How to Clean Down Pillows
My sister got me hooked on down pillows. It was after I noticed the poly-foam-filled pillows in the wash cycle. When the pillows were immersed in water the pillow fill resembled the underside of the carpet pad of a twenty-five-year-old, damp basement carpet.
With that visual in my head that cannot be undone, I was done with those mystery fill pillows.
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Because my sister and I talk about everything from Schitt's Creek to down pillows she shared with me how to clean down pillows. Gather up your pillows and get ready for an assembly line set up to wash.
HOW TO CLEAN DOWN PILLOWS
1. COLLECT YOUR PILLOWS IN PAIRS
2. REMOVE THE DECORATIVE PILLOW COVER
3. IF YOU HAVE A WORN DOWN PILLOW (FEATHERS POKING OUT) STICK YOUR PILLOW INTO A PLAIN PILLOWCASE.
4. TURN YOUR WASHING MACHINE TO THE GENTLE/SLOW CYCLE.
5. ADD 2 PILLOWS PER WASH WITH PILLOWS ON OPPOSITE ENDS TO BALANCE THE WASHING MACHINE.
6. ADD POWDER DETERGENT. DO NOT USE LAUNDRY PODS. LAUNDRY PODS CAN ATTACH TO PILLOWS LIKE LEECHES.
7. WHEN TRANSFERRING TO THE DRYER ADD A TENNIS BALL TO THE DRYER
(IT WILL BE LOUD, BUT IT HELPS TO DRY THE PILLOWS). I TURN MY HEAT ON HIGH TO DRY THE DOWN.
TIPS
** It kills me not to add a little bleach but apparently it strips the oils from the feathers. With that said, I may add a smidge.
** In the summer I love to dry my pillows between two white towels outside. A breeze is an added bonus!
** Check and clear your lint trap on your dryer.
That's it. It does take longer between the wash and dry cycle so it feels like an all-day gig.
I break my pillows into sizes and wash the sleep pillows on one day and the square down pillows for another day. The square pillows get a lot of use during the holidays.
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I am sorry you have been affected by these stories. All I can post on is my own experience.
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and you should too Leona. thanks for sharing
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just a quick note to add...your pillows - feathered, foam-filled or batting - don't have to be washed every week/month! Due to a severe dust allergy, I toss my pillows into the dryer every week with a used dryer sheet and a bunch of dryer balls for 30 minutes on high heat (+140°F.) It kills the dust mites and fluffs up the pillows. I use a used dryer sheet because the scent of a new dryer sheet can be quite overpowering when your as hyper-sensitive as I am!
I honestly haven't washed my pillows in over 10 years...the cost of drying them was way too high - over 6 hours to dry just 2 pillows and the batting was getting shredded in the wash!! I do, however, use 2 pillow protectors plus the pillowcase and those are washed weekly!
Even all of my decorative throw pillows get tossed into the dryer every week on high heat...just to kill the dust mites and whatever cold/flu viruses and germs the grandkids bring in from school!
It sounds kinda gross, unconventional and probably over-kill, but I haven't had so much as a cold since buying new batting pillows after recovering from SARS CoV1 in 2002!! 😉
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
What if you have a front opening washer?
I wish that I was not allergic to down. Why would this same method not work for defeathered pillows?
Who can adjust anything on their HE (high efficiency) washing machine? Our options are gone. My HE washer and dryer use the same water level, same drying temp, same short cycle for everything. HE washers do not get clothes clean, and dryers do not dry them. Isn't it time Americans revolted against this?