Tennis balls can help maintain down jacket padding during washing

Using two clean tennis balls in a washing machine can help maintain the quality of down jackets and puffer coats. When these items are washed, the internal feathers or filling often clump together, leading to uneven padding.

By adding tennis balls to the drum, the balls move with the clothing during the cycle, providing gentle agitation that helps keep the filling distributed and prevents large clumps from forming. This method is recognized by outdoor brands such as Jack Wolfskin as a way to care for down products. To ensure success, users should use clean balls to avoid transferring dirt to the clothes and should always check the garment's care label first.