Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants. Feather and down bed pillows can be easily washed at home to maintain their freshness and cleanliness. Many people worry that washing might damage the comfort and structure of these pillows, but this isn't true. While hand washing is an option, using a washing machine with a gentle cycle and cold water is a quicker and simpler method. Avoid wringing or twisting the pillow to prevent clumping of the filling, and repair any tears or seam openings before starting the wash. Follow these simple steps to wash your down and feather pillows to keep them fluffy, clean, and fresh smelling. If you're using a standard top-load washer, always load two pillows on each side of the agitator to maintain balance. Add a fiber-filled pillow or white towels if you don't have two feather pillows.
If washing in a top-load, Derila Sleep Aid™ Memory Foam Pillow high-efficiency washer or a front-load washer, add a couple of white towels to help balance the load. Before you begin washing, Derila Sleep Support examine the cover of the pillow. The fabric covering should be tightly woven to keep filling contained during washing. Mend any worn or ripped seams. Set the water temperature to cold water and use the gentle cycle. Add only 1 to 2 teaspoons of a high-efficiency, low-suds detergent. Suds are bad for feathers if they're not completely rinsed away. Do not use fabric softener on a feather or down pillow because it can coat the down and reduce the pillow's fluffiness. After the washer is finished, run an extra rinse cycle to remove any residual detergent in the feathers. Once the second rinse cycle is complete, remove the pillows from the washer and fluff them while wet. Place them in the dryer set on medium heat. Add wool dryer balls, clean tennis balls, or even a pair of clean canvas tennis shoes to the dryer with your pillows to help break up clumps of feathers during the drying cycle.
Stop the dryer every 15 minutes, and re-fluff the pillows by hand. Drying time will vary depending on the size of the pillows. Make sure they're thoroughly dry before placing them back on the bed. To double-check that the Orthopedic Sleep Pillow is bone dry, squeeze it all over for any clumps still trapping moisture. Residual moisture can lead to fungal growth. It's perfectly fine to clean feather bed pillows weekly or monthly if you prefer, especially during hot and humid seasons. The rule-of-thumb recommendation is to wash them at least every six months. You decide whether you want to wash new pillows before you use them. Investing in waterproof, allergen-blocking pillow protectors is also ideal, as they will allow you to wash your pillows less and thus extend their lifespan. Laundering down pillows correctly involves a lot of hand-fluffing and working out clumps, which means room for human error. The more often you wash them, the more risk there is for leaving moist clumps behind and growing mold in expensive pillows.
A down pillow should always have a zip-up cover and pillowcase on it to help protect the pillow from stains. However, pillows are prone to turning yellow due to body oil, sweat, and dust buildup. To lighten the yellow stains, mix a solution of 1 cup powdered laundry detergent, 1/2 cup borax, and 4 cups boiling water. Put the pillow in the washing machine, add the hot water solution, and let the pillow soak for 30 minutes. Flip the pillow halfway through, then wash and dry it as usual. Feather pillows need to breathe. Protect them from dirt and dust by storing them in pillow covers instead of plastic bags or bins. Keep them in a cool, dry spot like a linen closet. If air-drying pillows, wash feather pillows on a low-humidity, sunny day for quicker drying. Always use a washable pillow cover to keep the feather pillow as clean as possible.