Mental Floss

How to Wash Your Favorite Winter Coats at Home

Whether it’s made from fleece or down, there’s a right way to go about things.

ByJake Rossen|
The good news? You won't have to do it very often.
The good news? You won't have to do it very often. | Catherine McQueen, Moment Collection, Getty Images

With winter in full swing, some of us have started to become human Popsicles, braving the elements in overstuffed winter jackets. This bulky apparel can keep us from looking like Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining, but winter outerwear does present one problem—how best to clean it.

You may not have laundered your coats since last winter. According to The Spruce, it’s probably a good idea to aim to clean the coats twice per season. And while dragging them to the dry cleaners seems like the easiest solution, you can do it at home as long as you’re mindful of the care needed for different kinds of fabrics. (There are exceptions like wool and natural fur, which are manufactured in such a way that makes cleaning them too difficult for your average laundry trip. Take those to the cleaners.)

Below, discover some of the easiest ways to clean fleece coats, puffer jackets, and more—even faux fur garments that can be tricky to maintain.

  1. How to Wash Down Coats
  2. How to Wash Fleece Coats
  3. How to Wash Faux Fur Coats
  4. How to Wash Leather Jackets

How to Wash Down Coats

Considered nature’s insulator, down gets a bad rap for being difficult to clean. It’s not: Down is washable at home using cool or warm water on a gentle cycle. (Try to use a large-capacity machine without an agitator so it can move freely.) Dry on low and finish with an air dry out of the dryer. It can also be a good idea to toss some dryer balls in to ensure even redistribution of all that down. If the care label recommends dry clean only, it’s probably because of the outer material, not the down itself.

How to Wash Fleece Coats

Use cool or warm water on a permanent press setting. Dry on low or air-dry. (It’ll dry quickly.) Make sure you’re not washing it as part of a load so it doesn’t collect lint. You can also turn the jacket inside-out to help cut down on fuzzy consequences.

How to Wash Faux Fur Coats

You’re best off hand-washing faux fur in cool water and letting it air-dry. If you stick it in the dryer, you might melt the synthetic fibers. Brushing it afterward can help re-fluff the material.

How to Wash Leather Jackets

Spot-cleaning or gentle handwashing is best for leather jackets. You can wipe it down with a mild detergent and then wipe with a wet cloth. You’ll want to make sure you test the dye with a clean cloth on the interior to make sure it won’t run. If it does, it’s not going to be safe to wash. Take it to the dry cleaner.

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A version of this story was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2025.

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