Pillows stuffed with swan's down have been deservedly popular for a long time. They have many advantages and are easy to clean. Of course, even now they make bedding from natural swan down, but this is extremely rare. The so-called swan down is an artificial material that is used to fill blankets and pillows. It consists of voluminous polyester microfibers that resemble down in appearance. When making the material, the fibers are twisted and coated with a layer of silicone. They make balls, the interweaving of which forms a soft elastic structure.
Wash in the traditional way
Many housewives prefer to wash pillows by hand. They believe that in this case the filler stretches better and does not bunch up. Therefore, if you do not trust an automatic machine, you can resort to this method.
What recommendations do experts give in this case? The pillow and swan filling are washed separately. Therefore, the preparatory actions will be similar:
- knock out the pillow to get rid of dust;
- open the cover and remove the filler.
Next, you need to put the filler in a basin and soak it in cool water (temperature no more than 30°C). The fluff should be left in this state for at least 3 hours. You can periodically stir the contents of the container.
After three hours, detergent is added to the water. The fluff is washed in a soapy solution, then wrung out (a regular colander will help make the wringer easier). Next you need to rinse, changing the water several times.
Washed artificial down is divided into parts and laid out on old pillowcases. It is better to have a little bit of filler in each case - this will speed up the upcoming drying. The bags should be placed on the balcony, in direct sunlight. During the drying process, you need to shake and turn the pillowcases over every half hour. Pay special attention to fluff fluff. This will prevent it from clumping.
How to properly wash a pillow and dry a feather
Compliance with the rules and washing regimes will ensure effective results. When machine washing, be aware of the requirements. Necessary:
- Load the dust-free cushions into the drum.
- Pour in the required amount of water.
- Add liquid detergent to the compartment according to the instructions.
Choose a gentle mode for swan down. To place pillows in the drum, set the “lean mode” program to a delicate wash, which involves using a temperature mode no higher than 40 °C. After finishing washing, set the pillow spin at 400 rpm. This is necessary to ensure that the feather and down filling does not deform.
Do not turn the temperature above 40 °C: otherwise the pillow will become unusable and an unpleasant odor will appear. Feathers are essentially protein, which will cook when exposed to high temperatures. The soft container with fluff cannot be used in the future. The cycle cannot be shortened; full inclusion must be applied. Set the extra intensive rinse. Do not turn on the drying mode in the machine.
It is recommended to load dense gauze bags into the drum equal to the volume of two down pillows to ensure even extraction of the filling. The bags are tied tightly so as not to clog the drum. Small feather debris can contaminate the machine by getting into the drain filter, causing the engine to stop running. Closing the window doors, supply water, add detergent to a separate compartment, and start the washing machine. Large pillows are machine washable with a 6kg capacity.
Let's move on to washing
Don't know how to wash swan down pillows? It's not difficult at all. To the delight of housewives, regular washing is excellent for cleaning things with such filling - manually or using an automatic machine. It is recommended to wash at a temperature no higher than 30 degrees. When washing in the machine, make sure that the delicate cycle is turned on, because this is the most optimal program for such items. Thanks to the manufacturing technology and the properties of the material, after wet cleaning the shape of the pillows will be easily restored, they will be as soft and light as before the procedure.
When cleaning, the use of bleaches and detergents containing chlorine is strictly prohibited. Are you afraid to wash in a washing machine? These pillows can always be washed by hand. In this case, there are no special instructions for hand washing - do what is most convenient for you. Deep stains may require treatment with a high-quality professional product without chlorine additives.
We dry the down pillow correctly so that we don’t throw it away later.
How long the item will last depends on drying. If you dry down incorrectly using heating devices, it will become brittle and brittle. Accordingly, the pillow will very quickly become unusable.
On open air
- Spread polyethylene in the yard or on the balcony with open windows, and on top - an old, clean sheet.
- Lay out the damp fluff in an even thin layer, manually sort out all the lumps, and remove the debris.
- Cover with gauze and secure it so that a gust of wind does not blow away the fluff.
- Periodically remove the gauze, stir the filler, turn it over.
Drying usually takes 1-2 days depending on the season and weather. The sun's rays will not harm natural down. On the contrary, ultraviolet light will clear it of saprophytic mites and bacteria.
Battery
Do not use heating radiators to dry down.
Using special devices
Avoid blow-drying. Let it dry naturally.
Can down pillows be washed?
One of the advantages that a duck and goose down pillow has is that it can be washed at home, and not just in a dry cleaner. Chicken down is used less frequently due to its greater hygroscopicity:
- it quickly becomes damp, including from sweat;
- does not tolerate water cleaning;
- more often exposed to invasions of pathogenic bacteria.
Separately, it is worth mentioning pillows with swan down. This is what manufacturers call artificial microfiber filler with silicone - hypoallergenic, fluffy, gentle, odorless. It is used in the production of children's bedding. Such pillows are chosen by people with allergies to natural fluff and wool. They are lush, voluminous, soft, and hold their shape well. Home washing of down swan pillows is easier than with natural filling.
Features of washing down
It is better to dry clean down items. There are special units for sifting, cleaning, and disinfecting the filler. Amateur hand and machine washing of down from pillows is carried out in covers (bags) made of thick cotton fabric with ties. Otherwise, half of the fluff will be carried away by the current of water and will clog the drain of the bathtub or washing machine.
Drying things in the fresh air
In hot weather, a down bag dries out in two days, provided that you shake it all the time, moving the feathers. With very careful frequent turning, shaking, and repositioning of a downy item for sleeping, it can dry out within 24 hours. Open air exposed to sunlight enhances the drying process. Straighten the pillow, twist it, knead it with your fingers, sort through the feather clumps every hour, keep track of the time: it is very important that the feather pillow dries completely.
If it does not dry out in its entirety, it will begin to become moldy, a foul odor and black spots will appear in the diaper. Therefore, be patient and dry your swan feather pillow securely to avoid unpleasant consequences. Drying depends on the size of the item. A bright sunny day will guarantee that in two days the feather bag will be completely ready for use.
Features of the process for products made from artificial substitutes
Artificial down is a synthetic material that is very different from natural filler. And it requires an appropriate approach when washing.
Artificial litter is best cleaned by hand. The process is not much different from washing a natural product, with the exception of household powder or gel.
Here you need to purchase the appropriate product to combat dirt in synthetic fibers. The cost of such a product is not much different from the standard one.
The best way to quickly straighten wet synthetic mass is to add a little special conditioner to the water while rinsing. The conditioner will make the fluff soft and straighten it efficiently.
It is not recommended to soak synthetics; it is better to start washing immediately. Using gentle movements, squeeze the fluff into the water and move it through your hands. After 7-8 times of such a leisurely spin, the synthetic material can be rinsed.
The rinsing process is very important, since excess moisture will be the first cause of damage to synthetics.
Hand washing a faux down pillow
You can tidy up your favorite pillow without a washing machine. This requires some effort.
- You should make sure there is a spacious container in which the pillow should fit. Large basin, trough or bathtub.
- The water temperature should be up to 40 degrees.
- The manufacturer's information on the label is carefully studied. Particular attention is paid to approved detergents, which must be diluted in water and foamed.
- An artificial down pillow is immersed in a container of water, and the product is washed with kneading movements.
- The pillow is rinsed in several waters. You can add conditioner to the water so that the fibers straighten out faster and the product can regain its original shape without losing its elasticity.
- The pillow is gently wrung out, do not twist it. Allow any remaining moisture to drain by placing the product on a lattice base.
- Dry in a horizontal position without hanging the product.
Sometimes housewives, knowing how to wash swan's down, prefer to have their pillows dry cleaned. But it should be remembered that only specialized reagents can be used to clean the surface of the product. Also, to ensure a restful sleep, it is recommended to ventilate the pillow in the fresh air at least 2 times a year. This will saturate the microfibers with oxygen, ridding the product of dust.
Washing natural filler
It is difficult to wash natural down filling, but it is a solvable task. There are three main methods - machine washing, hand washing and steaming. Machine washing requires similar recommendations as with artificial padding. It is better to put the item in a washing bag, set the minimum possible temperature and speed and program a generous rinse. At the end of the procedure, open the seam, dry the filler and stuff it into a new diaper. Wash the fluff by hand in a basin, rinsing with a colander. You can use powder or soap, the water should be warm (not hotter than 50 degrees). Pour soapy water over the feathers, leave to stand and rinse - and so on several times. In order not to change the bedstead, try steaming the product. This will help destroy bacteria, remove odors and renew the material. After treating it with a vertical steamer on both sides, repeat the procedure, then let it dry, straighten out the lumps inside - everything is ready, you can put on a fresh pillowcase.
How to straighten down down in a jacket?
To straighten the fluff
manually, the down jacket needs to be kneaded with tweezers, moving from bottom to top.
Also, be sure to shake your down jacket like you would a pillow. If it’s minus outside, then you can hang the down jacket on the balcony and wait until the down
freezes inside.
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General care recommendations
Caring for such bedding is extremely simple, because washing in a machine (delicate cycle) will not cause harm. However, you cannot iron them, otherwise you may accidentally damage the item. The quality of the filler will certainly suffer when ironing. Drying the pillows is quite easy because they dry quite quickly. Simply place the product on a horizontal surface and let it dry completely naturally.
If it is heavily soiled, do not be afraid to take the item to the dry cleaner - using special chemicals suitable for this material, professionals will successfully remove all stains. Effective products include those containing monofluorotrichloromethane, ethylene chloride or gasoline. Sometimes the laundry needs to be taken out into the fresh air and ventilated. This way the fibers will be saturated with oxygen, and the dust will disappear. It is advisable to carry out such a procedure at least once every six months.
