General rules of washing
The first and foremost rule is to study the label on the garment. Usually the manufacturer specifies whether and how the pillow can be washed in the machine.
On the label on the left, machine washing is allowed, on the right, no washing is allowed. Use the deciphering as a clue:
The following rules apply to preparing the product for washing:
- Inspection of the pillowcase. There should be no holes or other damages on the fabric. Particular care should be taken when washing feather pillows. In a washing machine, the duvet cover can come apart and fine feathers can get caught in the wrong places.
- Pre-wash. Stubborn stains and heavy soiling must be removed in advance. The machine will not clean them, since the washing of pillows choose a gentle program.
- Use of liquid detergents and extra rinse. Powder can make the filling rough. It does not rinse well and does not work at low temperatures.
An extra rinse is necessary to remove all chemicals from the detergent. This is important. The pillow is in contact with the face and the person inhales whatever is in it.
Choosing a washcloth
Pillows are washed exclusively with liquid detergents. machine wash gels.
Any gel that works at 30-40 degrees can be used. For delicate fillings use washing products for wool and silk. Popular brands:
It is advisable to choose a gel without bleach and stain remover in the composition. As a last resort, they must be oxygenated. Chlorine in the detergent is not acceptable!
Tip. To improve the quality of washing it is recommended to use a water softener (Calgon or other).
Why feather pillows must be washed
Even replacing pillowcases very often won’t help keep a pillow clean. Feathers as a sponge absorb human sweat, dead skin, dust, and other impurities through the fabric. But such a base in a natural environment is extremely active mold fungus and dust mites begin to develop. Their and human waste in large accumulations, but invisible to the eye provoke the development of allergies, bronchial asthma, and other respiratory diseases.
Feather fillings, unlike their synthetic counterparts, can be called more dangerous, so washing them is mandatory. over, over time, pillows begin to smell unpleasant, which is also the impetus for washing.
Washing in a washing machine
Washing rules. It is possible to wash a cushion as a whole in a washing machine, but it is desirable to use special balls or ordinary tennis balls, so that the filler does not stick together. Throw a few towels in the washing machine: they will evenly distribute the load on the drum.
Mode. Ideally the machine should have a wash program for down and feathers. But this is rare, so if there is no such thing, put up a delicate.
Temperature. Hot water will damage the filler, so the temperature should be the same as for hand washing. You can only go as high as 40°C.
Squeezing. It is better to turn off the spin mode, so as not to break the feathers, and the pillow put in the bathroom to drain the excess water, and then gently squeeze out the excess moisture with your hands. But if you are not confident in your power and automatic spinning is needed, set the maximum speed of 400 revolutions.
Yes, you can, with one caveat. Before you wash a down pillow at home, you should understand that this process is time-consuming, requiring prior preparation. But the end result is sure to please, and will not be sorry for the time spent.
Making up the materials
Washing down pillows in a washing machine begins with the preparation of auxiliary materials.
- You need to buy in a store or make your own four to six (depending on the size of the pillow) duvet covers 40×40 cm in size. If you sew it yourself, the fabric choose a thin, but with a frequent weave. Feather teak is just right.
- Buy the same amount (according to the number of footbeds) of spiked rubber balls.
- Buy a special detergent for washing feathers.
- Respirator or a gauze bandage (the latter can be made yourself from a wide bandage).
- Depending on the method of drying, you will need old pillowcases or a large piece of cellophane film.
- Buy or sew a new duvet cover.
- The final touch. lavender oil. You can replace it with any other oil you like.
After preparing all the materials, check the weather forecast: the next two days should be hot sunshine.
Can You Wash Feather Pillows In The Washing Machine?
Obviously, you can not wash pillows in a whole feather down washing machine. So let’s proceed with the opening. It’s best to do it over the bathtub. Wipe the tub dry and close the drain. As the small fluff will settle on all surfaces, put on light-colored clothing: this will save you from having to clean it later. Cover your face with a gauze bandage.
Carefully tear open the thimble and transfer the contents into the small thimble prepared beforehand. The extraction of the down will pass with the least losses if the manipulation is carried out under a gauze cover. The less content will be in one thimble, the better it will stretch and rinse out. We put one spiked ball in each of the obtained pads, they will not allow feathers to bunch up into one lump. Sew up the down blanks.
Hand wash
The rules of washing by hand are much the same as the already discussed washing algorithms. It provides a gentler cleaning. Requires more strength, accuracy and, most importantly, time.
For example, the pen is held in soapy water for two hours, rinsed under running water, then lowered again in clean water with a detergent. Wash, rinse feathers, shaking them by hand, by hand and spin.
Also, other hand washes require a longer soak and rinse time.
Camel hair pillows should not be washed in the washing machine. All such woolen items are washed only by hand in warm water up to 30 degrees with a special gel for wool. You can also use shampoo, but without strong fragrances. The wool should not be washed for a long time. Washing time is 10 to 15 minutes. At the same time it should not be twisted too much. All hand-washable fills require an abundance of thorough rinsing.
Drying
Proper drying of a feather is as important as proper washing. To dry the pen, spread it out on a cloth or paper in a thin, even layer. To prevent the filler parts from flying around, cover them with thin gauze.
Tip The feather can also be dried in the cover, but it will need to be fluffed and turned over often.
The feather must dry completely. This can take one or two days. No need to rush. If you use a damp pillow, it quickly becomes infested with harmful microorganisms and an unpleasant smell will appear. The material should dry naturally. Hot temperatures make the feathers brittle, the shelf life of the stuffing is shortened. So no hair dryer, no direct sunlight, and no battery.
Feather pillows can be washed on their own, because today’s market provides housewives with a variety of laundry products for down and feather filled products. Since down jackets have become widespread, the sales industry has supplied customers with every possible gadget for taking care of them.
How to Wash a Down Feather Pillow at Home
It is necessary to wash pillows because natural materials such as feathers and down of waterfowl absorb moisture, dust and glandular secretions well. That is a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria which can lead to allergies, respiratory problems, skin problems.
It is possible and necessary to wash pillows with feather padding
Many housewives very rarely question the need to wash a feather pillow. It is believed that systematic washing and replacing the pillowcases is sufficient care. Unfortunately, very few people are aware of the dangers of dirty content of the pillowcase.
However, the development of many respiratory diseases associated specifically with the use of dirty and unclean feather pillows. It is necessary to wash pillow, doctors and allergologists say about it, but not more often than one-two times a year. Washing more often may cause the product to lose quality.
Earlier the process of washing a pillow was more like that of its restoration, nowadays thanks to the developed technology everything is much easier
This raises the question of how to properly wash down feather pillows. I’ll tell you honestly, many years ago, when washing machines and various means for down breaking during washing were not available, your humble servant embroidered ready pillow, dried feathers and down separately (on a way the most part of down component was inevitably lost). After such a painful procedure, feathers were sewn back into the duvet cover, and in some cases, a certain fabric was bought and a new duvet cover was sewn. Now, fortunately, this method is long forgotten and washing a feather pillow is easier than making curls.
Machine washing
Many people wonder if it is possible to wash feather pillows in the machine? Of course ! Let’s break down how to clean down and feather pillows in the washing machine.
Preparing the cover
You can wash the pillow filler as in a specially purchased for the washing case (about the same plan, as in the photo), and create a similar product with their own hands. In no case the pillow can not be removed from the stuffing box, it just can not dry out, it will get stale, and it will become a breeding ground for mold and unpleasant odor. After that there is only one way for it to go. to the garbage.
We will provide you with some recommendations for sewing a cover for washing down and feathers:
- The width of the needlework is the same as an ordinary thimble. But it must be twice as long as the last one. For one cushion these covers are made in two pieces.
- The material is non-woven fabric. If you use gauze, then in several layers. otherwise the small feathers will be released and clog the elements of the machine.
- You may also use the small gauze sacks you have prepared for hand washing.
Washing algorithm
Feather and down pillows are machine washable. This procedure is not more complicated than hand-washing. See for yourself:
- Open the duvet cover, carefully remove its contents on the previously spread out newspaper, a sheet, cellophane, etc. At the same time, try to avoid drafts and any other strong and sudden air movement. Otherwise you will have to collect the contents of the pillow all over the apartment.
- Spread the feather evenly in the prepared sacks, sew them tightly with the “veins”.
- How to wash a feather pillow in a machine? Simply load the pouches with the filler into the drum of the washing machine.
- Use a wash program on a gentle cycle. Although we have sewn the feather pouches tightly, there is no need to check their firmness with a hard scrubbing in the machine. It’s wonderful if your machine is equipped with a special wash mode for down products.
- Water temperature. no higher than 40 degrees.
- Spin speeds are the lowest your machine is capable of.
- Set the machine to double rinse. Don’t forget to add conditioner before the last cycle.
- Detergent. liquid detergent, the same as for hand washing. designed for woollens. There’s a big risk that the powder won’t completely wash out of the feather. And sleeping, inhaling the “chemical” fragrance, is not the best prospect.
- To distribute the load on the drum, add a few more towels or special balls for washing down.
- Drying the quills is the same as for hand-washing. near a heating device or in a warm draught.
- After the feather is completely dry, gauze pouches are gently plucked over a large cloth, cellophane and transfer the filler to the feather down. washed old or pre-prepared new.
Housewives do not like washing in the machine, not only because it can have a negative impact on the quality of the pen, but also seriously damage the technique. If feather filler breaks free from the bags, it will clog the washer’s filters. And that means that the machine will need an expensive repair.
Advice! If the presented possibility of washing seems to you tiresome and ineffective, then there is only one best option. to pass the feather pillows to dry-cleaner. There they will be cleaned with hot steam. And this is a method that not only does not “traumatize” them, but also gives them more softness and fluffiness, which has a positive effect on the quality of the stuffing. And some dry cleaners even remove small and large debris from feathers, treat with ultraviolet in order to eliminate parasites. As they say, the choice is yours. price or convenience.
How to Wash Feather Pillows. Without Ruining Them
Washing synthetic pillows in a washing machine
Pillows, like other bedding, require regular and thorough cleaning. Therefore, it is important for a good hostess to know how to wash synthetic pillows, so that after using a washing machine filling is not collected in lumps, and the product has not lost its original shape. The key to the success of this seemingly simple action is the right choice of detergent and washing mode, proper pre-preparation of the synthetic pillow and a good drying.
