Washing and drying your down jacket is easy once you know how. However, it can be quite time-consuming but if done correctly, you'll be able to make the most of your jacket for years.
If in doubt, please always follow the instructions on the product label.
1) Hand or machine wash your down jacket at 30°C on a gentle cycle, using a product such as Nikwax Down Wash. Do not use detergent as this can seriously affect the down and water repellency of the jacket, as detergents leave soapy residue on jackets like these.
2) Get as much water out of the jacket as possible before drying it; try and pop your jacket in the tumble dryer as soon as it is out of the washing machine as well. The ideal way to dry a down jacket is in the tumble dryer on a cool setting with dryer balls, or failing that, tennis balls.
3) To prevent the down inside the jacket from clumping, take the jacket out of the tumble dryer every 30 minutes or so and give it a good shake, and manipulate the baffles of the jacket to help the down disperse inside the jacket. It can take a while for the jacket to be completely dry - in a lot of instances the outside material of the jacket may feel warm an dry, however it is likely that the down inside is still a bit damp and therefore clumped. As a guide Rab recommend allowing 3-4 for a down jacket, and 6-8 hours for a sleeping bag.
4) When your down jacket is completely dry, it is best to air your jacket for a couple of days, hung up in a cool and dry place.
5) Every few months it would be beneficial to use Nikwax Down Proof to reproof the water repellency of your jacket; this would be used in the same way as the Down Wash.
If in doubt, please always follow the instructions on the product label.
Our friends at Arc'teryx have produce a useful video that takes you through each step.