We all know that the key to a healthy sleep is the right mattress and quality bedding. But over time, any blankets and pillows lose their original fresh look. There are situations when it is not possible to give the bedding to dry cleaning, or replace them with new ones. How to wash a feather pillow at home? These questions haunt many housewives.

Since childhood, we remember the soft and airy down - feather pillows at the grandmother's, on which it was so comfortable to fall asleep. These natural fillers have unique properties, unlike modern synthetic materials. At the same time, they also have a number of disadvantages. First of all, it is a question of cleanliness of bedding. What is the possible option to carry out the cleaning procedure yourself?

You can easily wash pillows with artificial fillers in the washing machine. They dry quickly and withstand mechanical wringing. A feather pillow requires special care and should not be dry-cleaned many times. Due to such exposure, down or feathers lose their properties, and it “shrinks”.

If the dry cleaning of the feather pillow is carried out frequently, then the fluff remains less and less each time.

Therefore, it is necessary to know whether pillows can be washed at home, and whether this will affect their properties.

Classification and properties of pillows with different fillers

Consumer properties of natural products depend on the ratio of down and feather. If the percentage of feather content is higher, then the pillow will be more rigid. But with such a filler, it retains its properties longer and is less subject to wear.

Down pillows are very soft and airy. The higher the content of fluff in the product, the higher its cost. The percentage of down content can vary from 2 to 90%. Down is a very soft material. Can down pillows be washed? In fact, this is extremely necessary. If you follow simple rules, then washing in a typewriter machine will not cause much trouble.

As a filler, down and feathers are used, preferably waterfowl: ducks or geese. Goose feathers are more elastic and resilient. They have good thermal insulation properties. Goose down products can last up to twice as long as duck feathers. Our grandmothers also knew how to clean feather pillows, and they did an excellent job with this job.

It is extremely rare to find bedding made of swan down. In geese and ducks, the feather cover is thicker and more elastic. The swan is a finicky and thermophilic bird. Therefore, swan down is very impractical. It is almost impossible to clean pillows made of swan's down, this significantly shortens their life.

Sleeping accessories made of natural materials have unique properties:

1. Natural filler "breathes" because the air inside it circulates freely. It is not cold in winter and not hot in summer.
2. They are soft and elastic, so they easily restore their original shape. With such properties, they are easy to store and transport.
3. Hygroscopicity. Products remove excess moisture from the head.

Pillow care at home

The main problem of this process is not only the question "how to wash a down pillow at home", but also the answer - how and where to dry it later.

Before you wash the pillow, you need to decide on its contents: fluff or feather.

How to wash a feather pillow at home so that it does not undergo deformation and retains its original appearance? Before you start washing feather pillows, you need to soak the product in a special solution. You can cook it yourself. To do this, you need to take 4 teaspoons of ammonia and 1 measuring cup of detergent (the dosage is indicated for 5 liters of water). The filler must be placed in a special napkin bag and lowered into the solution for 30 minutes. Then the bag is lowered into the washing machine and the “delicate wash” mode is set (not higher than 600 revolutions). At the end of the wash, the contents of the bag are evenly distributed on the sheet in order to dry the filler well. It is necessary to manually sort out and check if the cleaned feathers have fallen into lumps.

How to wash a down pillow at home? If you are going to wash the pillows in the machine, you need to place all the filler in a special bag in advance. Make sure its seams are well stitched. In addition to the filler, it is necessary to place laundry balls in it. They will whip up the fluff, preventing it from rolling into lumps. How to wash down pillows in an automatic washing machine? Together with the bags, any other things are placed in the drum of the machine to distribute the load. Remember, fluff can only be washed in the "delicate wash" mode with a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees.

High-quality drying completes the procedure for washing down and feather products. Improper organization of this process can provoke the process of decay and reproduction of harmful microorganisms.

A poorly dried pillow will smell unpleasant, and black moldy spots will appear on the pillowcase.

To dry the washed products, you need to choose a calm place and spread the filler evenly on a clean surface. The room should be with good air circulation. During the drying process, it is necessary to regularly shake and whip the filler.

To speed up the drying process, a regular household hair dryer will help. Simply direct a jet of hot air at the pouch, as you would normally do with your hair.

Washed pillows should be dried for no more than two days. Extending the drying time will result in a musty odor.

Handwash

How to clean a pillow at home if you don't have a washing machine? The beginning of the process is the same as for machine washing. It is necessary to place the contents in special bags.

Prepare a large container of detergent. If you decide to wash feather pillows, and there are people prone to allergies in the house, it is better to use laundry soap as a detergent.

Soak the bags in the solution for 1 - 1.5 hours. This time is enough to clean the filler from dirt and microorganisms. A prerequisite for this method of cleaning is the low temperature of the water. Pillows with natural filling should not be washed in hot water.

What if the pillow is old?

In this case, when cleaning the pillow, great care should be taken. Over time, down and feathers become extremely fragile. Mechanical impact can easily damage them.

Do not transfer the filler to a special bag. You need to wash directly in the case. How to dry feather and down after such a wash? Move the product to dry very carefully, on a solid tray. Do not spin after washing.

Due to the lack of spin, the water will drain longer. This will increase the drying time. Therefore, choose hot sunny days, with warm weather.

For a cleaning solution, ammonia or vinegar can be used instead of ammonia to get rid of an unpleasant “old” smell.

Try to clean at least once every 1-1.5 years. This will help to keep their operational properties, neat appearance and health to your family members.

Remember: good sleep is the key to your health!