How To Wash A Peacoat: The Best Method

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Not sure how to wash a peacoat? If you want to keep your peacoat looking good for years to come, it’s important to understand how to properly clean and maintain it.

Pea coats are general made from a wool or wool-blend fabric. This material is warm and breathable but can be difficult to clean if it gets dirty. In this post, I’ve gathered the best techniques to machine wash (and hand wash) a wool or polyester peacoat.

Without further ado, here’s how to clean a peacoat in the washing machine!

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How To Wash A Peacoat

  1. Use a lint brush to remove pet hair, lint, and debris.
  2. Select a mild laundry detergent.
  3. When machine washing, place the peacoat inside a mesh laundry bag.
  4. Set the laundry machine to the woolen or delicate cycle. Use cold water.
  5. Consider hand washing.
  6. Refresh your peacoat with a fabric deodorizer between washes.

Best Products To Clean A Peacoat

1. Use A Lint Brush

A lint brush is a small hand-held tool designed to remove debris like pet hair and lint from clothing. The bristles cling onto loose particles, making it super easy to clean and remove dirt and dust from fabrics. I highly recommend using a lint brush to maintain the appearance of your peacoat and reduce the need for dry cleaning.

Wool is a low maintenance fabric and can be washed just once a year. A lint brush is essential to properly clean and maintain your peacoat between washes. Make sure to use a lint brush at least once a week to remove dust and pet hair. For wool and polyester materials, try using this two-sided lint brush from Home-It.

A lint brush is an eco-friendly way to remove lint from your clothes and does not generate as much waste as a lint roller would. I also love that lint brushes are reusable and save money because you don’t have to buy any refills. This is helpful tip on how to clean a peacoat at home without the need for dry cleaning or machine washing.

Home-It Lint Brush

2. Select A Mild Laundry Detergent

Not sure how to wash a peacoat in the washing machine? In order to keep your wool peacoat clean and brand new looking, it is important to use a mild detergent. Mild laundry detergents are gentle on clothes and a great choice for delicate fabrics like wool and cashmere.

For wool and polyester pea coats, I highly recommend using Tide’s Free And Gentle Laundry Detergent. This product is unscented, hypoallergenic, and free of dyes and perfumes. It is an excellent gentle laundry detergent to prevent fading and pilling, and make your clothes last longer.

Using a mild laundry detergent, it is possible to machine wash a peacoat and reduce damage. To keep your peacoat looking its best, I recommend washing wool coats only once or twice a year. For quick cleaning, use a lint brush and fabric deodorizer to touch up your peacoat between washes.

Tide Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap

3. Place The Peacoat Inside A Mesh Laundry Bag

Looking for tips on how to wash a peacoat? To properly clean your peacoat in the washing machine, place your peacoat inside a mesh laundry bag to protect it from damage. These bags prolong the life of delicate clothes by preventing snagging and tearing inside the washer.

When selecting a laundry bag, choose one that is large enough to hold your peacoat. The coat should have enough space inside the bag to move around. For best results, turn your peacoat inside out before placing it inside a laundry bag.

For large clothing pieces, like pea coats, I highly recommend using these 2XX large mesh laundry bags from Amazon. These laundry bags are super durable and made of a breathable mesh material that allows water and soap to easily flow through. Try not to overfill these bags with clothes, otherwise they won’t properly clean or dry!

2XX Large Honeycomb Mesh Laundry Bags

4. Set The Laundry Machine To The Right Cycle And Temperature

When machine washing a peacoat, it’s important to set the washer to the right cycle and temperature. For best results, select the woolen, hand wash, or delicate cycle on your laundry machine, and use cold water. ALWAYS avoid using hot water.

Here’s a quick step-by-step on how to clean a peacoat in the washing laundry:

  1. Use a lint brush to remove any dust, dirt, pet hair, and debris.
  2. Flip the peacoat inside out and place it inside a laundry bag.
  3. Use a mild detergent.
  4. Set the laundry machine to the woolen, hand wash, or delicate cycle, and use cold water.
  5. After washing, air dry the peacoat by laying it on a thick towel on a flat surface. When the back has dried, flip it over to dry the front. This will help your peacoat keep its shape.
  6. Use a lint brush and fabric deodorizer to touch up your peacoat between washes.

NEVER dry your peacoat in the dryer after washing. This will cause your polyester or wool peacoat to shrink and ruin its shape.

5. Consider Hand Washing

If you peacoat has a tag that says “dry clean only”, it’s best to skip the washing machine. However, it is still possible to properly clean the peacoat at home by hand washing.

Here’s a quick step-by-step on how to wash a peacoat by hand:

  1. Use a lint brush to remove any dust, dirt, pet hair, and debris.
  2. Fill a large container (or bathtub) with cold water and add about a one-fourth cup of mild detergent.
  3. Submerge the peacoat into the cleaning solution and allow it to soak for about 30 minutes.
  4. Gently squeeze the peacoat to help remove any dirt and debris. Remove the peacoat from the soapy water.
  5. Drain the cleaning solution and fill the container with clean cold water. Rinse the coat in the water to remove excess soap.
  6. After washing, air dry the peacoat by laying it on a thick towel on a flat surface. When the back has dried, flip it over to dry the front. This will help your peacoat keep its shape.
  7. Use a lint brush and fabric deodorizer to touch up your peacoat between washes.

6. Refresh The Peacoat With A Fabric Deodorizer Between Washes

Here’s a tip on how to clean a peacoat between washes: use a fabric deodorizer alongside a lint brush. Wool pea coats only need to be washed once or twice a year, so it’s important to touch up your coat to keep it looking AND smelling its best.

Fabric deodorizers are especially useful for pea coats that are “dry clean only”. It’s a great solution to easily freshen up your coat between washes. Whether you machine wash, hand wash, or use the dry cleaners, a fabric deodorizer is a helpful tool to make your peacoat last longer and reduce the need for washing.

For amazing smelling clothes, I highly recommend checking out this Fabric Spray Deodorizer from The Laundress New York. This fabric deodorizer has a Fabric Fresh scent which smells exactly like clean, crisp laundry! It contains a plant-derived formula that doesn’t just mask odors, but completely lifts and eliminates them.

The Laundress New York Fabric Spray Deodorizer In Fabric Fresh

Summarized: How To Wash A Peacoat

In this post, I’ve gathered several helpful tips on how to wash a peacoat at home. Here are all the recommended cleaning products in one convenient list:

Conclusion

Pea coats are timeless garments and cold-weather wardrobe staples. They keep you warm, are stylish, and look great with everything. Like any other garment, it’s important to take proper care of your peacoat to keep it looking brand new.

In this post, I’ve gathered the best techniques on how to wash a peacoat in the washing machine and by hand. Polyester and wool pea coats are not the easiest to care for, but with the right knowledge, you can keep your coat in excellent condition for years. Note: if you coat is dry clean only, it’s best to skip the laundry machine and hand wash at home.

Here is a quick bulleted list on how to properly clean and machine wash a pea coat:

Recap

  • A lint brush can be used to touch up your peacoat between washes. Use this brush to remove pet hair, lint, and debris at least once a week to keep it looking its best.
  • Select a mild laundry detergent. These detergents are gentle on delicates and will reduce damage in the wash.
  • When machine washing, place the peacoat inside a mesh laundry bag. This will protect your coat from snagging while tumbling.
  • Wool fabrics only need to be washed one or twice a year. For best results, set the laundry machine to the woolen or delicate cycle. Always use cold water.
  • After washing, air dry the peacoat by laying it on a thick towel on a flat surface. When the back has dried, flip it over to dry the front. This will help your peacoat keep its shape.
  • Refresh your peacoat with a fabric deodorizer between washes.

I hope this post gave you some helpful tips on how to clean a peacoat at home. If you enjoyed this post, you might like these other clothing-related articles I’ve written: