Feather pillows have not lost their relevance for many years now - it is comfortable and pleasant to sleep on them. But they require careful care and attention. In this article, we will cover such a topic as washing feather pillows in a washing machine. You are probably wondering: “Can pillows be washed?” Yes, these products are completely washable, you just need to do it right.

Washing pillows at home

In order to properly wash the pillow, you need to follow certain rules. And the first thing, taking up such an activity as washing a pillow, find out what type its filler belongs to.

It comes in 3 types:

• fluff or feather;
• synthetic (holofifer, synthetic winterizer, etc.);
• organic - dry herbs, horse hair, buckwheat or other husks.

Important! You can only wash the first 2, while the third is simply replaced at the end of the service life.

Feather pillow

This type of product is very difficult to clean. If the pillow has not been cleaned and washed for a long time, then it is better to take it to a dry cleaner and trust the professionals. There they will do all the necessary procedures, such as:

• removal of debris, dirt, fragments of feathers, various foreign objects (sometimes even needles that are carelessly left unattended get there);
• removal of dust mites and other harmful microorganisms will be destroyed by ultraviolet light;
• washing, drying, replacing the bedclothes or pillowcases.

Important! You will get a clean, disinfected and fresh-smelling pillow. If, for some reason, you do not want to dry-clean your product, and do not know whether it is possible to wash feather pillows, we will answer you - you can and should do it. You can wash the feather pillow either by hand or in the washing machine.

Washing pillows in the washing machine

To wash the product in the washing machine, you will need covers for washing down and feathers. If these are not at your disposal, you can sew them yourself.

1. The cover should be as wide as a regular pillowcase and 2 times longer than it.
2. For sewing, you can use a regular non-dense fabric. You can’t use gauze for these purposes - fluff and feathers can get out of such a cover and clog your car.

To wash the pillow without incident, follow the rules below.

1. Spread the pillowcase and carefully pour the contents of the pillow into the laundry cover prepared in advance. This should be done in a room without drafts and strong air currents, otherwise the contents of the bedclothes will simply scatter across the floor.
2. Divide the contents of the pillow into two covers. In such conditions, the feathers extend better, and there will be a uniform load on the machine drum.
3. Sew up covers.
4. Check their integrity.
5. If you're washing everything in one case, put a couple of towels in the drum to distribute the load evenly. You can also place special balls for washing down products there so that the feathers do not get lost in a lump.
6. Set the water temperature to no more than 30C.
7. If your machine has a down wash mode, then select it. If this is not available, select the delicate mode with an extra rinse.
8. After washing, set the maximum spin mode.

Washing by hand:

1. Spread the feather product. It is best to do this in a draft-free room.
2. Pour warm water into a tub or large container.
3. Dissolve the detergent in the container. It can be any product, but we recommend a soap solution.
4. Lower the base of the pillow in parts into the water. This is done so that the feathers do not stick together, and it is easier for you to dry them.
5. Leave everything for a couple of hours - during this time all smells and dirt should go away.
6. Gently stretch the feathers with your hands.
7. Using a kitchen colander or sieve, drain the dirty water and wring out the feathers.
8. Rinse your pillow filler under running water for a couple of minutes.
9. Soaked feathers should be washed well again in soapy water.
10. Rinse them and, using the same colander or full, drain the water, then wring out the fluff with your hands.

Product drying

To dry the fluff, you need to do the following steps:

1. Spread the wet down on newspaper or absorbent paper indoors on a sunny side.
2. Make sure there is no draft, otherwise the fluff will fly around the room.
3. Whisk and turn occasionally to dry evenly.
4. Drying of the filler can take from several days to a week.
5. After the feathers have dried, stuff them with a new or well-washed old pillowcase and sew it up.

In conclusion, we want to add a few topical tips for washing down products:

1. It is better to wash in late spring or summer, as the warm air prevailing at these times of the year favorably affects the drying time of the product.
2. If you are not using a colander when hand washing, then cover the drain hole with a mesh so as not to wash the lint down the drain and clog it.
3. Tennis balls in the automatic machine will constantly fluff up and keep it from sticking together during the washing process, add a couple and you will not regret it.
4. We recommend that you clean your pillows at least once a year, and to make them less dirty, put them in 2 chintz pillowcases after cleaning.
5. If you decide to change the bedclothes, then rub its insides with laundry soap. Due to this, the base will be less contaminated.

Synthetic pillow

If in your arsenal there are not only the usual feather pillows, but also modern products with synthetic filler, then you need to approach the washing process in different ways too. Washing this type of pillow is not difficult, it can be done in just a couple of steps. To do this, you need to test the suitability of the filler and, if it is satisfactory, wash the product.

Suitability test:

1. Lay the pillow on a horizontal surface.
2. Place a heavy book or any other object of the same weight on it.
3. Wait a while for the pillow to sag.
4. Remove the item.

Important! Watch carefully: if the pillow quickly changed its shape to its original shape, then such a pillow can be washed, it will last for some more time. Otherwise, it is better to replace the filler with a new one.

Wash

After successfully passing the test, you can start washing:

1. Take a closer look at the instructions on the label - take into account the manufacturer's recommendations regarding temperature, detergents, spin.
2. Put the product in the washing machine.
3. Select the gentle mode according to the instructions (usually it says to use warm water and liquid detergent).
4. Add extra rinse and maximum spin.
5. After washing, dry the product in a warm, well-ventilated area.

As it becomes clear from the above, washing down pillows at home and products with synthetic filling is not as difficult as it might seem before. Follow the instructions in this article, follow the tips and your downy products will protect your sleep for more than one year.