North Face Arctic Parka - how to wash?

[NorthFaceParka]

After a long winter of constant use my Parka is definitely in need of a wash (it's a little bit fragrant!) I can't find any washing instructions and a cursory scan of the internet hasn't produced any results. Anyone else had to clean theirs? I have sponged the surface a few times but this time it needs a deep clean.

Dry clean, find a cleaner that does down.

Down jacket manufacturers recommend WE FRanklin in Sheffield, I'm pretty sure they do mail order cleaning. It'll be £££ but worth it.

Don't try and do it yourself, you will be dissapointed and the down will never be the same again.

I think TNF parka is uses Hyvent material.
In which case DO NOT USE regular washing powder

I use Nik Wax wash and then re do with Nik Wax re- proofing and tumble on a LOW heat

More info here:

www.trailspace.com/forums/gear-selection/topics/52981.html

www2.thenorthface.com/ap/technologies/technologies-OU4.html

I have washed a Rab and a Mountain Equipment down coat and the sucess was in tumbling afterwards.
However there should be instructions somewhere or ring up your local outdoor shop for further advice

I have one too and I am scared to wash it. Want to do it now and put it away for next winter. I am frightened I ruin it. Best coat ever

Ds has one of their puffa jackets and I put it through the machine normally and then hanging it up near the boiler in our airing cupboard as it takes days for the feathers to fully dry out and it needs plenty of shakes to get the bulk back up.

if you are going to wash it ..you MUST tumble dry it. It will come out the wash flat as a pancake and will not puff back unless its tumbled. There has to be a label somewhere (have you looked inside the pockets? ). We offer cleaning puffas in my shop for £15..Don't risk doing it yourself if you are not sure as they are soo expensive to buy and easily ruined. HTH

EEK, just looked at that Franklin website, it would cost £35.50 alone for postage. I know the coat is expensive but I feel a diy clean coming on

The first time I washed my old Mountain Equipment jacket and it came out of the machine lifeless I nearly passed out in shock. But once it had tumbled for a while it bounced back and I had many more years of happy wearing!

That takes the piss...precision drying means bunging in the tumble dryer....albeit industrial size ones but the dryer does all the work!

just found the washing instructions tucked away on a seam on a black label. Apparently I am to detach the fur hood bit and the main parka can be machine washed warm at 40. It says to air dry only, DO NOT dryclean and DO NOT tumble dry.

Now has anyone actually washed their Arctic Parka as instructed and lived to tell the tale?

The clean label is at the bottom on the left hand side.

Remove sythetic fur hood trim and hand or machine wash warm delicate cycle/air dry only/use no heat. For parka, machine wash warm separately/do not dryclean/do not bleach/tumble dry low/do not iron.

I am a dry cleaner and have washed many

I had to read the label twice as I thought it said do not tumble dry, but its the way its written out. It's tumble dry low.

I think I may have to go to a laundrette because I don't have a tumble drier. Grrr.

I dont take alot of notice of labels , I just have an eye for how to clean things. I must have washed 100's of 'puffas' and not ruined one yet. Alot say dry clean only but they DO NOT like being dry cleaned and I always refuse to do so even if the customer insists.

yes tumble low . to be honest I have never dried in a domestic dryer, we have very large dryers and they still take a good few hours in them. The key is the movement of air circulating.

Is it Hyvent material?

fimbo..ask them if they can do it for you, you will be sitting there for hours. ( make sure they know what they are doing)

The laundrette which is the only one I can get to, is one of those places where its self service. They don't have a Dot Cotton/Heather Trott having a crisis in them .

ok , like someone else said make sure you use a detergent designed for waterprrof items. A bio washing powder will affect the waterproofing. Also don't leave it lying around wet. Feathers can go very smelly if they arent dried quickly.

Cheers Bish

Here is the Nik Wax website

No! Here is the Nik Wax website!

It askes what sort fo cleaning you are doing and what sort of material and will tell you what product to use.

It is fab stuff.
www.nikwax.com/en-us/activity/index.php?activity=OUTDOORS

Also make sure that you clean the tray in the washing machine where the powder goes in. You have to check there is no residual powder anywhere.

was gonna say that upahill but feared it may sound too anal.. :)

D'yknow I'm sat here reading about cleaning and re- proofing and I keep putting off doing my hard shell!

Best do it this afternoon while I remember. My favourite waterproof began to let me down a bit over Swirl Howe on Sunday !

Fimbo - yes, you are quite right it does say Tumble Dry Low (slaps self on forehead for stupidity!) Right so I will get hold of some appropriate cleaning stuff (NOT biological) but then I will have to go to a launderette and dry it in a tumble drier - shall investigate my local ones. It will take an eternity to dry on Low though as bishboschone says and I am not sure my home washing machine would cope with washing it . As has been mentioned, it wasn't a cheap coat (£259) so I really am scared of trashing it - it's been an absolute life-saver this winter.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I just want someone to come on and say they've done it - am too chicken to do it just now - have holiday packing to do!