Can you wash feather pillows?

Feathers pillows look and feel great due to their luxurious design and construction. While these feather pillows are so pretty and offer extraordinary comfort, you just have to take care of them properly. It is important to maintain their fresh aroma and plush feel.

Now, if you haven’t tried or given thought to wash your feather pillows, you can do so. But the good thing is that you don’t have to do it now and then. Washing them about once a year is good enough.

This way, you will be able to get rid of any dirt or dust, as well as bacteria and mites that tend to occur in these feather pillows naturally.

What’s a Feather Pillow & How’s it Different from Down Pillows?

Before you know and understand how to take care of your feather pillows, you need to know about them a bit. These feather pillows differ from down pillows (also check 8 amazing goose down pillows), even if they are frequently used interchangeably.

There are some similarities and differences that you need to keep in mind. Both these types of filling have the same type of feathers, but the feel and shape of the down clusters differ from those of feather clusters.

Down pillows

These pillows are made of down, a soft grouping of fibers developed from goose feathers from a bird’s undercoating. This stuff has insulating properties because of the feather design and soft fibers that can give a fluffy fill and trap air.

Feather pillows

This filling has feathers from the back and wing and tends to be flatter and heavier than down. They provide a fluffy and soft feel  (check 8 great fluffy pillows) but are faster when losing shape. These pillows do feel pretty nice and comfortable, though.

How to Wash Feather Pillows?

Feather might respond pretty well to cleaning, which is good if you love your luxury pillows. These pillows are pretty simple to clean and take care of. This is one of the reasons people love feather bedding a lot.

These pillows offer soft support, excellent plush, and super simple maintenance. You can throw them into your washing machine and clean them without fuzz.

We are listing down some important steps that you might have to go through to wash your feather pillows:

Remove covers

Before you begin with the process of washing your feather pillows, you have to make sure to take the covers off or the pillowcases.

Inspect pillows

The next step is to check the feather pillows and notice if there are any tears or rips that can result in the filling escaping the pillows during the wash. Be sure to repair these rips, thread, and needles before you wash the pillows.

Balance things out

Be sure to put in a couple of pillows simultaneously. Your washer tub will remain balanced and perform better during the wash cycle.

Ensure to load pillows so the agitator doesn’t bother them vertically. In this scenario, front-loading washing machines tend to work the best as they don’t come with agitators. But you can use any washer if the pillows fit in properly.

Gentle works best

A laundry detergent that is low-sudsing for washing your feather pillows is a better option. It will prevent any residue from clumping in the feathers. Don’t use too much detergent; set your adhering machine to a delicate cycle. It will help you effectively protect your feather stuffing.

Water temperature

You must consider the water temperature you use to wash your feather pillows. Hot water might work best to keep any bacteria or mites that may be living in your pillows, but it will also damage your feathers. Therefore, a better option is to go for warm water while washing your pillows.

Rinse and repeat

You can always go for an additional sound and rinse when you are washing your feather pillows. You will eliminate any excess moisture and soap residue from the feather filling.

Can You Dry a Feather Pillow in the Dryer?

Yes, you can dry a feather pillow in your fryer and get a beautifully clean pillow now. But here are some steps that you need to follow,

• You need to remove any excess water from your pillows by placing them between two and pressing the feathers down on the towel. Doing so will enable you to force out any water from the pillow, and the towel will soak the moisture up. But be sure not to wring or twist your pillows, or you will damage the feather.
• Apply the feather pillow to your dryer and use a delicate setting such as no heat or low heat. The no-heat setting might take many cycles, but it is the safest way to dry your feather pillow. If you want to go low-heat for slightly quicker drying, be wary, as it can cause damage to feather filling.
• Be sure to check the pillows frequently and take them out from your dryer to fluff them out between cycles when you beat them to break up any clumps for better drying.
• You can use dryer balls as they will keep the pillows very fluffy.
• After drying, you need to fluff your pillows and massage the clumps. Hold down the corners of these pillows and shake them to remove any clumps of feathers.

When Should You Wash a Feather Pillow?

The good thing about these feather pillows is that you don’t have to wash them until you have to. If you think they are fine, you can leave them alone. It is highly recommended to get rid of your feather pillows after a period of continuous use.

If you have to wash them, you can do so once in a while if there is an emergency. For instance, if your pet or baby urinated on the pillows, you can wash it to eliminate the filth.

You must wash your pillow immediately after such an accident, or you will have to throw the pillow away. Here are the steps that you need to follow for washing these feather pillows,

• You must take your pillowcase or the cover and remove it from the pillow.
• Now, throw it into your washer, and don’t use any detergent.
• The next step is to set the washer to a delicate or gentle cycle.
• After completing the cycle, you can add the pillow to your dryer but keep it at low heat.
• You can place a bath towel in your dryer and wait for the dry cycle to end.
• Initiate the 2^nd dry cycle immediately and make sure the pillow is dry.

Drying a Feather Pillow – A Step-by-Step Guide

This is the stage where everything with your pillow can go wrong for your pillow. However, if you don’t get your feather pillow entirely dry down to its core, it can cause mildew and mold, and the pillow will be ruined forever.

If you are thinking, how would you know that the pillow will dry well? You will only have to trust those long dry cycles that they have done their job. If the pillows are not dried, you will notice a slight mildew or mold smell that will increase with time.

Before you dry the pillow

You have to ask yourself a few questions before you begin. Here’s what you need to determine,

• Is the feather pillow entirely dry if you need to spin dry it?
• Are there any loose threads on your pillow or not?
• Check to see how well those tags have survived the entire wash process.

Drying the pillow

Once you have scrutinized your pillow, it’s time to dry it:

• The first step is to set your dryer to a low-heat setting.
• If you have access to some bath towels, put them in the dryer with the pillows.
• Now, initiate the dry cycle and let it finish.

What Can Prolong My Feather Pillow Lifespan?

Following are the things that can completely damage your pillow:

Compression

This can result from you using your pillows. Of course, you will be using your pillow because that is why you purchased it in the first place. So, this is not going to be that easily manageable.

Body oil

This one is more manageable because you can use a pillowcase o a cover to protect your pillow. You can protect your pillow and its filling for your body oil.

Moisture

If you tend to bathe at night or are a hot sleeper and have to deal with night sweats, this can lead to those pillow stains, and with time these stains will reach the feathers too.

Key Takeaways: Can You Wash Feather Pillows?

Understanding Feather Pillows

Feather pillows require proper care to maintain their fresh aroma and plush feel. Washing them about once a year is typically sufficient.

Feather Pillows vs. Down Pillows

Feather pillows differ from down pillows in terms of feel and shape. While both types contain feathers, down pillows feature soft fibers from goose feathers, providing a fluffy and insulating fill. Feather pillows, on the other hand, are flatter and heavier but still comfortable.

How to Wash Feather Pillows

Washing feather pillows is relatively straightforward. Steps include removing covers, inspecting for tears, balancing the load in the washer, using low-sudsing detergent, choosing a gentle cycle, and using warm water for washing. Rinsing and extra cycles help eliminate excess moisture and soap residue.

Drying Feather Pillows

Feather pillows can be dried in a dryer using low or no heat. It’s essential to remove excess moisture before drying, check pillows frequently, and fluff them between cycles. Dryer balls can help maintain fluffiness.

When to Wash Feather Pillows

Feather pillows do not require frequent washing. It’s recommended to wash them as needed, especially in case of accidents like spills or stains. If washing becomes necessary, follow the appropriate steps for cleaning and drying.

Prolonging Feather Pillow Lifespan

To extend the life of your feather pillow, protect it from compression, body oils, and moisture. Using pillowcases or protectors can help keep the pillow clean and maintain its shape.

Conclusion:

If you are wondering, “can you wash your feather pillows” then you are not the only one out there. And the good news is that you can conveniently do so while remembering a few things.

Keep the asher setting to low-sudsing washing and then put it into a low-heat setting. Be sure to go for another dry cycle and then another to ensure that the pillow filling doesn’t have any moisture or dampness.

If this dampness stays in the feathers, mildew and mold will begin to grow your pillow will be ruined for good. Therefore, you have to be sure that there is no mixture in the filling.

And that can only happen if you put your pillows through at least 2 to 3 dry cycles at low heat.  You also need to take care of your pillows and prevent any unwanted damage caused by compression and body fluids.

Resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6471580/

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/nov/18/doctors-warn-of-danger-of-feather-duvet-lung

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2006760/Pillows-breeding-grounds-pests-diseases.html