How to clean feather pillows at home: without washing and with washing

Today the trend of using feather pillows and feather beds is returning. There are several reasons.

Expert opinion

Natalya Osadchaya

Feather, as such, is capable of maintaining temperature 4 times better than synthetic materials, and 2 times better than sheep's wool, often used to make blankets. In addition, it absorbs 100% moisture, is lightweight, and provides maximum comfort. But... Millions of mites, accumulated dust, sweat, saliva, fat - all this is “hiding” in the pillows on which you lay your head every night.

Despite maintaining perfect cleanliness in the house, many people forget about down pillows. Do you also regularly change your bed linen without paying attention to these elements? But they collect more dirt than you can imagine. Therefore, look at how to clean feather pillows at home, thereby ensuring your home is impeccably clean.

Why clean feather pillows?

Feather pillows are familiar to many, because quite recently the filling for these sleep products was only down or feathers. This type of filler has not lost its popularity over time, but to preserve the positive qualities of feathers, they must be properly cared for.

Over time, such a pillow can become dangerous to human health, and this happens due to the fact that the filler absorbs the following particles over the years:

the secretion of the sweat, salivary and sebaceous glands, which are secreted by the skin of the sleeping person;

When a person is ill, his saliva and sputum contain harmful microorganisms that also land on the surface of the textile product. These microorganisms can cause recurrent disease in humans;

Field mites also appear in the filler. Due to the increased humidity and increased body temperature emanating from humans, a favorable environment is created for the reproduction of these pests. And their presence can cause allergies.

Also, if you do not periodically clean feather pillows at home or in specialized salons, they will emit an unpleasant odor, the feathers will clump together, and sleep will become uncomfortable.

"Solarium" for pillows

The so-called "tanning" of feather pillows is a relatively new cleaning technique, but very effective. The creators of this method are of the opinion that any exposure to moisture, as well as any chemicals, is detrimental to feather filling.

When feathers get wet, they can become deformed, and dust removal will not be as effective and uniform as planned. The essence of this method is that the filler is processed using ultraviolet light. The pillow is placed in a special apparatus equipped with UV lamps. This is where the processing takes place.

This processing method has a number of advantages, which include:

harmlessness to the product itself;
absence of any chemicals during processing;
short time (the entire cleaning takes no more than 8-10 minutes);
The cleaning device consumes a minimum of electricity.

It is noteworthy that exposure to ultraviolet radiation kills a large number of harmful microorganisms that can grow in the filler:

dust mites;
fungi;
viruses;
bacteria.

The only disadvantage of this method is its high cost. Processing one pillow can cost about 500 rubles (the price is not final).

Methods for cleaning pillows

There are three main methods for cleaning feather pillows. The first option is to wash down products at home; this method takes more time, but if done correctly, you can effectively clean the pillows from harmful contaminants and pests. Hand or machine wash possible.

One of the methods known to many is dry cleaning; this technique allows you to completely get rid of field ticks, while each product is processed separately, without the use of chemicals. Therefore, sleeping on it after such restoration of the pillow will be absolutely safe.

The dry method is called taking the pillows out into the sun in the summer. An alternative and more effective method is to clean the products under the influence of ultraviolet rays in a special apparatus.

Errors when washing

Most often housewives make the following mistakes:

Add too much detergent. Household chemicals are quite aggressive, so they can ruin the structure of feathers. Add as much liquid as indicated in the instructions. If you use folk remedies, also adhere to the recommended dosages.
Wash in hot water. Temperatures above 40°C will hopelessly damage the filler. Please take this into account when washing by hand or by machine.
They don't rinse well. Feathers absorb detergent well, so you need to wash it at least twice. Otherwise, after drying, they will lose their softness and lumps will appear.

What type of feathers are washable?

Before you start cleaning a down or feather pillow at home, you need to understand what feathers were used as filler. This information is indicated by the manufacturer on the product label.

Important! Only down and feathers of waterfowl can be washed. It is not possible to restore and clean chicken feather filler; it is easier to replace such a product with a new one.

How to wash down feather pillows

It’s worth starting with the choice of funds. Before washing down pillows, you need to remember the properties of down. It consists of thousands of threads that easily intertwine into a continuous tangle. In addition, it retains solid particles well, so granular washing powder is not the solution.

Small grains will remain in the padding even after 3-4 rinses, and this can lead to allergies or hives.

The most suitable means are:

Liquid laundry detergents. It is better to wash down and feather pillows in the washing machine using balms or capsules. They are easily washed out and do not damage the structure and quality of the padding.
Food acids. Vinegar and lemon juice, surprisingly, do a good job of cleaning down pillows. They effectively remove grease stains and dirt. Just remember that the vinegar will leave a smell that will take a long time to dissipate. In this case, lemon juice is much more effective, but before use it must be dissolved in hot water.
Oily shampoo. If there are no other products at hand, take regular shampoo. The same contaminants that accumulate on the hair penetrate the pillowcase and down. In this case, shampoo will help no worse than balm.

Erase entirely or remove contents

Of course, there is often a desire to reduce the time spent on the process. Therefore, many people wonder whether it is possible to remove dirt from the feathers in a pillow by washing it entirely. The answer is negative. After all, when the filler absorbs moisture, it will become impossible to wash it; the pillow will simply be heavy. Thus, it will not be possible to carry out high-quality cleaning of all negative formations in it.

And washing in a machine is not recommended. After such washing, the feathers will stick together, and it will no longer be possible to separate them again. As a result, sleep will be uncomfortable, the pillow will lose its original appearance.

Next, we will talk in more detail about how to clean feather pillows at home.

Drying the pillow correctly

The washed filling is laid out on a horizontal surface covered with cotton cloth. The fluff should lie in a thin, even layer. Detected tangles are sorted out by hand, and those that stick together even after washing are thrown away. The volume of the pillow may decrease, but it will become cleaner and without bumps.

Wet fluff is covered with gauze, otherwise it will fly apart. Drying takes place under natural conditions within 1-2 days.

IMPORTANT: our experts do not recommend washing pillows made from chicken feathers or down. Unlike duck and goose filler, the filler does not tolerate wet treatment, and subsequently quickly rots. Unpleasant odor, loss of volume, bacteria are the result of improper care. Take these items to the dry cleaner.

On open air

Ideal drying option. Try to protect the washed filling from rain, dew, and also protect it from the wind with firmly secured gauze.

Wash by hand

Hand washing should begin with preparing a soap solution. To do this, you need to mix one piece of laundry soap, which is pre-grated, with 1 tsp. ammonia and water.

Note! The basin is chosen to be large.

Action steps:

the breastplate is torn apart;
the feathers are removed from the bedspread and immersed in parts into the prepared soapy water; there is no need to rush so that the feathers do not fly in all directions;
feathers are left in water to soak for 2-3 hours;
Next, the filler needs to be rinsed, they are rubbed between the palms, you can use a colander, running water, or a sieve to facilitate the process;
clean feathers are placed in portions into prepared small gauze bags;

The bags need to be tightly closed or sewn so that they can then be placed in the washing machine. Where they will be dried using the “spin” function, if possible, then a gentle option is chosen. The filler can be dried without a washing machine, but this will take a lot of time, and it may smell unpleasant;
The products are completely dried in a sunny, ventilated place, the bags themselves should be shaken and turned over at least 3 times a day;
after washing the napkin itself and the feathers are completely dry, they are re-placed in a clean napkin and it is sewn up.

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.

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.

We take out the “internals”

But it’s better to do everything right right away and clean the feathers in the pillows separately.

Actions at home to clean the insides are as follows:

First, prepare a detergent from laundry soap (72%) and ammonia. Take a bucket of water and rub half a bar of soap into it, add two teaspoons of ammonia. You can use detergent for wool fabrics;
Next, we open the down pillows and drop the contents into the solution in small parts. You can’t pour everything at once, because the filler will scatter throughout the room;
Mix feathers and fluff thoroughly in the prepared solution and leave to infuse for about half a day. When the filler is thoroughly “marinated” in the soapy solution, take it out and rinse with clean water. It will be convenient to do this with the help of a shower. Before using clean water, you can rinse the pen in fabric softener to give it a gentle scent and remove odors from your pillows;
To wring out the feather in the washing machine, prepare gauze bags. Fold several layers of gauze fabric and sew it tightly into a bag, then fill it with feathers and sew it very tightly. Place the bags in a special case for washing pillows and place them in an automatic washing machine, be sure to use the rinse and spin mode. After squeezing, the gauze bags need to be shaken and hung to dry, with additional shaking from time to time;
If you don’t want to sew gauze bags for use in a washing machine, you can dry the feather anyway, it will just take more time. Lay it out on a flat surface to allow access to natural heat and light, cover it with gauze and do not touch it for several days. Check for dryness from time to time and break up any stuck lumps;
When the feathers are dry, they are ready for direct use. Take a new pillowcase made of good, durable material, fill it with “stuffing” and then sew it tightly. At this point, the procedure is completed, and a fresh pillow is ready to give you its former softness and pleasant smell.

If you need to clean sofa cushions, you don't have to rip them. First of all, knock them out, then vacuum them. Next, steam with an iron or steam generator to kill all microorganisms. Additionally, use the vacuum cleaner again.

Cleaning pillows is a very useful procedure, because then you will be sure that your body is safe and not in danger, and your rest will become more pleasant and comfortable.

Washing in a washing machine

Washing down in the washing machine. the machine may take less time, but then you need to follow a number of rules so that it does not stick together and does not break the machine itself. This process includes the following steps:

you need to get a special cover so that fluff does not get into the mechanism and break the washing machine itself;
gauze bags are made thick; for this, the gauze is folded into several layers, and they should be sewn securely. Only in such bags the fluff will not fall out anywhere.
after washing, the bags are also dried in the sun, with good ventilation, but they should be turned over often, checking for lumps that need to be smoothed out;
Also, after complete drying, the feathers are returned to the napkin, which is sewn together.

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.

Dry air cleaning

Dry air cleaning is carried out in dry cleaners that have special equipment. You can restore a product in this way in just 15 minutes.

Note! This type of cleaning is also applicable for chicken feathers.

As a result, the cleaned fluff is placed in a new pillowcase, the cost of which is included in the price of the service. The pillow becomes fuller and softer when exposed to an ozonator, which directs a powerful stream of air onto the feathers.

How much this service will cost depends on the salon.

Cleaning feather products

There are 3 different cleaning technologies - steam, wet and dry. Most dry cleaners use only one of these methods, which is used to clean all feather items. But if you want your down pillows to be cleaned thoroughly and at the same time as gently as possible, you need to take into account their current condition. It differs mainly in the degree of contamination, wear and dust; Sometimes you have to deal with odor or dangerous mold spores. The key to successful cleaning is choosing the right technology.

In addition to feather pillows, many people also have orthopedic pillows and products with other natural fillings. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the labels, which contain symbols indicating the appropriate cleaning method and care recommendations. It is not necessary to carry out the cleaning at a dry cleaner; you can do the job well at home.

Embroidered pillows:

have removable covers;
Washing and ironing is acceptable;
inner filler:

no herbs - washable;
with herbs - cannot be washed due to the risk of damage to the grass.

Lavender pillows:

usually have removable covers;
Washing and ironing is acceptable;
Inner filling: Do not wash - risk of damage to grass.

Velvet lavender sofa cushions (small, about 20x20 cm) can be cleaned with a soft clothes brush.

Buckwheat husk pads:

have removable covers;
possibility of washing, ironing;
inner filler:

It is recommended to warm the husks in the sun from time to time;
Most products can be heated in the microwave; limitation – size mismatch.

Dry method - air cleaning

This method of cleaning down for pillows is recommended for relatively “new” feathers, i.e. not heavily soiled. Basically, air cleaning removes dust, refreshes, and fluffs up fluff.

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.

Features of cleaning sofa cushions

Sofa pillows, unlike sleeping pillows, attract more dust and dirt. They often contain pet hair, food stains, and spilled drinks. As a result, they not only lose their attractiveness, but also begin to smell unpleasant.

We recommend:

What temperature should the refrigerator be for storing food?

It is best to take your sofa cushions to the dry cleaner. There they will be restored to their original appearance, stubborn stains will be removed, and unpleasant odors and dust will be removed.

If you want to wash the sofa cushions yourself, you need to study some nuances:

Vinyl products are wiped with a damp cloth and dishwashing detergent. After this, they are wiped with a damp, clean rag or sponge and dried in the fresh air.
To clean sofa cushions, use a vacuum cleaner with special furniture attachments to remove dust, hair, and dirt.
Old stains are treated with cleaning products. But before applying the product to the product, it is necessary to check its compatibility with the material on the reverse side.

Attention! It is not recommended to machine wash sofa cushions. It is enough to vacuum them or treat them with a steam generator and dry them in the fresh air.

How to properly care

Proper care will help simplify the washing process and extend the life of the textile product itself. First of all, you should study the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated on the labels. The following general rules also apply:

you should fluff your pillows every morning;

You cannot go to bed with wet hair on such pillows; down absorbs water too well, which can lead to the formation of mold in it;

put a pillowcase on the product;

In spring, it is advisable to ventilate the pillows in the fresh air and sun.

Cleaning pillows yourself will take a lot of time, but will allow you to obtain a product that is safe for health. It is advisable to carry out cleaning once every six months, then sleep will always be pleasant and harmless. The main thing is to act step by step, then you will get a high-quality result.

How to steam clean?

In order to use this cleaning method, you need to purchase a steam cleaner or at least an iron that has the same effect in its functionality. The pillowcase is first removed from the pillow, since it is washed separately from the main accessory.

Then the pillow must be hung with clothespins on a rope or placed on a drying rack. It must be treated with steam on all sides. This process should take at least 20 minutes.

Then the pillow must be hung out to dry in fresh air. Then you can dry it at home (if cleaning was carried out in the autumn-winter period). After the procedure, the feather must be beaten well with your hands, but without strong and sudden movements. The advantages of this cleaning method are as follows:

elimination of unpleasant odor;
removal of germs;
destruction of feather mites.

In addition, this method is convenient because cleaning of down pillows in this case takes place at home. After complete drying, you can put a pillowcase on the pillow and use it for its intended purpose.

conclusions

Where and how to clean feather pillows: at home or in a dry cleaner, it’s up to you. We discussed in detail why to clean down and feather products and how often to do it. We want to keep our loved ones healthy, why put it in danger.

I once decided for myself that I want to sleep on clean pillows, so once a year I take my loved ones to the salon, they are cleaned in my presence and the pillowcase is changed. On a clean bed we spend another year of life with a clear conscience.

Whether you clean feather pillows at home, trust the professionals, or leave them as is—only you decide. She gave her arguments in the note. If you found this information useful, leave comments and share it with your friends on social networks.

Dry cleaning

In this situation, if the feather pillow is still relatively new and has not yet become thoroughly dirty, cleaning it with a regular home vacuum cleaner may well be suitable. With this preventive method, under the pressure of strong air currents, the feathers inside the bedding will be cleaned of dust, small debris and dirt deposits. Performing the procedure will also allow you to fluff up the feather filling itself, giving your sleep accessories a fluffy shape.

This dry cleaning of pillows is the fastest method of all existing ones, but it will not be able to bring the desired effect to its owner if dust mites have already settled in the feather products. It will be impossible to remove harmful parasites from feather fibers with air pressure alone. After all, mites are attached to feathers using a special substance - gluten, which they themselves secrete.

Traditional methods

In addition to traditional washing, traditional cleaning methods are used to care for bedding.

Soaking with lemon juice

Dissolve the juice of five large lemons, strained from the seeds, in 3 liters of warm water. Place covers with filler in the solution. After two hours, the down and feathers will become much whiter, acquire a pleasant smell, and be cleansed of dirt and germs.

Dry cleaning with baking soda and tea tree essential oil

A good cleaning and disinfecting effect is achieved by dry treating a feather or down pillow with baking soda (100 g), lightly moistened with tea oil (10-15 drops). Cleaning is carried out as follows:

spread the powder on the bottom of the basin;
put a pillow in it, clean the cover on all sides, rubbing it with soda;
leave for 1 hour;
vacuuming.

Thanks to the procedures, washing a pillow or dry cleaning is delayed for 2-3 months.

Dry cleaning services

Many people do not know where to clean and “bring back to life” products made from feather or down. For those who do not want to spend a lot of time “reanimating” their favorite bedding item at home, a dry cleaner, laundry service or a special restoration salon will come to the rescue. In these institutions, the restoration process is carried out quite quickly and is relatively inexpensive.

According to the specifics, such cleaning can be of two types:

Wet - the pad is opened, its contents are removed and placed in a reservoir with a special liquid solution that eliminates extraneous odors and also kills harmful microorganisms, insects and bacteria. Next, the feather is dried, then a new bedspread is filled with it;
Dry – the extracted pillow “filling” is treated with hot steam or air in a special unit. This procedure helps to get rid of dust and debris, as well as restore the volume of matted fluff. The device also has built-in ultraviolet lamps, which kill bacteria and other living creatures. The whole process takes about 20 minutes, after which the cleaned and enlarged feather is filled into a new feather bed.

The cost of the service directly depends on the volume of filler and the size of the pillow itself. The average price is about 500 rubles. In addition, you will need to add a surcharge for a new case, since you will have to get rid of the old one.

It will be difficult to evaluate the quality of the work performed, because the process is not carried out before your eyes. It is worth paying special attention to the fabric from which the new case is made. If it is satin, chintz or other soft material, then the new product will be short-lived and feathers will soon come out of it. A durable material like teak is best.

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.

How to clean a feather pillow at home

In order for products made from down and feathers to serve for a long time without harm to health, it is necessary to periodically clean them; it is recommended to do this once a year. Our well-being and activity during the day depend on how we rested at night. After all, we spend one third of our lives sleeping.

How to clean feather pillows at home. This cannot be fully done using home technology. The most powerful vacuum cleaner and expensive washing machine are not able to remove debris and accumulated dusty fluff.

And it turns out to be a paradox: in the evening, to get a good night’s sleep, we ventilate the room, and then for eight hours we breathe in the excrement of dust mites, burying our face in a dirty pillow. Ticks settle where there is dust: in blankets, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets and the like, and feed on dead particles of human skin.

The size of these creatures is 0.1 - 0.5 mm, they live everywhere. The ideal environment for them is a room with a temperature of 18-25 degrees, they also like high humidity, you can guess why we dry the pillows. The mites themselves do not cause harm, but their excrement, which contains the P1 antigen, causes allergies.

To get rid of mites, you need to prevent the formation of dust deposits. It is impossible to see ticks with the naked eye, and this is good. It would be terrible to see billions of swarming organisms around you, but on the other hand it would be bad. We don’t see ticks, and the illusion is created that they are not there.

These simple rules will help you care for things with natural fillers. Over the course of a year, this will not take much time, just a few extra movements when you wake up. But you can and should plan one day to go to the salon for cleaning.

Of course, you can throw away the pillow after a year. And we are sure that in the store you will buy a new one much cleaner than the old one, if we talk about inexpensive products. Buying down one every year is not enough money, it is not a fact that it will be clean, today a high price is not a guarantee of high quality.

It happens that a pillow was inherited from a grandmother or mother. Each feather was lovingly sorted by caring hands. Through this thing love is transmitted to you, how can you throw it away.

There is another option - buy a pillow with a synthetic filler or with buckwheat husk. I want to disappoint you, it collects no less dust than a down one. How to protect yourself and your loved ones from unnecessary problems, everyone decides for themselves.

Where can you clean pillows in Moscow

Are your pillows very dirty? Take them to the dry cleaner because it is not recommended to wash pillows yourself, as they may become deformed or the filling may become loose. We invite you to visit us at the address: Northern Administrative District, Airport district, Stepan Suprun Street, building 9.

How much is it? You can find out the price for dry cleaning on our website or by phone1. You also have the opportunity to place an order for pillow treatment without leaving your home. We will provide the removal and delivery of items ourselves. You won't need to stand in lines or get to us from the other end of the city.