Our feather pillows are the biggest harbors of dust, dirt, oils, and dead skin cells and hence need some loving. However, we are scared to wash our luxurious-feeling feather pillows only for them to lose their fluff.
Yes, you can wash a feather pillow. We endorse using either a front or a top-loading machine wash with no agitator. Remember to fix any openings or tears and load a maximum of two feather pillows at a go.
If you are skeptical about washing your feather pillow, the gunk may transfer to your skin, triggering skin infections. Also, who wants to lay their heads on a smelly feather pillow?
How To Wash A Feather Pillow
Here is a complete guide that we have designed for you to wash your feather pillow hassle-free;
Remove Any Pillow Protectors And Pillowcovers
If a pillow protector or pillow cover encases your feather pillow, start by removing it. Proceed to wash these how you do your bedsheets.
Check For Any Openings
Inspect your feather pillow for any tears or openings since they may let the feather fillings leak during the wash cycle. The friction during the machine wash process may worsen the openings, destroying your pillow. To fix this, sew any visible openings.
Place The Feather Pillow(s) In Your Washer While Considering Their Dimensions
Proceed to add your feather pillow(s) to your machine wash. Ensure that your machine wash is either a front or a top-loading one with no agitator. If using one with an agitator, place your feather pillows vertically.
Please note that cramming your feather pillows into one machine wash can destroy them. They may also cause mechanical glitches to your machine wash since wet feather is weighty. For this reason, check your pillow dimensions to ensure that they can move with ease in your machine wash.
DO NOT Add Any Detergent Or Fabric Softeners
While detergent works wonders in cleaning, we recommend excluding it when washing your feather pillow. The feathers in the pillows contain natural oils that insulate the birds during winter, preventing them from dying of cold.
Washing these feather pillows with detergent will wash off these oils, making them brittle. The brittle feathers can break with ease and poke you when you lie on them, causing discomfort. In addition, the pillows lose their fluff, lowering their quality.
If you must wash your feather pillows with detergent, make sure that it is an emergency. Go for gentle detergents that care for your feather pillows and do not add any chemicals. In such cases, add a small amount of laundry soap to your washer.
Set Your Machine Washer To 'gentle wash' Or 'delicate'
Your feather pillow needs tender care compared to a regular one to maintain its feel and look. Setting your machine washer to gentle wash or delicate will let it wash your feather pillows with care.
If not, the machine wash could rough-wash your feather pillow. It could stiffen and break the feathers in your pillow, causing it to lose its bounciness. In addition, the broken feathers will poke through the covers and prick you, causing discomfort.
| Image | Title | Buy |
|---|---|---|
 | Handheld Vacuum Cleaner for Bed Sheets, Mattresses, Pillows, Cloth Sofas, Carpets | Learn More |
 | Mattress Vacuum Cleaner UV Light 12Kpa Strong Suction Low Noise Corded Handheld Cleaner for Couch, Bed, Mattress Pillows, Carpet | Learn More |
 | TreeActiv Anti-Acne Pillow Spray, Refreshing Blanket, Fabric, Linen Sheets, & Pillow Mist for Pimple Prevention, Travel Pillow Spray with Lavender & Tea Tree Oils for Deep Sleep, 1000 Sprays | Learn More |
Use Cold Or Lukewarm Water Only
While we are used to hot water for spotless cleaning, this is not the case with feather pillows. Hot water destroys the feather content in your pillow, lowering its fluff and overall quality.
So, before you claim that boiling-hot water kills all the germs and gets rid of the oils, please consider this. You could be compromising the quality of your feather pillow and harming your health in the end.
Rinse Your Feather Pillow
Since you are gentle-washing your feather pillow, we advise rinsing it before completing your machine wash. It will get rid of any dirt that got trapped in the initial wash.
If you do not have a machine washer, hand-wash the feather pillow while considering the same guidelines. Use no detergent and be gentle.
How To Dry Your Feather Pillow After Washing
You want to be careful with how you dry out your pillow since it can make or break it. Follow the following steps for the right way to dry your feather pillow after machine-washing;
Gently Drain The Excess Water
Feather pillows soaked in water are heavy. At the same time, you need to handle them with care, or else you compromise on quality.
Once you take your washed feather pillow out of the washing machine, place it in between dry cotton towels. Proceed to press it gently to drain the water. If the towel gets too wet, get another one and repeat.
Avoid wringing or twisting the pillow to force out the water. Doing so will damage the feather content in your pillow.
Learn more: How To Wash Pillows
Dry Using The Low Or No Heat Setting
Once you complete draining water from your pillow, place it in your dryer to get rid of the remaining moisture. You might get the temptation to set your dryer on a medium to high for a quick-drying session. However, we discourage this and recommend setting it on either zero or low heat.
It is impossible to have the feather pillow fully dry after the initial drying cycle. When the timer goes off, fluff your feather pillow and repeat the drying process while maintaining the heat settings. Be patient with the drying phase since the duration varies from machine to machine.
If you are impatient, add clean tennis balls or dryer balls to hasten the drying process. Alternatively, add a clean, dry cotton towel or bed sheet to help with the drying.
Signs That Your Feather Pillow Is Not Completely Dry
Before you remove your feather pillow from the dryer, check for the following signs;
- Clumping
If your feather pillow is clumped up even after several cycles of drying, there is water still in it. Toss it back in the dryer for another cycle of drying. A dry feather pillow ought to be fluffy.
To check for clumping, fluff your feather pillow amid drying.
- Heaviness
Your pillow should go back to its weight before washing. If you notice that your feather pillow feels heavier, the drying process is incomplete.
- Odor
A feather pillow that is not fully dry will have a strong odor. It may smell of dampness, which, if left in, causes mold and bacteria to breed. This can cause serious health hazards besides damaging your luxurious feather pillow.
More like this: How to Wash Decorative Pillows [GUIDE]
How Often To Wash Your Feather Pillow
We recommend washing your feather pillow every six months. Just like bed sheets and towels, feather pillows get dirty too.
You shed dead skin and a few hair strands during sleep. In addition, the dust, dirt, and oils end up on our feather pillows, forming gunk. Continuous sleeping on this health hazard makes you susceptible to skin and respiratory problems.
Some people are night sweaters, night bathers, or are ones that slather layers of hair and body products before sleep. If you fall in this group, you may need to clean your feather pillow before the six-month mark.
How To Prolong The Life Of Your Clean Feather Pillow
Use pillow protectors or pillow covers to protect your feather pillow from sweat, water, hair, and face products. In addition, put your hair in a satin scarf or bonnet. It will prevent moisture and hair products from transferring to your pillow.
Also, avoid folding or scrunching your feather since it causes the feather shafts to break. Fluff your pillow every day to enhance its bounce and prevent it from clumping. Doing these guarantees you up to seven years of luxurious sleep.
Keep reading: How Many Pillows Should I Sleep With? [ANSWERED]
Conclusion
Before washing a feather pillow, remove the protective cover and seal any openings. Avoid using laundry detergent and double-rinse before practicing patience during drying.
Also read:
- Cleaning Mattress with Baking Soda
- How To Remove Blood From Mattress (COMPLETE GUIDE)
- How to Wash Decorative Pillows [GUIDE]
Feruza is a mom and a blogger. She had a neck pain for 15 years, which made her interested in everything about pillows.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made on our website. If you make a purchase through links from this website, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
