How to properly clean down pillows. Feather pillow cleaning. Features of cleaning sofa cushions

The modern market offers huge selection pillows with a variety of fillings: vegetable buckwheat husk, natural camel hair, bamboo, synthetic holofiber. Each person has different requirements for a sleeping pillow in order to feel rested in the morning. Fashionable environmental trends have led to the fact that downy products have become in demand again. And many simply in the old fashioned way remain true to their favorite "home" feather pillows. Consider characteristics household items with natural classic stuffing.

Peculiarities

Pillows are filled with down and feathers of waterfowl: geese, ducks, swans, less often chicken feathers. Such a natural pillow is hygroscopic, silent, durable, has good air permeability, has excellent thermoregulation, and retains its shape well. She is considered the most comfortable. The feather filler has no smell.

However, bird fluff is contraindicated for people with allergies.

Natural material quickly absorbs moisture and accumulates dust, collects dead skin and hair cells, the secret of the sebaceous and salivary glands, thus becoming a favorable atmosphere for the reproduction of mold, microbes and mites. Why there are problems with the respiratory system, the skin.

It doesn’t even occur to many housewives what a health hazard a dirty feather inside a pillowcase poses. Bed care is limited to changing pillowcases, sheets and duvet covers. This is not enough.

To prevent the occurrence of diseases, it is necessary to regularly clean feather pillows. The frequency of general processing of down products is 1-2 times a year. More frequent cleaning will damage the feathers and reduce the life of the product.

The procedure for processing a pillow at home is very difficult, but possible. Washing the finished pillow is not recommended. You will not achieve the desired effect, just get rid of a small amount of dust. In addition, you will encounter difficulties with the complete drying of the product. In order for the washing process to go well, you need to initially prepare for it.

Training

Determine which bird feathers your pillow is filled with. If these are chicken feathers, then the product can be safely disposed of. Or take the pillow to a specialist workshop and have it dry-cleaned, warning that the pillow is stuffed with chicken feathers. Washing chicken plumage is strictly prohibited. The fluff of this bird does not tolerate moisture, dries very poorly, and in the process of hygienic processing it can simply turn into dust.

Only waterfowl feather fillers can be washed. Sew a few covers for washing feathers. For one medium pillow standard size You will need at least 5 bags. For sewing, you can use any thin cotton fabric, chintz, teak. Old pillowcases, tulle or a pillowcase will do.

It is better not to use gauze, as it will not hold the fluff. Or fold it in three or four layers before sewing the covers.

Decide on the size of the bags. We measure the pillow that we are going to wash. We increase the length by 2 times, and leave the width the same. On the calculated parameters we sew additional bags.

If you do not want to sew a lot of extra pillowcases, then sew one, 3 times the size of the pillow. Some housewives resort to a different method: they sew small bags measuring 20x20 cm and fill them with 100-gram piles of fluff.

Before washing:

1. We knock out a feather pillow from dust.
2. We rip one edge of the napkin along the seam.
3. Carefully move the down filler into the covers made in advance.
4. We sew up the open edge of the bags firmly.

Shift the feather filler on a damp cloth, the fluff will linger on its surface and will not scatter across the floor.

You can clean the pillow only by following our recommendations.

Funds

For washing down and feather bedding, certain products are used that do not damage the base of the pillow. It is better to use liquid washing powder, wool gel, shampoo. They gently affect the fluff during washing.

Remarkably suitable products, which include lanolin. It prevents rapid contamination of feather fibers, makes them elastic and soft. Many housewives prefer folk remedy time-tested. They grate baby or laundry soap and dissolve it in water. Also use chlorine-containing concentrated bleach when washing, it eliminates and prevents the appearance of dust mites.

Remember that ordinary dry powder is not suitable for the care of down pillows. Its large particles are poorly washed out of feathers. Universal powder is also not recommended, its bleaching ingredients and enzymes have a destructive effect on the structure of the fibers.

When rinsing, do not use a conditioner with a strong fragrance. The down filling absorbs odors, and the obsessive aroma causes headache. It is better to use a couple of drops of any perfume instead of a second rinse. essential oil. For example, the aroma of basil eliminates insomnia, marigolds are a good sleeping pill and restore peace of mind, wonderful smell jasmine enhances sensuality and creates an intimate atmosphere, while medicinal chamomile oil has a huge range of medicinal qualities, it soothes and strengthens.

Essential oils will give the product a light, unobtrusive aroma and help ward off dust mites from fluff.

How to properly care?

Washing feather pillows at home is a rather difficult and lengthy process. Wet cleaning is possible different ways: manually or using washing machine.

In the washing machine

Most women prefer not to waste time and energy on washing with their hands, and use an automatic machine. It is impossible to wash the whole feather pillow. The filler will go astray in one lump. In addition, a dry pillow has a weight of about 5 kilograms. Having absorbed water, it will turn into a “training” weight, which not every washing machine can handle. Washing swan down pillows in a washing machine is possible if certain conditions are met:

• select the delicate mode or the hand wash mode;
• if the automatic machine has a “down” or “duvet” mode, then set it;
• we dial the temperature no higher than 40 degrees, preferably 30;

• set the mode with a minimum number of revolutions;
• we put special balls made of soft plastic or tennis balls into the drum; when washing, they will prevent the feathers from falling into one lump and remove all contaminants;
• distribute the load on the drum. It is advisable, in addition to a cover with feathers, to put a few towels. This will allow the washing machine to work correctly and eliminate its strong vibration;
• Rinse the covers with feathers at least twice. Don't forget to add flavor before the last cycle.

If the washing machine has an automatic drying function, the process is simplified several times, it goes better and faster. Select desired mode and finish the job.

Important: when washing in the machine, do not use the spin cycle. When wringing, the feathers break and become garbage. Wringing out covers with down filler can only be done manually. But if you still dared to use the machine spin, then choose the mode with the least number of revolutions (up to 400).

Manual way

Hand processing is a longer and more tedious procedure than washing in a washing machine. This method of cleaning can be carried out both in bags and without bags:

• Fill a large container with water at a temperature not higher than 40 and not lower than 30 degrees. Shouldn't be used hot water. From it, the protein that is contained inside the feather folds, and the fluff acquires bad smell which you can't get rid of later.
• Add liquid powder or other detergent and stir. Cleans feathers well next solution: for 5 liters of water 150 grams of grated soap and 1 teaspoon of ammonia.
• Put a bag of filler in a container or pour in some of the feathers. The fluff should float freely on the water, and not lie on its surface in a thick layer.
• Soak in warm soapy water for 2-3 hours.

• Put the feathers in a colander and rinse under the tap. If you wash in covers, then wash the bags, change the used water to a different soap solution and repeat the procedure until the water remains clean.
• Change the water and continue cleaning in the same sequence with the remaining covers or down.
• Rinse the feathers thoroughly in clean water after washing. Can be rinsed in conditioned water or with 2-3 drops of essential oil.
• Gently wring out the washed feathers.
• Gut the crumpled feathers immediately after washing. Spread them out evenly on an absorbent cloth. A large towel or bed sheet, baby diaper is also suitable. Roll the wet feather fabric into a tight roll. The fabric will take on most of the moisture.
• Don't forget to wash the empty pillowcase or replace it with a new one.

Steam cleaning

Not all housewives know that one of the ways to clean feather pillows at home is steam cleaning. And it doesn't matter if you have a steamer or a steam cleaner. You can also resort to the steam method using a conventional iron with the function of steam generation or vertical steaming:

1. Fix the pillow in an upright position. For example, you can hang it on a rope.
2. Treat the surface of the pillow on both sides with steam.
3. After 10-15 minutes, repeat the cleaning process and leave to dry. You can hang the pillow in the sun.
4. After drying, spread the filler with your hands.

Of course, steam cleaning is not a full wash, but it will secure and renew the pillow. Microorganisms and bacteria, dust mites die from the action of hot air of steam generators. The bed product gets rid of an unpleasant smell. With the help of steaming, the feather filler is cleaned of dust, the pillow acquires freshness.

Drying

In addition to washing milestone in cleaning a classic pillow is the correct and competent drying. If you approach this process irresponsibly, the filler will stick together into lumps, become moldy, and acquire a fetid odor. Wet feathers will lead to the reproduction of fungi and harmful bacteria in them. At home, you can use the following pillow drying options:

• Drying on fresh air . A good option for the summer period. After a gentle manual delicate spin, place the feathers in bags made of fine fabric. Knead the lumps with your hands, shake the covers with feathers. Hang the bags outdoors so that the wind blows them. You need to hang it in the shade, because the sun's rays negatively affect the elasticity and structure of the fluff. To prevent the feathers from getting damp inside the case, they need to be shaken and kneaded periodically. In hot windy weather, the fluff dries out in a fairly short time. In addition, ultraviolet rays contribute to disinfection.

• Drying on the battery. In the old days, women washed downy underwear in winter time, giving it a good freeze and acquire a unique frosty freshness. Frost kills germs, but does not dry out the down. That's why best option drying a feather pillow for winter time - drying on a battery. The method is very simple - spread the bags of fluff on the radiator.

Beat and turn the filler constantly, as the feathers dry out too quickly on the battery.

• Drying in the room. The most convenient and common option is drying in the room. Spread the feather filler on any horizontal surface in a ventilated area. It is desirable to pour it on paper or a moisture-absorbing fabric folded several times. Use newspaper as a last resort, but light-colored feathers are more likely to get smudged with ink. Stir wet down as often as possible to ensure fresh air flow. To prevent the drying process from being delayed, place a small amount of fluff on the selected surface.

If you spread the filler between two layers of gauze, you can speed up drying with a hair dryer. Remember that the feather filler must be dried in 2-3 days. If the drying process was unsuccessful, and the fluff acquired an unpleasant odor, it is necessary to re-wash the feathers by repeating the whole procedure again.

After drying, cover the floor with a dry sheet or oilcloth, then you will save yourself the hassle of cleaning the room. Pour the feathers into a clean or new pillowcase. A handful of hops can be added to the bedclothes along with feathers. The smell of hop cones has a calming effect on nervous system and helps eliminate insomnia. Sew up the breastplate with a tight seam.

• The best time for such painstaking work with pillows is the summer period. On a warm, fresh air flow, the filler will dry faster; in winter, drying will be delayed or may not work.
• Before washing, you can carry out the prevention of pillows from bed mites. Take 10 liters of water, add 1 teaspoon boric acid, 500 grams of soap and 100 grams of ammonia. Soak the pen in the resulting liquid for 1 hour.
• Fluff clogs the sewer, so when washing in the bathroom, we advise you to close the hole to drain the water with a protective mesh.
• Before washing feather bags in the washing machine, double-check that the covers you are using are secure and free from holes. Bags must be tight. Fallen fluff can clog the filter of the machine, and it will fail.

Many owners regularly change and wash bed sheets without thinking about the state bedding. Meanwhile, experts recommend cleaning pillows at least once a year, and it is advisable to carry out this procedure every three to four months.

The fact is that these products quickly collect and absorb dirt, dust, hair and dead skin cells and hair, various harmful bacteria.

As a result, dust mites form in the pillows. Inside the products, a favorable environment is formed for the reproduction of dangerous bacteria. This leads to an allergic reaction, asthma and other respiratory problems.

Most often, the symptoms of such diseases are observed in young children. However, teenagers, adults and even pets are not immune from such problems.

To avoid the troubles listed above, you need to clean the pillows, regardless of the type of filler and material of manufacture. In addition, proper and proper care will return the product softness, airiness, elasticity and a presentable appearance.

However, with improper cleaning, the pillow, on the contrary, may lose its shape and deform. Therefore, it is important to provide high-quality and safe care. Let's see how to clean feather pillows at home.

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 wash feather and down pillows need the same methods. This can be done by hand, in a washing machine or by steaming. Below we will take a closer look at each method separately;
• 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. The whole bamboo pillow is washed in the pillowcase by hand or in a washing machine at a water temperature of up to 40 degrees. Use a gel, shampoo, or other liquid fabric cleanser in minimal amounts. In this case, it is not recommended to take powder and chlorine-containing compounds. And remember that bamboo pillows cannot be wringed out!;
• Sintepon products, latex and holofiber pillows are washed with a detergent for washing synthetic fabrics. Select the delicate mode with temperatures up to 40 degrees. After washing, the material is carefully wrung out, as it absorbs moisture well.

Hand wash feather and down pillow

For hand-washing feather or down pillows, take several meters of gauze or ready-made gauze laundry bags, liquid wool detergent, fabric softener and new pillowcases. Three large bags are made from several layers. The pillow is opened and the pillowcase is torn open, the feather is pulled out and laid out in bags that are sewn up.

AT warm water with a temperature of 40-50 degrees, add detergent and wash gauze bags with fluff or feathers in it. After that, rinse the products in clean cool water several times. At the last rinse, add conditioner.

Then carefully wring out the bags and send to dry in fresh air or on a battery. During drying, periodically beat the filler and turn it in different directions.

When the feather and down are dry, the filler is transferred to a new pillowcase. The breastplate is sewn up, and a clean pillowcase is put on top. When hand washing, you can not use gauze bags, but immediately put the down and feather in soapy water so that they float freely in the container and do not stick together.

Soak the filler for 1-2 hours, then drain the water through a colander and then rinse the collected fluff with running water. After that, wash the filler in a new soapy solution, rinse again and send to dry.

To dry the fluff, spread it on a newspaper and expose it to fresh air or lay it on a radiator. Dry the feather base thoroughly, otherwise mold may occur.

Hand washing is a rather complicated and troublesome process. However, it qualitatively cleans the filler. Be sure that dust and feather mites, bacteria living in the feather base and the pillowcase will completely disappear with this wash.

How to wash a pillow in a washing machine

In the washing machine, feather and down machines are washed in the same way as when washing by hand. To do this, the napkin is ripped open, the feather and fluff are distributed over dense gauze bags.

Only the bags this time are placed in the washing machine. For washing, choose a delicate mode with a temperature of up to 40 degrees and spin with a minimum number of revolutions up to 400.

Use only liquid detergents for woolen materials and fabrics, and add fabric softener while rinsing. By the way, read how to wash and care for things made of wool without harm to the material.

If you want to wash the whole pillow. To do this, place the product in a special laundry bag. Set the delicate cycle to the minimum wash temperature, minimum spin and double rinse.

By the way, this washing method is also suitable for other types of pillows, including those with bamboo, padding polyester and holofiber. However, in the first case, you cannot use spin, while in others, on the contrary, a strong spin is used.

After wringing, feather and down pillows are torn apart, the filler is dried separately, and the pillowcase is replaced. Products from other types of filler are dried entirely. When the fluff and feather are dry, they are stuffed with a new pillowcase.

Then the pillow should be fluffed. If you do not want to change the pillowcase, you can dry the entire pillow. Do this in the fresh air in an upright position, hanging the product on clothespins.

How to steam down and feather pillows

Using a handheld steamer, steam generator or vertical steam iron is the most easy way, which allows you to clean and smooth products in just 10-20 minutes.

Such devices are suitable for delicate, thin and complex fabrics. They effectively clean the material, eliminate germs, viruses and dust mites from the surface of the pillows. In addition, steaming will help get rid of unpleasant odors.

To steam the pillow, fill the appliance with water and heat to minimum temperature. Then hang the product so that it is vertical. Steam the surface twice on each side.

Leave to dry completely, then straighten the filler inside and put on a clean pillowcase. Of course, this is an inferior wash. However, steaming will clean, renew, and protect the filler, as well as the pillowcase.

You don't have to wash pillows at home. You can always give the products to dry cleaning, where the products will not only be washed, but also, if necessary, restored. Old pillows need a change of feather and pillowcase.

By the way, the prices for these services are quite reasonable. Proper care behind pillows - a guarantee of the health of households, a guarantee of the durability of products. They will be soft, comfortable and safe!

To make pillows less dirty, use two calico pillowcases. When putting on a new pillowcase, first wash the material from the inside with laundry soap and dry it. Then the feather base will keep clean and safe longer.

A pillow is one of the most common things in the household, life without which for most people is not possible. Many choose products with natural fillers and, as a rule, these are feather pillows. However, they need proper care, which will save them for many years and save the family budget.

Can feather pillows be washed?

Yes, they can be washed both by hand and with a washing machine at home or in specialized salons.

How to wash a feather pillow at home

Before you start washing, you need to consider which feathers are used as filler. If these are chicken feathers, then it is better not to wash them at home, but to take them to a specialized salon or dry cleaner, focusing on dry cleaning without the use of steam. If the pillows are filled with goose or duck feathers, you can wash them yourself.

Handwash

For this procedure, any complex liquid detergent or washing gel from the store is suitable (for example: Ariel, Laska, Persil, Losk, BiMax and others). It will not be superfluous to add a stain remover and / or conditioner (Vernel, Vanish, etc.). And you can wash it the old fashioned way - with a solution of laundry soap and ammonia in a ratio of two teaspoons to about 100 g of grated bar of soap.

Wash the pillow in the following order:

• open the pillow, put the feathers in pieces into bags in the prepared solution, after tying them tightly;
• after immersing the entire filler in the liquid, stir it and leave it to soak for four to six hours;
• when time has passed, remove the filler from the solution and rinse with cold clean water;
• to dry the feathers, you need to lay them out on a flat surface in a ventilated room, covering with gauze, and then wait a few days (mixing occasionally) until it dries;
• sew the dry filler into a new pillowcase.

Is it possible to wash a feather pillow in a washing machine

Pillows with feather filler can be safely washed in a washing machine, the main thing is that the feathers are inside the pillowcase, or packaged in special cases so that the filler does not spread throughout the washing machine and spoil it, clogging everything that is possible.

How to wash feather pillows in the washing machine

If the feather pillow fits into the drum as a whole, then it can be washed without removing the filler. It is optimal to wash two at once, but at the same time, at least 1/3 of the empty space should remain in the drum. Otherwise, you will have to open the product, remove the filler and place it in separate fabric bags. Before washing, it is recommended to knock out the pillow.

• use detergents for washing delicate fabrics without conditioner and rinse aid;
• the water temperature during washing and rinsing should not exceed 40 degrees;
• the number of rinses should not exceed three, and the number of drum revolutions - 500;
• after rinsing, leave what was washed in the washing machine for 30 - 40 minutes so that the glass has excess moisture;
• if you put 2-3 tennis balls (or rubber of a similar size) in the drum, they will break up the collected feathers during washing and release stuck dirt and dust clods.

How to wash a feather pillow

Wash the feather pillow in the "Delicate wash" mode so that it does not deteriorate, or use the "Duvet" mode if it is available in the washing machine.

How to dry a feather pillow after washing

After excess moisture is removed from the glass cushion, you need to remove it and place it on a flat surface, periodically turning it over to the other side for even drying. Or pick it up on a clothesline with clothespins and wait a day until it dries, periodically turning it over and fluffing it so that the feathers are fluffy. Washing in the washing machine on automatic mode better themes that after it the feathers dry out faster than with the manual method.

How to dry pillow feathers

If the feathers were washed separately in fabric bags, then the procedure is similar to that applied to drying the pillow, but it will take much less time: 12-14 hours, after which the dry filler can be sewn into a new pillowcase.

Can feather pillows be taken out in the cold?

But drying a wet product in the cold is not recommended. It is better to schedule your laundry for the warm season and dry the pillow under the sun.

Feather pillow cleaning, restoration

In addition, to wash the pillow, you can clean and update it, which will save time on drying the wet filling. Cleaning is recommended every six months.

Where can you clean feather pillows?

You can clean it at home, or take it to specialized salons or dry cleaners, where they can be processed by special means and sprinkle.

How to clean feather pillows in specialized salons

Specialized salons or dry cleaners may use the following cleaning methods:

1. Chemical. During dry cleaning, the filler is removed from the pillow and processed in a solvent that removes dust mites, dirt, dust and odors. After that, the feathers are dried and ventilated from the solution, which can damage the feathers in some cases.
2. Dry cleaning. With this method, the filler is cleaned using a strong air stream.
3. Using ultraviolet. When using UV, all living organisms, as well as products of vital activity, are guaranteed to be destroyed.

After cleaning, the filler is sewn into new pillowcases and the output is a clean and soft pillow.

How much does it cost to clean a feather pillow

The cost of cleaning feather pillows in specialized salons, on average in Russia, costs from 250 to 400 rubles per unit. The price may vary depending on the type of cleaning, the region of residence and the company itself that performs this procedure.

How to clean feather pillows at home

To clean your feather pillow at home, you can vacuum them. This will help remove dust mites from the surface and a little from the filler, but inside everything will remain practically unchanged. It is advisable to knock out the pillow beforehand, which will help to clean it of dust from the inside, but this will not completely remove it. At home, this can only be done by washing in a washing machine or by hand, or professional cleaning in the cabin.

In order for a feather pillow to serve its life well, it is necessary to properly care for it. It is worth adhering to the following recommendations:

• beat every morning so that it is soft and airy;
• ventilate regularly;
• wash two to three times a year, as feathers absorb sweat and other secretions well, which is why it starts to smell bad;
• life span - five to six years, after which you need to buy a new one or take it for restoration.

How to remove odor from a feather pillow

To remove the smell, try airing (roasting) it in the sun, washing it, or dry cleaning it.

Since feathers are a natural filler, it absorbs organic secretions well, for people with excessive sweating it is better to buy products with synthetic or bamboo fillers.

The smell from the new feather pillow

If the bad smell comes from new feather pillows, then there are several options to correct the situation:

1. If the receipts are safe, return them to the store.
2. You can try to ventilate the product.
3. Wash.

Feathers are coming out of the pillow, what to do

When the pillowcase becomes thin, feathers begin to climb out of the pillow. In this case, you need to replace the breastplate, or put a new one on top of the old one.

To care for a feather pillow, contact specialized salons, or do it yourself. Washing, cleaning, restoration - all this will help to extend its life and avoid unpleasant odors or developing an allergy to dust mites, dust, or the feathers themselves, which is important. Proper care is the key to life for any thing.

The most common types of pillows are down and feather. They are in almost every home. Such products are very comfortable and soft, the filler in them, unlike synthetic ones, does not “fall off” and does not gather into clods.

But products made from such material quickly accumulate dust in themselves, and bacteria easily multiply in them, which is harmful to human health. That is why you need to know how to wash a feather pillow at home.

What to do with old feather pillows

Unlike chicken feather pillows, a duck or goose feather pillow will last up to 50 years.

Nowadays, the choice of pillows is very wide. You can purchase a down, feather or bamboo product. Each type of filler has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The most significant disadvantage of feather and down pillows is that in the absence of proper care they become a breeding ground for mites, bacteria and dust. That is why feather fillers need to be cleaned regularly.

However, you should be aware that after a certain time you will have to get rid of the pillow, because it will be unusable. The shelf life of such products depends on whose pen they are filled with.

If this is a goose or duck feather, then you can use such a pillow for a very long time - up to 50 years. When chicken feathers are present in the “stuffing” of the product, then after 5–7 years it is better to get rid of it, since the filler will become unusable.

Where can you clean down pillows?

Due to the characteristics of the filler, cleaned down or feather pillows can be used for no more than six months. After this period expires, they will have to be washed again.

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You can clean a pillow with such a filler both at home and in a dry cleaner, laundry or a special salon where pillows are restored.

Tidying up a pillow at home is not as difficult as it seems, but it will take a lot of time to process it yourself. In addition, after washing, the filler dries for a long time, and the cleaning process will take a long time.

What pillow filler is better to buy with

If you have free time you can do whatever you need at home. For those who do not want to "stretch" this process the best option going to dry cleaning.

How much does it cost to dry clean a feather pillow

In specialized dry cleaners and laundries, you can offer two types of washing - dry and wet.

• Wet washing is carried out using organic detergents. The feather is removed from the pillow, placed in a tank and treated with a special solution. Thanks to this, all bacteria, microorganisms and foreign odors are destroyed in the filler. The pen is then washed and dried.
• Dry cleaning (also called air cleaning) is the treatment of the filler with air or hot steam, as well as UV radiation. The pen is blown through, due to which the volume of the product is restored, and dust and debris are removed. At the same time, ultraviolet treatment is underway - this allows you to destroy all bacteria. After the cleaning, the new bedclothes are filled with a cleaned feather.

Chicken feather pillows are best dry-cleaned.

The cost of dry cleaning services depends on the size of the pillow. The larger it is, the higher the price will be. On average, the price varies between 400-500 rubles. Plus, the old pillowcase will have to be thrown away, and you will pay extra for a new cover.

How to clean down pillows at home

If you do not trust dry cleaners, you can always do the work yourself, without any extra money.

How to clean feather pillows? First you need to determine the feather and fluff of which birds are stuffed with products. If this is a chicken feather, then it would be better to contact the dry cleaners, focusing the attention of employees on the need for dry cleaning, without the use of steam. Otherwise, the feathers may simply crumble into fibers.

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But if the pen is goose or duck, feel free to get to work on your own. You can clean the filling of feather pillows by hand or machine washing.

Handwash

Goose or duck feather pillows can be cleaned with laundry soap and ammonia.

To clean your pillow effectively, you first need to decide which detergent you will enjoy.

It can be laundry soap with ammonia (half a bar of soap is rubbed on a grater, dissolved in one bucket of water and two teaspoons of ammonia are added there).

If you don’t want to mess around with the preparation of such a solution, use a detergent for washing woolen fabrics. The work must be done in the following sequence:

• Spread the pillow, and in parts immerse the filler, laid out in bags, into the prepared solution. This must be done carefully, tightly tying the bags, otherwise the light fluff will scatter throughout the room.
• After all the fluff is immersed in the liquid, “stir” it a little with your hands and leave it to soak for 4-6 hours.
• Then remove the filler from the cleaning solution and rinse with clean water. Do it better with the help of the shower. If you want to give your feathers a scent, you can treat them with fabric softener before the final rinse.
• To dry the feather filler, lay it on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area and cover with cheesecloth on top. The feather will take a long time to dry, usually it takes several days.
• Sew the dried clean fluff into a new pillowcase.

Remember that you need to wait until the pen is completely dry, and only then lay it out on the pillowcases. Otherwise, excess moisture will spoil the filler, and it will be impossible to correct the situation.

Machine wash

With the help of a typewriter, it is possible to wash the pillow without disassembling it. The main condition is that it must be in a special case. If this is not done, there is a high risk that the pillowcase will break and the fluff will clog the working parts of the machine.

Feather and down pillows have a fairly long service life. The only drawback is that such products require complex cleaning, which must be performed at least once a year. To do this, they can be taken to a dry cleaner or an institution that specializes in this. But cleaning pillows from any material is possible at home, without the use of chemicals.

Pillows stuffed with feathers last a very long time, but only if they are cleaned regularly. You can do it yourself, at home, or take the product to dry cleaning.

Usually dry cleaning takes place in two stages:

1. All filler is removed from the pillow. After that, the feathers are treated with an organic solvent. It removes accumulated dirt, dust, germs, insects and odors. But in some cases, the solvent can damage the feathers.
2. The pen is dried and aired. Sometimes there is a shrinkage of the volume of the filler, which leads to a decrease in the softness and size of the product.

In addition, there are other ways:

1. Dry cleaning. The feathers are cleaned with a strong air current.
2. The use of ultraviolet. With the help of ultraviolet radiation, microorganisms living in feathers and dust mites are not destroyed.

Then the feathers are packaged in new pillowcases, resulting in a soft and clean pillow. But dry cleaning is expensive. Therefore, with limited funds, you can clean the feather or down pillow yourself.

Down filling cleaning

Down is the warmest of fillers. duvets and pillows retain heat well and do not absorb moisture. They do not lose their volume for a long time and serve for about 20 years.

Steps for cleaning these items:

1. You need to pick up a new pillowcase - you can sew it yourself or buy it.
2. Remove the filler from the pillow and soak it in water with a temperature of 20-25 degrees for a couple of hours.
3. Next, you need to drain dirty water and again soak the fluff in water, but this time with powder.
4. Carefully wash the filler, rinse it well in clean water and wring it out.
5. Place clean, damp fluff in gauze bags and hang it up, thereby allowing the absorbed water to drain.
6. Spread the filler in an even small layer on the prepared surface and cover it with a chintz cloth to prevent scattering when drying.
7. It is necessary to regularly turn the fluff to prevent it from sticking together.
8. After the filler has completely dried, fill it with a breastplate and sew it up.

The result is a light and voluminous pillow - just like new.

Feather Cleaning

Feather pillow lasts no longer than 6 years. After this period, the product must be disposed of and replaced. But it also needs periodic cleaning for a number of reasons. The first is that it absorbs moisture and fat secretions very well. Because of this, the feather gathers in lumps, and as a result, the product becomes rigid. The second is that it absorbs dust, which increases the likelihood of allergies.

The easiest way to clean a pillow is to vacuum it with a powerful vacuum cleaner. But this is not effective enough, since such cleaning will not completely remove the dust.

The most effective option for washing the filler. The pillow cannot be completely washed: it is too heavy for hand washing. You can also wash it in the machine, but the desired effect will not be achieved, only dirt and dust will be removed. In addition, in the process, feathers can stick together and stray into lumps. It will be impossible to fix it.

Before washing the filler, you need to determine which feather is used in the pillow. This information is contained on a sewn-in label. Only waterfowl feathers and down can be washed. A pillow with chicken feathers must be recycled - such a filler is poorly dried, moreover, it often turns into dust.

Cleaning steps:

1. Pick up a new apron.
2. Take warm water with a temperature of no more than 30 degrees into a container, add liquid soap or washing powder.
3. Remove the feathers from the pillow and soak them in the prepared solution for a couple of hours.
4. Drain the water.
5. Rinse the feathers thoroughly in running water.
6. Place the filler in small portions into prepared gauze or chintz bags and squeeze out excess water.
7. Hang the bags in a well-ventilated place until completely dry, shaking them occasionally to prevent clumping of the filler.
8. Stuff the breastplate with dry, peeled feathers and sew it up.

Washing the pen in the washing machine

With such a wash, it is necessary to take into account factors that will protect the washing machine from damage, and the pillow from clumping:

1. It is necessary to prepare a special cover that will prevent damage to the parts of the washing machine as a result of clogging with feathers.
2. Gauze bags, where feathers will be placed in small portions, must be made as strong as possible. This is possible if you roll the gauze in 4-6 layers and sew them with small dense stitches.
3. After washing the bags with feathers in the machine, you need to lay them out on a flat, ventilated plane, illuminated by the sun's rays. During drying, the bags must be turned over and smoothed frequently to prevent clumping of the filler.
4. After the feathers are completely dry, you need to fill them with a pillowcase and sew it tightly.

Pillows stuffed with down or feathers are comfortable and less likely to cause allergies, as they are made of natural materials. But at the same time, their qualities directly depend on the regularity of cleaning, which is quite possible to perform at home.