When fall rolls around and the weather starts cooling off, you know it’s time to either stock up on new winter apparel or refresh what you already have. Knowing the best way to clean your coats and jackets is especially important since some of them have been sitting in your closet for months. The only problem is that sometimes it’s not as simple as throwing something into the washing machine or dusting it off.
With that in mind, I reached out to laundry experts to learn how to properly clean coats and jackets without ruining them or jeopardizing the look and feel of their material. Below, I explain the methods they recommend for cleaning your winter garments.
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The best products for cleaning coats and jackets
All of the products below are either direct recommendations from our experts or editors and/or have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 or more customers on Amazon.
Best laundry detergent tablet
As a home and kitchen editor, Blueland is one of my favorite cleaning brands and one I recommend all the time. These enzyme-based detergent tablets are completely plastic free, so there’s no film or pouch. I love that they easily dissolve in cold water, which is perfect for washing sensitive clothing like jackets, since experts recommend only using cold water. This bag comes with 60 tablets, which are around the size of a regular dishwasher tablet, and are available in both scented and unscented options.
Best for wool coats
This clothes brush is made with bristles from fine-textured boar hair and it’s great for cleaning debris from wool coats, upholstery, cashmere and more, according to the brand. If you have a wool coat that you don’t have time to take to the dry cleaner, you can try to give it a light clean with this brush. One shopper who has several wool coats in their home says it’s easy to use, even on lint, and it’s so durable that it’s something “anyone with wool coats should have.”
Best spray
This fabric spray not only gets rid of bacteria trapped in clothing, but it also helps get rid of odors, according to Tide. It leaves your coats and other garments sanitized and smelling fresh, without having to throw them in the washing machine. Aside from clothing, you can use it on bedding, towels and more. One shopper even says they enjoy using this particularly for things like jackets and other sensitive items that shouldn’t be washed often.
Best laundry sanitizer
Lysol’s Free & Clear laundry sanitizing detergent is ideal for those who want to throw their coats and jackets in the wash but only with a gentle option that won’t ruin the texture. Since it’s a sanitizer, it gets rid of bacteria on coats and jackets while also refreshing them. It’s free of fragrances, dyes and bleach, and it’s suitable for cold water, which is best for washing coats and jackets, according to experts.
Best laundry detergent sheet
If you prefer to use a more sustainable option, these popular laundry detergent sheets from Earth Breeze can help clean and refresh your coats without any parabens, dyes or preservatives. The hypoallergenic sheets dissolve in the wash with your clothes, even in cold water. The sheets are plastic free and the box is 100 percent recyclable (contributing to its sustainability). They help get rid of stains and odors while also preventing coats from fading, according to the brand.
Best laundry detergent powder
Laundry boosters give your detergent extra help when it comes to clearing stains and odors from your coats and jackets. This free and clear powder helps maintain the vibrancy of your garments and removes yellow stains from sweat. It’s free of surfactants, dyes and fragrances, and works in cold water, according to the brand.
Best for odors
Downy’s Rinse Out Odor helps get rid of odors and stains more thoroughly while working with your detergent. It can replace fabric softener and works with your detergent to help clean your coats and other garments. This free and clear option has no fragrances and dyes and is also safe for sensitive skin, according to the brand. You can use it on all fabric types and is also safe to use on activewear, towels and more.
How to clean coats and jackets
Before simply adding your coat to a washer, it’s best to consider the care instructions on the label, according to Frej Lewenhaupt, co-founder and chief product officer of Steamery, a clothing care company. “Since winter jackets vary in size and material, I recommend checking the care label to see if it can be washed and dried with your machine,” he says. “Many modern washing machines have wool or delicate cycles that are gentle enough, but you still want to use cold water and a mild detergent.”
If the label says it’s safe to clean in a washing machine, then the most important thing is to avoid heat, including both water and dryer heat, according to Lewenhaupt. This is because “it can cause shrinkage and degrade the waterproof coating. If you’re unsure, it’s best to handwash and lay the jacket flat to dry,” he says.
With that said, different materials require various methods for cleaning and some should not be washed in a machine or by hand, but instead brought to a professional dry cleaner. Here are some tips on how to maintain coats of different types:
How to clean a wool coat
- In general, it’s best to get your wool coats dry cleaned since putting them in the washer and dryer can change and damage their texture, appearance and shape. Many high-quality wool coats, from brands like Quince, Mango, Nordstrom and J.Crew have labels saying to dry clean only.
- If you do have a wool or wool blend jacket or garment that says that it is machine washable, and you don’t want to bring it to the dry cleaner, then you should still wash with caution to prevent damage. In this case, it’s best to use a mild detergent (often labeled “free & clear”), cold water and the lowest heat setting for drying, according to Lewenhaupt. Additionally, some machines have a setting for wool or sensitive fabrics, which Lewenhaupt recommends using for a wool coat.
- It’s also important to know that wool has natural antibacterial properties, according to textile experts I’ve spoken to in the past. So wool coats don’t really have to be cleaned that often, unless they are especially smelly or soiled. Otherwise, you can use a boar-bristle brush, such as the BFWood Boar Bristle Clothes Brush, to maintain them.
How to clean down and fleece coats
- To clean your down or fleece coat by hand, use a fabric freshener, such as Tide Antibacterial Fabric Spray, which kills bacteria but also gets rid of odors. Lewenhaupt also recommends using a spray in between washes since washing too often can alter the texture of fleece (and wool), and it can deteriorate the feathers of a down jacket and cause it to lose its loft and insulation.
- If the care instructions for your down or fleece coat say it’s safe to throw in the washing machine (and you haven’t machine washed it for at least a few months), then put it in the machine with cold water and use a fabric-gentle detergent like Lysol Free & Clear Laundry Sanitizer. If the jacket is especially dirty or smelly, use a laundry booster like Downy Free & Gentle Laundry Odor Remover Rinse.
How to clean denim jackets
To clean denim jackets, Lewenhaupt recommends either hand washing them or machine washing them on a gentle cycle, since denim is prone to fading. “Turning your jacket inside out before washing is a great way to protect the outer surface and preserve the color,” he says. “I recommend using a mild, color-safe detergent and to check for and pre-treat stains before washing to make the removal process easier.”
Lewnehaupt also recommends air drying your denim jacket as opposed to machine drying it to prevent shrinking.” As a natural fabric, denim benefits from being aired out and can be quickly refreshed with a steamer to go longer between washes,” he says.
How to clean leather and suede coats
Due to the sensitive nature of leather and suede, Lewnehaupt recommends never putting coats and jackets made from these fabrics in a washer or dryer to avoid ruining the materials. Instead, “a damp cloth is usually enough to wipe away light dirt and then you can use a leather conditioner to keep the material from drying out or cracking,” he says. “When cleaning suede, use a soft suede brush to lift away dirt and spot-treat any stains with a suede cleaner and avoid applying water directly.”
You can also use a specialized leather or suede cleaner.
Frequently asked questions
“There is no one-size-fits-all rule,” says Kim Romine, fabric care scientist at Procter & Gamble*. “How often a coat or jacket should be washed depends on the garment type, how frequently it’s worn, and its exposure to dirt, perspiration, food odors, smoke, and other contaminants.” With that said, Romine recommends cleaning your coats and jackets in general based on the below, depending on whether or not they’re machine washable:
- For fleece jackets: Wash them every five to seven wears or more, particularly if they smell bad or get dirtier than usual.
- For puffer and down jackets: Wash them around one to three times throughout the fall and winter or more as needed.
- For parkas: Wash them around one to two times throughout the fall and winter or more as needed.
- For wool coats: Clean them one to two times throughout the year or more.
*Any inclusion of products sold by Procter & Gamble in this story was made independent of Romine, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Romine for product recommendations, though Procter & Gamble does benefit if any of its products are purchased from this story.
Meet our experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Frej Lewenhaupt is the co-founder and chief product officer of Steamery.
- Kim Romine is a fabric care scientist at Procter & Gamble*.
*Any inclusion of products sold by Procter & Gamble in this story was made independent of Romine, who we only consulted for shopping tips and guidance. We did not ask Romine for product recommendations, though Procter & Gamble does benefit if any of its products are purchased from this story.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Selected where I write about cleaning, appliances, organization and more. I’ve written about different fabric types, how to clean a mattress and how to clean stuffed animals and plush toys. For this story, I spoke with cleaning experts for their product recommendations and guidance on how to clean different types of coats and jackets.
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