How to clean a feather, down, or sofa pillow - any housewife sooner or later asks herself this question. It is not at all necessary to take them to the laundry; you can easily handle this job yourself.
Cleaning a feather pillow
Before you begin hand washing, prepare the necessary equipment. This includes warm water (the more the better), powder or washing gel wool, a clean bed sheet, several old pillowcases or bags. The scheme is simple:
- Dissolve detergent in warm water.
- Carefully cut the old napkin so that the feather does not scatter around the room.
- Place the feathers in the prepared soap solution, making sure that they are all well wet. It is better to wash them in parts. Leave for several hours to remove dirt and odors.
- Drain the soapy water, get clean water, and rinse. Repeat the procedure until the desired result is obtained.
Squeeze out the wet filling, place it in small portions on pillowcases prepared in advance, and smooth it out. It is better to dry it on the street or balcony in summer, and near the radiator in winter. Be sure to fluff the pillow periodically to ensure the feathers dry evenly. After a couple of days, when the filler has completely dried, you can fill a new bedstead with it. Some feathers will still scatter around the room, so you will have to use a vacuum cleaner. After stuffing, sew up the pillowcase (preferably a linen seam) and put on the pillowcase. Manual cleaning of the pillow is complete.
Washing a feather pillow by hand is a rather labor-intensive process. Therefore, you can use a washing machine. The principle is approximately the same, you just need to configure the program correctly:
- The filler from the ripped pillowcase is laid out in several pillowcases or bags made of thick fabric.
- Set the “delicate wash” or “wool” mode and set the temperature to 40°. It is also advisable to use a gel or other liquid product.
- Spin to minimum, but rinse twice. Before the second, you can add fabric softener.
The disadvantage of machine washing is that feathers caught inside the drum can get caught in the filter. Therefore, the bags in which they are placed before starting the machine must be tightly tied and have no holes at the seams. You should not try to wash all the feathers at once if the pillow is quite large. Use the principle “less filler - better result.” Place 2-3 bags in the drum, this will help distribute the load evenly. After washing, the feathers can be dried in the same bags in which they were washed, only before drying you need to knead the clumps. Dry in the same way as after hand washing.
Cleaning a down pillow
There are three options for cleaning a down filled pillow. This is hand and machine washable, as well as steam treatment.
- For manual processing, prepare a large container with hot soapy water. The filler should not lie in a dense wet lump, this will negatively affect the final result. Leave the fluff to soak for a couple of hours, this time is enough to remove stains.Then drain the dirty water, lightly squeeze out the filler, and place under running water. You can rinse using a colander. Pre-close the drain hole with a mesh to avoid blockages in the sewer. While the fluff is rinsing, prepare another solution with detergent and carefully remember the almost clean stuffing in it. Then rinse again and lay out to dry. Lay out clean newspapers or a soft cloth and spread clean litter evenly over their surface. It must be dried in the sun, just as its feathers must be turned over from time to time and the down balls broken up. Drying time, depending on conditions, can take up to 5 days. The down in the pillowcase should be spread evenly over the entire area.
- You don't need a new diaper for steaming. It does not remove dirt as well as washing, but it is quite suitable for refreshing the pillow. Hot steam will remove odors, renew the fabric of the diaper, and destroy the lion's share of bacteria and dust mites. Place the pillow vertically and run the steamer jet over the entire surface twice. After processing, the product should dry well, and then all that remains is to straighten the fluff and put on a new pillowcase.
- Before you throw your furry pet inside the washing machine, check the washing instructions label. It is possible that only dry cleaning is allowed. Therefore, to maintain the presentable appearance of the product, you should not ignore the manufacturer’s advice. After machine washing, you will have to replace the diaper. The temperature is set to 30-40°, the mode is manual or for fluff, plus minimum spin speed. The product is placed in a washing case, and a couple of plastic balls are placed there to fluff up the pillow.At the end of the cycle, the pillowcase is ripped open and the dry fluff is stuffed into a new one.
Cleaning a decorative sofa cushion
The decorative pillowcase of the sofa cushion and the filling (usually padding polyester or holofiber) are washed separately. Before washing, check the product for suitability for further use - its surface should return to its original shape after a heavy object has been lying on it for several minutes. If a dent remains, the packing cannot be renewed and you will have to purchase a new one.
Before machine washing, the pillow can be soaked in warm water, adding a little gel. It would be optimal to wash two items at once, since they will beat each other and the load on the drum will be more uniform. The process itself is slightly different from the previous ones: set the “Synthetic” mode, the temperature is not higher than 50°, use liquid detergent and a mesh cover. If there is heavy soiling, you can use a stain remover, but bleach is not needed - it can damage the structure of the fiber. Be sure to double rinse. It is advisable to dry an item with a synthetic filler in a ventilated area or in the sun, and before that, let it dry for a couple of hours in a horizontal position so that the water drains away. Whip and turn the product occasionally. A new pillowcase can only be put on a completely dry pillow, otherwise dampness will attract new dirt and germs.
With a decorative pillowcase the situation is a little more complicated. If it has hand embroidery or natural silk or leather is used for tailoring, it is better to have the product dry-cleaned. There the pillow will be brought into proper shape without the risk of damaging the material and decorations.For home washing, take a soft powder, dilute it in warm water and soak the pillowcase for two to three hours. Then run the washing machine on a delicate cycle, and immediately after it finishes, remove and hang the drying cover. Store-bought pillowcases usually have labels on them. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and you will be able to maintain the beauty of your pillow. If there is no label, do not wash silk, wool, suede or leather pillows. This type of material should be cleaned by professionals.
During the washing process, the filler may form clumps. They can be easily kneaded and distributed over a pillowcase. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to rip the fabric open and sort out any lumps of padding polyester. If you wish, you can try to comb out the stuffing and then return it to its place.
