By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Caring for a Down Pillow
Step1
Cover your pillow with a pillow case at all times. This will keep your pillow free from dust, dirt and body oils.
Step2
Buy a pillow cover with a zipper for an extra layer of protection under your pillow case. This will also help those who have allergies.
Step3
Clean the pillow cover and case regularly to keep your pillow fresh.
Step4
Launder or dry-clean your pillow yearly.
Step5
Spot-treat any stains before you wash your pillow if you're going to machine wash it.
Step6
Wash the pillow in cold water using a detergent that has a degreaser so that oils are removed. Follow the pillow manufacturer's instructions for specific detergents to use.
Step7
Very gently squeeze out any excess water from the pillow after washing.
Step8
Dry the pillow with the dryer set on its lowest setting; put a tennis ball in with the pillow so that the fill moves as it dries.
Step9
Store your pillow in a dry and well-ventilated closet or room when you are not using it, in order to avoid mildew.
Caring for a Down Comforter
Step1
Place a cover over your down comforter to protect it from dust, dirt and body oils.
Step2
Shake out your comforter weekly to prevent the down from bunching up.
Step3
Air out your comforter occasionally to keep it fresh. Hang it on a clothesline or shake it out a window.
Step4
Take your comforter to a dry cleaner every three to five years if you decide not to launder it at home.
Step5
Use a Laundromat with oversized washing machines if you have an oversized comforter, should you decide to machine-wash it.
Step6
Spot-treat any stains before you wash.
Step7
Wash your comforter in cold water using a detergent that has a degreaser so that oils are removed.
Step8
Very gently squeeze out any excess water from the comforter.
Step9
Dry the comforter in the dryer on low heat setting with a tennis ball so that the fill moves as it dries.
Step10
Store the comforter in a dry and well-ventilated closet or room when you are not using it, in order to avoid mildew.
Care for Down Pillows and Comforters
Comments
GreenMomma said
on 8/31/2008 the comments are just as helpful as the articles! I hate dry cleaning anything because I don't like to bring toxins into my home unnecessarily. I'll wash mine in the machine!
knittingnut said
on 5/1/2008 You should never ever dryclean anything that is made with/of feathers!!!
Do NOT use any harsh laundry soap or degreaser on any feather/down items. This will take the natural oils out of the feathers and make them brittle.
To wash them use woollite or baby shampoo.
Do not use a HOT dryer, but dry them on a gentle cycle.
Never store these kinds of items in a plastic bag or place 'protective' pillow cases or covers which cannot breathe on them. Feathers need to breathe.
If you are allergic, you should not use feather things.
To keep the pillows or comforters free of dust mites or other mites, hang them on the clothes line in bright sunlight. The heat and the light will kill the mites. If you have ever been to Europe you will recall bedding hanging out of the windows. This is exactly the reason why.
When I was 10 years old, my mom and I used to pluck the ducks, 'slice' the d
Sleeper said
on 3/29/2008 I agree with eHOW - you do want to wash your bedding - down or not :-) The couple tricks I ahve learned is to not use normal laundry detergents as the chemicals affect the down clusters - instead use dwn dish soap - small teaspoon. When it comes to dry the pillows definitely dryer twice as long as you thought it would take - so maybe a few cycles (karate chop the pillow in between to get the filling moving). I saw a site called beddingcare.com that went thought all the steps needed - try thought out as well.
1eyedJack said
on 11/1/2007 As a single male of age who must sleep in a semi-upright position I use a doubled over down comforter under a mattress pad and another as my top blanket. I can not stand any weight on my feet and legs and this works quite well for me. I have found that I need to wash mine at least twice a year and I use the special down wash from the camping stores. I am going on five years with quality bedding I got from LandsEnd. If you figure out the cost over that period of time it is quite low. I also sleep cold nose and down is just the thing for that.
PS, My cat agrees as she sleep under the top comforter.
ehow said
on 1/5/2007 Down products should never be dry-cleaned -- it ruins the down.
You should use a soap that's made specifically for cleaning down, which you can find at any outdoor gear retailer.
You might want to think about washing your down bedding a little more often than every three to five years. Body oils dampening the down is what makes the down flat and eventually ruins it. That's why your down comforter is so flat and grubby up near the top -- it's from the natural body oils on your face and hands.
Down bedding is still bedding and you should not be afraid to clean it when it seems soiled. There is no rigid schedule to follow. I wash mine about every six months and it is in far better condition than those whose owners proudly tell me, "I've never washed it." Eww.