Different ways of washing down pillows
Anyone who uses and owns down pillows have always asked the question 'Can your wash down pillows?' The answer is yes, although you do have to be careful in doing so. Down pillows made with the soft feathers of a goose or duck, are warm and soft to sleep on, but the less you clean it, the longer it will last. It is recommended to wash your pillows once or twice a year. Body oils permeate through the fabric and dampen the down, making it flat. Washing will clean it and fluff the feathers back up. Never dry clean them because it ruins the feathers inside and always use the cleaning solution recommended for this type of bedding.
Washing a down pillow can be done in a washing machine. Some people recommend using a large front loading washing machine like you find at the laundromat. If you don't want to do that and use the one you have at home, make sure it is the only thing you wash, use a small amount of detergent and set the machine on the gentle cycle. Most household washing machines are rough types and it is best if you use this type of machine only if the pillows are free from rips and tears. If not, you'll wind up having an even bigger mess to deal with if your pillows gets ripped apart.
It is a good idea to take your down bedding – pillows and comforters – to a laundromat. You can put them easily into the washers and dryers there and the commercial washers do not use the same agitating motion a household washing machine does, making it less likely to get tears and feathers everywhere. Make sure the fabric of the pillow isn't too old or hasn't been compromised from body oils, another potential hazard of down pillows. If the pillows are free from holes, place them in a front loading washing machine with detergent and wash them. It is recommended that you use cold water and if your pillow seems grimy from body oils, try using a detergent with a degreaser to clean it.
Once the cleaning of your down pillow has completed, ring out any excess water from it before hanging it out to dry or putting it a machine dryer. If you notice a stinking smell, don't worry. It's a natural smell from the down feathers and it will fade away when the pillow is dry. You need to make sure that the pillows are completely dried so that they will not develop mildew. If you are using a machine dryer, make sure the pillows have enough room to move around. Insert a tennis ball or clean pair of shoes to the dryer before you turn it on. This will help to puff up your pillows. In a large commercial dryer on medium heat, two down pillows will take approximately three hours to dry. Interrupt the drying cycle every so often, take you pillows out and fluff them, and also check to make sure they are not getting too hot.
Care of your down pillows doesn't stop there. If you are not using your pillows, keep them in a well ventilated closet to prevent them from molding. Get a zippered pillow case to use under your everyday pillow case to keep body oils from ruining the down. Replace your pillows if they get ripped or torn. With proper treatment and care, down pillows will give you quite a few years of comfortable sleep.
