How to wash a feather pillow at home, methods of cleaning from dust and parasites with photos and videos

Pillows are found in every home, as they are bedding items that provide comfort during sleep. They all differ in size, cover materials and fillings. The most common are products with down or feathers inside, since this filler is natural, hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly. But you need to be able to properly care for it.

Wash by hand

You can wash pillows at home in an automatic machine, but the manual method has one significant advantage - the fluff is cleaned evenly, does not clump together and retains its shape. This rule especially applies to orthopedic pillows, each wash of which reduces the healing properties of this item.

In order to know how to clean a feather pillow at home, you need to follow the following technology:

Remove the filler, place it in a bowl of warm water, dilute the cleaning product in it (shavings of laundry soap will do just fine).
After two hours, take out the feathers, rinse thoroughly in clean water, wring out and distribute on a flat surface for the final stage - drying. It is better if it is an outdoor place or a ventilated room. At the end, all that remains is to return the filler and stitch the product on a sewing machine. More details in the video below.

Wash completely

If the feather needs to be washed, you can choose whether to wash the entire pillow and its contents, or remove it and do it right. It is not recommended to wash entire items, because you may not achieve the desired effect, but there will be a huge chance of throwing away feather pillows. Washing the pillow as a whole will save you from only a small amount of dust, but there will be great difficulties in drying it, because the filling will bunch up in heaps, which will be extremely difficult to knead. And it will take a lot of time to completely dry the product.

If you decide to start the washing process in a washing machine, be sure to use a special cover, because the old linen of the product may not hold up and break - the drum of the washing machine has high speeds. You will lose your pillow, and the washing machine may burn out, because the filler will clog the pump and filter of the device.

Washing in a washing machine

There are several features of washing pillows in a machine.

Important : if you decide to wash a small pillow completely, stock up on special balls that will prevent the fluff from bunching up. An alternative to such devices is a couple of tennis balls.

Cleaning feather pillows at home can be done in several ways. It can be washed either as a whole (small size product) or disassembled into several fragments. We recommend the latter as the most effective. Sequencing:

Carefully open the napkin and remove the feather filling.
Distribute it into several bags (old unnecessary pillowcases, which will need to be sewn to prevent the fluff from spilling, are quite suitable) and wash separately with the addition of detergent for delicate washing.
Set the machine to normal mode with a spin speed of 1000 or, if provided.
After drying, place the filler in a new case, which can be sewn from new thick fabric.

Tip : Choose your laundry detergent carefully. It should be delicate, without pronounced fragrances. You can clean the feather pillow by adding regular baby soap to the compartment. Our recommendation is gel products that are quickly washed out during rinsing.

Chemical cleaning of down and feather products

If you're not excited about the prospect of devoting several days to the labor-intensive procedure of cleaning grandma's pillow, the easiest way is to turn to the experts. How does this happen?

In your presence, a dry cleaning employee will tear open the old pillowcase and shake out the filling it contains into a special machine for cleaning pillows.

The automatic machine will clean the down and feathers in detergent and disinfectant solutions, after which the cleaned filler will be treated with hot steam, during which dust mites are killed.

Read also: How to choose a pillow for a comfortable sleep

This is followed by quartzization of the processed mass, carried out with the aim of destroying pathogenic microbes and bacteria. After this, the filler is subjected to intensive air drying.

At the client's request, the cleaned and dried filler is stuffed into a new bedsheet. You can ask for several small pillows to be made from one large one, or one large one from several small ones.

Each product is cleaned strictly individually, so there is no possibility of mixing fillers contained in pillows from different customers. A good dry cleaner will also be able to clean a buckwheat hull pillow or an orthopedic pillow.

How to dry properly

This can be done in several ways:

After machine washing the pouches, distribute the contents evenly, and then lay the pouches on old, unwanted fabric. Roll them tightly to get rid of excess moisture and speed up the drying process of the filler.
To get rid of moisture from the pillow, you can also use a dryer at a temperature of 30°C, a radiator, or take it out into the open air, hanging it on a rope. Pour the dried feather into a clean pillowcase, which you sew on a sewing machine for reliability.

This is interesting: it is useful for feather filling to sometimes “take” sunbathing: ultraviolet rays ensure its disinfection.

How to wash different types of pillows

Feather and down are the most common fillers for this type of bedding. Down is a type of feather, so feather and down pillows should be washed using the same methods. This can be done manually, in a washing machine or by steaming. Below we will look at each method separately in more detail;
Today, bamboo pillows have become very popular. They are safer and more comfortable, do not cause allergies and are aesthetically pleasing. In addition, caring for such products is quite simple. Wash the entire bamboo pillow in a pillowcase by hand or in a washing machine at a water temperature of up to 40 degrees. Use gel, shampoo or other liquid fabric product in minimal quantities. In this case, it is not recommended to use powder and chlorine-containing compounds. And remember that bamboo pillows cannot be wrung out!;
Synthetic winterizer products, latex and holofiber pillows are washed with detergent for synthetic fabrics. Choose a delicate mode with temperatures up to 40 degrees. After washing, the material is thoroughly wrung out, as it absorbs moisture well.

Dry air cleaning

This type of pillow cleaning is only possible in specialized dry cleaners. The bottom line is to use exclusively ultraviolet light, vacuum and special lamps, as in the photo. No liquid detergents or water, which can weigh down down or feathers too much. This method is worth learning about for those who do not have the opportunity or time to do their own bedding.

Dry cleaning is suitable for pillows that have not been in use for too long and do not have difficult stains. This method is excellent for removing dust.

Cleaning process:

All the filler is taken out of the bedspread and placed in a special device in which it is exposed to ultraviolet light for about ten minutes.
To return the fluff to its former lushness, it is processed in a vacuum, and then returned to its original place.
Such manipulations not only clean the pillows, but also have an antimicrobial effect on them through exposure to bactericidal lamps.

At home, you can achieve at least a slightly approximate result by hanging the pillow out in the cold in clear weather under the influence of the sun's rays. This is exactly what our grandmothers did.

Dry cleaning a feather pillow

Dry cleaning of pillows, or air cleaning, is a service provided by many dry cleaners equipped with special equipment. Dry cleaning may be recommended for products containing down and feather filler obtained not only from waterfowl, but also delicate chicken down.

The entire procedure takes from 10 to 15 minutes. As a result, the client receives a clean pillow in a new pillowcase made of high-quality teak, the cost of which is already included in the payment for the service.

After cleaning, the filler gets rid of debris, dust and dirt, and also becomes softer and fluffier, getting rid of sticky lumps and going through the aeration procedure with a powerful stream of air.

"Solarium" for down and feather products

Feather pillows are cleaned without the use of a cleaning solution. The creators of a new generation of automatic machines for cleaning down and feather products believe that moistening the stuffing (as well as treating it with high-temperature steam) is detrimental to it, since it contributes to the weight of the down and makes cleaning from dust not so effective.

Down and feathers obtained from chickens especially suffer from this effect: too high a temperature and prolonged drying lead to their disintegration.

Steam cleaning

Steam cleaning differs from dry cleaning by removing not only dust, but also by thorough disinfection. The principle remains approximately the same: the filler is removed, processed and placed in the bedspread. However, the processing in this case is carried out at high temperatures of 120 degrees. Then the pillow is thoroughly dried.

As a result of this processing, broken particles of feathers and dust formed during operation are also removed. Another advantage of the method is that it can be used to remove dust mites and other microorganisms that settle in the bed.

Homemade pillow cleaning

Procedures for restoring your favorite feather or down product can be carried out at home. There is nothing difficult about this, although you will have to tinker a little.

Before you start washing the “filling”, carefully read the information on the pillow label. If the carrier of the fluff was a waterfowl, then you can safely begin the process. Otherwise, the filler cannot be exposed to water, especially if it consists of feathers and down of chickens. This material practically does not dry, does not tolerate moisture at all, and when exposed to it begins to disintegrate into fibers.

It is better to dispose of such a pillow immediately or take it to the dry cleaner for dry cleaning only.

How to properly care

Most housewives choose pillows with feather filling due to its softness and airiness. However, do not forget that materials of organic origin are subject to destruction after several years. Find out how to properly care for your sleep accessories so that they last you as long as possible:

Fluff your favorite pillow quite often, such as every morning. This simple procedure will help maintain its elasticity and provide you with a comfortable sleep for many nights.
Wash the product several times a year, as it is able to absorb sebum, sweat and other secretions of the human body very well. This way you will rid the pillow of an unpleasant odor and remove pathogens that have managed to settle in the filler.
If it is necessary to treat particularly contaminated items, it is better to contact a dry cleaner and trust the professionals. They know how to remove stains of different origins.

Advice : we recommend replacing the pillows with new ones once every 5 years.

If you follow all the intricacies of washing pillows at home, you will no longer need to spend money on buying new bedding. This way you can extend the life of this household item and maintain your health. Good luck!

Why clean feather pillows?

More recently, all pillows were filled only with down and waterfowl feathers: there was simply no other filler, but it is still considered one of the best fillers for pillows.

Many houses have preserved these soft accessories, inherited from their grandmothers; Many of them are not five or even ten years old.

It is well known that a high-quality down and feather product can last about twenty years, but only if it is regularly cared for (we will tell you exactly how this is done a little later).

Does your upholstered furniture quickly become dirty and stained? A blanket for the sofa and armchairs will protect against premature wear and contamination.
You need to choose bedding for a child very carefully, paying attention to the materials from which it is made. Read here how to choose bedding for boys 1.5.

Over many years of use, the pillow absorbs:

The secretion of the salivary, sweat and sebaceous glands secreted by human skin during sleep.
A huge number of pathogenic microorganisms contained in the saliva and sputum of a sick person. Absorbed into hygroscopic fluff, these microorganisms can cause re-infection and relapse of the disease.
There are no less large numbers of dust mites, feeding on particles of dead epithelium, of which there is so much in a person’s bed. High humidity and a temperature that is comfortable for ticks in the human body create all the conditions for their reproduction, which is fraught with the development of allergic diseases.

Over time, a pillow that is not taken care of develops a very unpleasant odor, the filling clumps into clumps, and it becomes uncomfortable and hard to sleep on.

Price issue

Surely every housewife who has become acquainted with the benefits of dry pen cleaning is interested in the cost of this procedure. We have already found out that it is not labor-intensive, it requires only 15-30 minutes of time, but its implementation involves the use of a special installation. At the same time, the cost of the service is affordable for most of us, depending on the size of the pillow. So, if you have your own pillowcase, cleaning a standard pillow 70 × 70 cm will cost you an average of 500 rubles; a new pillowcase will increase the cost by 50-70 rubles, depending on the fabric and the quality of the piping. Considering that the procedure should be performed only once every few years, it will not be costly for you.

Drying Features

There are a number of tips that will help you dry fluff better and more efficiently:

After “squeezing” the bags in the machine, it is better to get rid of excess water by placing them between towels; you cannot twist them;

the filler must be completely dry, otherwise mold and lumps may form in it;

You can put several tennis balls in the machine, they will beat the product well;

pillowcases should not be dried in direct sunlight, as they will quickly lose their brightness;

If automatic drying was used, the fluff should still be taken out into fresh air, or dryed with cool air.

Note! To understand whether the feathers are completely dry, you need to weigh the pillow before washing. The same weight should be obtained after drying.

What is this?

So, dry cleaning of feather pillows is a modern technique, a unique technology that allows you to return the product to its original appearance, rid it of dust, dirt, and unpleasant old odors in the shortest possible time. The procedure requires the use of unique equipment without water and chemicals. Thus, the fastest, safest and most effective method of eliminating contamination today is dry cleaning of feather pillows. Reviews from modern housewives have become the best confirmation of this.