Almost every house has feather pillows. It is quite possible that they have already been replaced with new ones with synthetic fillers, but this did not make them any less comfortable. Few of the modern options will be able to compare in terms of softness and comfort with the proven feather filling. It is important to know how to wash feather pillows and what needs to be done so that the filler does not lose its qualities.
The fact is that the feather filling requires much more attention to itself to maintain cleanliness than its synthetic counterparts. Dust mites breed well in feathers, and they easily absorb dust and moisture without being in a hurry to release it outside.
Care of feather pillows
According to the rules of hygiene and common sense, feather pillows should be washed at least 3-4 times a year to ensure cleanliness and avoid the development of various sleep problems in humans.
And yet, it is much more common to encounter situations when pillows have not been moved for years, as a result of which they turn into a wild breeding ground for ticks, become filled with sweat and salts, and lose their properties and shape. Bamboo filler is much more hygienic in this regard, but it was discussed in another article .
To begin with, let’s decide whether it is possible to wash feather pillows that have never been cleaned before? Frankly, instead of looking for ways to clean yourself, it’s better to find a laundromat or dry cleaner that deals with down products. Only for this they must have the appropriate equipment.
They take the fluff from the pillowcase, sort it and sift it, blow it to remove all foreign inclusions. Then, with the help of ultraviolet light, it is disinfected, getting rid of ticks and their eggs. Feathers are straightened and washed using various delicate detergents and just as effectively dried under constant air flows, which gives them the proper volume. Cleaned feathers are again stuffed inside the pre-washed pillowcase, and the hole is sewn up, after which the client is provided with a perfectly clean, soft and elastic pillow.
Independently, at home, you can only keep the pillow in a clean state by cleaning it from the moment of purchase or thoroughly washing it in a dry cleaner every 3-4 months. We will talk about how to wash feather pillows later.
Self-cleaning
It is necessary to determine in advance, if possible, what kind of filling the pillow is, whether it is feathers and down of waterfowl (goose, duck, etc.), whether it is chicken down, which is quite common, although it is not more practical than wanted to In the second case, washing at home will most likely end badly, it is better to limit yourself to dry cleaning using a vacuum cleaner, without removing fluff from the pillowcase. Only feather pillows with down from waterfowl can be washed.
Briefly about the procedure:
- Spreads the pillowcase;
- The fluff is distributed among the prepared bags;
- Wash down by hand or in a washing machine;
- A separate pillowcase;
- It is dried with constant redistribution and shaking;
- The fluff is stuffed into a pillowcase and firmly sewn.
Now in more detail on point 3: how to wash a feather from a pillow so as not to spoil anything.
To begin with, let’s determine why we need bags. They allow you to distribute feathers in groups, facilitating their washing and further drying, because in one pile these processes will deteriorate significantly. Bags are best made from old pillowcases or other thin but strong fabric. Ideally, they are equal in width to the pillow and two and a half times longer, so that the feathers in them can be distributed freely without distortion.
Now let’s determine the conditions for washing, which are suitable for both manual and automatic washing in a washing machine:
- The water temperature is 30-40 °C
- Only liquid detergents for delicate washing or soap solution
- No bleaches or chemically aggressive cleaning agents
- Pre-soaking for about half an hour
We will talk about drying below, it is the most responsible part.
Handwash
Bags with feathers are lowered into a prepared soapy solution with household soap. You should give them some time to deacidify, about half an hour. After that, we actually get rid of most of the dirt by gentle rocking and wringing.
After the down is washed, it should be rinsed thoroughly. If you don’t wash off all the soapy solution, no matter how hard you try after drying, the feathers will stick together in clumps or lose their volume. You should wash three or four times, constantly changing the water. For wringing, it is easier to roll the bags into rolls, thereby squeezing out the remaining water without spoiling the shape of the pen.
Machine wash
Of more interest is the question of how to wash a pillow in a washing machine. The bags are placed in the drum, but not tightly, if they together fill the entire space, then it is better to divide them into two portions equally. To prevent the feathers from clumping together in the drum during washing, you should place 4-5 tennis balls. They will constantly break the lumps, distribute the fluff evenly.
A delicate washing mode is selected at a temperature of 40 degrees and with spinning at 600-800 revolutions. The task is to set the most gentle washing mode and the maximum possible rinsing mode. In some washing machines, it is possible to install a double or triple rinse. It should not be neglected. Liquid detergent is poured into the appropriate compartment.
Before trusting the machine, it is advisable to check that there are no powder or bleach residues in the compartment for detergents, which happens often. Especially with regular use of only one or two modes.
After the machine has finished washing the feathers from the pillow and squeezed them as much as possible, you can proceed to drying.
Drying feathers
It is better to dry feathers in a well-ventilated place under direct sunlight. A balcony or veranda is suitable. You can distribute the bags on the street, but only in clearly calm weather without wind. The best solution would be to use floor dryers, in the absence of such, you should use towels or another ribbed grid surface.
Feathers will dry for 1-3 days, the sooner it happens, the better. After all, due to humidity, a musty smell or mold may appear. However, heating devices should not be used. The drying temperature should not be higher than 40 degrees.
Regularly, approximately 3-5 times a day, it is necessary to beat the bags, redistribute fluff in them and break lumps and compactions. After the feathers are completely dry, you can start stuffing the pre-washed pillowcase. If it is old, it is better to sew a new one.
This completes the washing of pillows. You can enjoy a comfortable and incredibly cool sleep on a clean, soft pillow. The feeling from it is simply indescribable.