A good winter coat is one of the most expensive things in most wardrobes, and one of the least looked after. It gets worn almost every day for five or six months, rained on, sat in, squashed onto a bus seat and hung on the back of a chair, then pushed to the back of the wardrobe in spring. With a little regular care, the same coat can look smart for many winters rather than two or three.
This guide covers how to care for a winter coat from the first cold week to the day you put it away, with separate advice for wool, down and faux fur. It covers cleaning, quick refreshes with steam, bobbles and storage.
Start with the care label
Every coat is different, so the label inside comes first. It tells you whether a coat can go in the washing machine, needs a professional clean or should never get wet at all. If the symbols look like hieroglyphics, our guide to fabric care symbols explains each one.
As a rough rule:
- Wool and wool blends are usually dry clean only or hand wash at a low temperature.
- Down and synthetic padded coats are often machine washable on a gentle cycle.
- Faux fur varies a lot. Some can be hand washed in cool water; others should only be spot cleaned.
- Coats with leather or suede trims need extra care, as those parts should not get wet or hot.
A simple weekly routine
Most of the work in looking after a coat happens in small habits rather than big cleans. Washing or dry cleaning a coat too often can wear the fabric and the filling, so the aim is to keep it fresh between cleans.
- Hang it properly every time. Use a sturdy, shaped hanger with broad shoulders. A thin wire hanger or a coat hook will slowly pull the shoulders out of shape.
- Give it room to breathe. A coat that is damp from rain should dry at room temperature, away from radiators, before it goes back in a crowded wardrobe.
- Empty the pockets. Keys, phones and loose change stretch pockets and drag the front of the coat down.
- Brush it once a week. A clothes brush lifts dust, hair and lint before they work into the fibres. Brush downwards, in the direction of the nap.
- Deal with marks quickly. Blot spills straight away with a clean cloth and cool water. Rubbing spreads the stain and can roughen the surface.
How to care for a wool coat
Wool is naturally resistant to odours and creases, which is why it needs cleaning less often than you might think. One professional clean at the end of the season is enough for most wool coats, plus spot cleaning as needed.
Refreshing wool between cleans
Steam is the most useful tool for a wool coat. Moist heat relaxes the fibres so creases from bags, seatbelts and car seats drop out, and it helps freshen the fabric after a day in a stuffy office or a smoky pub. An upright steamer such as the f1200 Clothes Steamer Pro suits heavy coats well, because its 2200W output gives continuous steam while the coat hangs at full length, and the 3 litre tank means you will not be refilling halfway through.
Keep the steamer head moving, work from the shoulders down, and let the coat dry on its hanger for at least half an hour before you wear it. We cover the full method, including collars, lapels and linings, in our step-by-step guide on how to steam a wool coat.
Brushing and lint
Dark wool shows every speck of lint. A good clothes brush, or the fabric brush attachment for the f1200 and f1600, lifts lint and dust before or during steaming. Brushing first matters, as steaming over dust can press it further into the weave.
How to care for a down or padded coat
Down coats and synthetic puffers work by trapping air in their filling. Anything that flattens or clumps the filling makes them less warm, so the goal is to keep it clean and lofty.
Washing a down coat
If the label allows machine washing, these steps give the best chance of a good result:
- Close all zips and poppers and empty the pockets.
- Use a front-loading machine with plenty of space, on a gentle cycle at the temperature the label gives.
- Use a detergent made for down, or a mild one, and skip the fabric conditioner, which can coat the filling.
- Add an extra rinse so no detergent is left in the filling.
- Tumble dry on low with two or three clean tennis balls or dryer balls, which break up clumps. Check it every so often and keep going until it is completely dry, as damp down can start to smell.
Washing a down coat once a season, or when it starts to look grubby around the cuffs and collar, is plenty. In between, spot clean marks with a damp cloth and a little mild detergent.
Can you steam a puffer coat?
Padded coats rarely need it, as they do not crease in the same way as wool. If the shell has crumpled from being packed, a light pass of steam held a little further away can relax it, but test a hidden area first, as some synthetic shells and coatings do not like heat. Never press a steamer head hard onto a padded coat.
How to care for faux fur
Faux fur collars, hoods and coats look lovely when new and tired very quickly when neglected. The fibres are usually synthetic, so heat is the enemy: it can make them frizz, flatten or even melt.
- Shake it out after wearing to lift the pile.
- Brush gently with a wide-toothed comb or soft brush in the direction of the fur. Avoid a fine brush, which can pull fibres out.
- Do not steam faux fur directly. Keep the steamer away from fur trims when you refresh the rest of the coat.
- Wash with care. If the label allows it, hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent, squeeze out the water gently without wringing, and dry flat or on a hanger away from heat.
- Detach where possible. Many fur-trimmed hoods unzip or unpopper, which makes cleaning the rest of the coat much easier.
Bobbles and pilling
Bobbles appear where fabric rubs, so you will usually find them under the arms, along the sides where a handbag sits and across the back where a rucksack strap rests. They are especially common on wool blends and soft, brushed fabrics.
A fabric shaver removes them far more neatly than picking at them by hand. The f40 Fabric Shaver is designed for knitwear, coats and upholstery, and it is gentle enough for cashmere and fine wool. Lay the coat flat, keep the fabric smooth and use light circular movements. It works best on dry fabric, so de-bobble before you steam rather than after. Our guide to removing bobbles from knitwear safely has more on technique.
Small repairs that add years
A loose button or a split lining is quick to fix early and annoying to fix late. Once a month, run your eye over the coat:
- Tighten loose buttons before they fall off and get lost.
- Stitch small splits in pocket linings, which tend to grow.
- Check zips run smoothly and close them before washing.
- Keep any spare buttons that came with the coat in a labelled envelope.
Storing a winter coat in spring
How you put a coat away decides how it looks next November. Never store a coat dirty. Food marks, sweat and skin oils attract moths and can set into stains over the summer.
- Clean it first, following the label, and make sure it is completely dry.
- Use a breathable cover. Cotton garment bags let air circulate. Plastic dry-cleaning covers trap moisture and should come off.
- Hang wool coats on shaped hangers so they keep their shoulders. Down coats can be stored loosely folded in a breathable bag, but avoid vacuum bags for long periods, as squashing the filling for months can affect its loft.
- Protect against moths with cedar blocks or lavender sachets, and keep the wardrobe clean and dry.
- Leave a little space between coats so nothing is crushed.
Our guide to storing winter clothes properly before summer goes into more detail.
The right tools for coat care
You do not need much: a sturdy hanger, a clothes brush, a steamer and a fabric shaver will handle most of what a coat needs between cleans. If you want both of the main tools at once, the Garment Care Pro Duo pairs the f1200 Clothes Steamer Pro with the f40 Fabric Shaver. You can compare all our models in the clothes steamers collection.
Look after your coat little and often, and it will look after you for many winters to come.