Skip to content
logo The DIY portal for home and garden
Fluffy filling

What is important when washing down pillows

Washing down pillows
To ensure that down pillows are nice and fluffy again after washing, there are a few things to bear in mind Photo: Getty Images

October 10, 2024, 10:42 am | Read time: 3 minutes

Bed linen regularly ends up in the wash. But down pillows? They are often neglected. Read here how to wash pillows with feathers or down correctly.

Share article

While pillowcases are put in the washing machine at regular intervals, the pillow itself tends to be neglected. Especially when it comes to pillows with feathers or down because many people shy away from cleaning these filling materials. However, sweat, dandruff, and mites also accumulate over time. Here, you can find out how to wash down pillows properly and how to get them fluffy again.

Do you need a dryer?

For many people, a dryer is a great relief when washing. But don’t worry: if you want to wash your down pillow, you don’t need a dryer. The pillow can be dried afterward without the appliance. This means that nothing stands in the way of regularly cleaning down and feather pillows.

How to wash a down pillow

Before washing a feather or down pillow, you should first check whether there is still a label with the manufacturer’s recommendations. If it says, for example, that the pillow should only be washed at a maximum of 40 degrees, then you should follow these instructions. If there is no longer a label, there are various methods for washing the feather or down pillow. One of these is as follows:

  1. You put the pillow in the washing machine as normal and then set a gentle wash program at 30 degrees.
  2. As soon as the machine has finished rinsing, it is drained.
  3. Then take out the wet down pillow – don’t be surprised: It is now all puffed up. For this reason, it is better to only wash the pillows individually so that you can still get them out of the machine.
  4. The next step is to take the puffy pillow and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
  5. Finally, it is put back in the washing machine and spun at a low speed.

Tip: To wash the pillow, you should only use a mild detergent that is also suitable for wool or silk, for example.

More on the topic

Drying feather and down pillows correctly

After washing, it’s time to dry them. If you use a tumble dryer, you should again set a gentle cycle.

If you don’t have such an appliance, you can also leave the down pillow to air dry. To do this, place it on a clothes horse and shake it several times a day to loosen the feathers. It may take two to three days for the pillow to dry completely. It is important not to place the pillow directly in the sun – a warm summer day is still an advantage so that everything dries faster.

myHOMEBOOK is looking for your funniest handyman stories! Have you ever experienced something funny or bizarre and want to tell us about it? Then send us an e-mail with the subject “Handyman” to redaktion@myhomebook.de. The best stories will be published.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Cleaning
Your data privacy when using the share function
To share this article or other content via social networks, we need your consent for this .
You have successfully withdrawn your consent to the processing of personal data through tracking and advertising when using this website. You can now consent to data processing again or object to legitimate interests.