a soft brush and patience. With due diligence, all surface dirt can be removed.

If there is stubborn dirt on the coat fabric, it will have to be removed by wet cleaning. The essence of wet cleaning is to use the dissolving properties of foam cleaning agents and the same mechanical action. Vanish carpet cleaner is often used to clean coats; according to housewives, it is not aggressive and does not damage the fabric. How to wet clean with this product?

Two caps of the product are dissolved in several liters of warm water and thoroughly foamed. Next, take a sponge, collect a “foam cap” on it, and then apply the foam to the coat fabric. Allow the foam to stand for 10 minutes so that the product adheres to the dirt, and then remove it along with the dirt using a soft brush. After this procedure, most of the dirt will be removed, and the coat will become slightly damp.

Note! After wet cleaning, the coat must be dried on hangers, and during drying it must be periodically shaken and adjusted to prevent wrinkles from forming.

To summarize, we note that any coat made from natural fabric cannot be washed in a washing machine. Moreover, such a thing cannot be washed at all, but it can be cleaned well. As for coats made of synthetic fabrics, washing them in a machine is not prohibited, but you still need to follow certain rules. To learn how to wash a padded coat or down jacket, watch the video.