There is nothing better than burying your face in a soft fluffy pillow at the end of a long day. But for that pillow to stay fluffy and clean, you need to know how to properly care for it. And with so many things to consider, pillow care is mind-boggling at best. Their material is at the forefront of that list. If you’re an owner of feather-filled pillows and are asking yourself (and the internet) if you can you wash feather pillows, you’ve come to the right place.
Our experts advise on the best pillow care practice, how to wash pillows filled with down and feathers and whether you should wash them at all. As well as many other tips and tricks to keep your feather pillows looking and feeling their best for as long as possible.
Can you wash feather pillows?
Just like anything else, pillows get dirty too. Especially as we use them on a daily basis and they are not immune to our natural body oils. So you might be tempted to wash your feather pillows once in a while and wonder how to go about it - should you put them in a washing machine? Wash them by hand? The bottom line is, experts advise against washing feather pillows altogether.
‘I would highly recommend you avoid washing feather pillows whenever you can and reserving washing only for emergencies,’ says Martin Gill, managing director of And So To Bed.
But why exactly is it bad to wash feather pillows?
‘Regular washing should be avoided to ensure the filler remains at its best and most efficient - washing breaks down the naturally moisture-wicking oils found on the feathers and can cause them to become brittle and break,’ explains Laura Burnett, buyer at Feather & Black.
‘Even if water fully penetrated the outer pillow shell, down feathers are designed by nature to repel water. While washing might marginally improve the cleanliness of the outer pillow shell, washing will do little, if anything, to the bacteria and dust which might be sitting in the filling itself,’ Martin adds.
How do you wash and dry feather pillows?
If washing your feather pillows is absolutely unavoidable, then the experts give you the green light. But consider other options first.
‘Before you wash your pillows, try to spot clean any visible stains using a soft cloth dampened with soapy water,’ recommends Kriti Mawji, procurement manager at Belledorm.
‘We recommend always using a pillow protector which can be easily removed and washed regularly,’ Laura says.
But if you must, Laura shares a fairly easy guide on how to wash and dry (the drying part being perhaps the most important step) your feather pillows.
‘We recommend washing at 40 degrees. Cool tumble the pillows to completely dry the feathers - this is hugely important to prevent the filler from remaining damp and creating mould. A top tip is to use wool dryer balls (or tennis balls do the trick!) to plump the pillows and separate the feathers while drying, ensuring an even distribution of filling,’ she advises.
‘After drying, remember to fluff your pillows. This helps keep the feathers from clumping together and maintains the pillow's comfort,’ adds Kriti.
The experts are not quite in agreement on how often you should wash your pillows though. While Laura quotes once a month, Kriti recommends no more than every six months. But they both agree that washing should be avoided if at all possible, just to reiterate.
