The Secret-Genius Way to Wash Your Puffer Coat at Home

Walk into the dry cleaner with a puffer coat under your arms and you can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes. Before you know it, you've sunk $32 into the most practical (but, ugh, not so pretty) number in your closet. We found a better way to clean your down jackets--in your own damn washing machine.

Related: 15 Things No Grown Woman Should Have in Her Closet



What you need: A pair of clean, lightweight sneakers and your puffer coat

What you do: Follow the care instructions on your coat's tag. (Most likely, it'll tell you to remove any detachable trim--like the faux fur lining your hood--and set your temperature to cold.) Next steps: Wash your coat alone. Then toss in your sneaks in for the drying portion. Tumble dry the two together for 20 minutes on low heat.

Why it works: Without the shoes (or anything else with significant heft), the down in your jacket will clump. You need something additional in the dryer to help beat the down back into its original, fluffy shape.

What you do next: Spend your saved cash on something way more fun for spring.

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How to Wash All Your (Secretly Disgusting) Scarves
The Best Way to Break In Heels So You Don't Get Heinous Blisters

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