Choosing a pillow type is as vital as pillow care, like knowing how to wash a goose down pillow, for example. All too often, this gets overlooked.
A good night’s sleep is what everyone looks forward to at the end of the day, especially after a hard day’s work. Considering that you would be spending some quality time in your bedroom or sofa bed, it only makes sense that you learn how to take care of your favorite sleeping buddy – your goose down pillow.
What is a Goose Down Pillow?
Goose down pillows are made from the undercoat feathers of ducks and geese. It’s the softest pillow fill there is. They’re ultra-soft, long-lasting, cool to the touch, and they’re easy to maintain, which is why many people prefer goose down pillows.
Similar to down comforters, goose down pillows are light, fluffy, and they offer a ton of support while you sleep. You won’t wake up with a flat pillow if you’re using goose down pillows, but be sure to fluff it before you go to bed.
How to Wash a Goose Down Pillow
This then leads to the question, are you taking care of your goose down pillow? Goose down pillows is one of the best types of fluffy bedroom wonders out there. With fillings of down, they become resilient yet still retain their supportive function.
They also provide insulation, luxurious warmth, and superior softness, unlike any other type of synthetic fill. Keeping this in mind, it is time to check out some recommendations on how best to clean your down pillows.
Step 1
Before getting into the washing process, you should first inspect your pillow thoroughly. As a general rule of thumb, the first step to cleaning your goose down pillow is to take off any pillow coverings or cases. Fortunately, most down pillows are fashioned to fit in a standard-sized washing machine.
Right before putting your fluffy bedroom buddies through the wash cycle, you need to make sure that there aren’t any rips or tears. If you do see some, then you need to sew them together. That way, feather filling won’t be able to escape as they spin around the washing machine.
Step 2
Keep the balance in the tub. Every time the pillows are loaded in the washer, it has to be done vertically. This is to avoid bothering the agitators in your machine. In addition, it is also a good idea to load the pillows two at a time, just so you can keep the balance on the spin cycle.
Set the speed settings to the maximum spin. By setting the right speed, it takes out much of the moisture. To prevent down bunching, you could place a couple of tennis balls in with the pair to be washed. Don’t worry as this does not do any damage to the pillows whatsoever.
Step 3
Remember to mind the water temperature. Ideally, hot water kills off any dust mites that may be residing in your pillow. On the downside, this could cause damage to the fluffiness of the pillow.
So for best results, you could settle for lukewarm or cool water instead when washing down your goose down pillows. A point to remember is that warmer temperatures may cause shrinkage of fabrics.
Step 4
Mild works best. To achieve this, go for gentle soap, preferably one that does not have any additives. If your pillows are white and you want to keep this color from dimming or to stay bright and shiny, then use non-chlorine bleach. Furthermore, avoid fabric softeners as this can reduce the fluffiness of the down.
Step 5
The final step is to make sure that you rinse and dry repeatedly. Adding an extra spin and rinse cycle can squeeze the excess soap residue and water out of the down filling.
Rinsing and drying can both definitely take time. But one way to know if your pillow is completely dry is to check for any odor or clumping. Between every cycle, you should test for dampness on the inside by hand fluffing them.
To be on the safe side, you can just add a few minutes to the drying time to prevent mold from developing. When it comes to something that you trust your head on, you want to avoid filth as much as possible.
Final Thoughts on How to Wash a Goose Down Pillow
Learning these practical pillow care tips and steps on how to treat your pillows with the care they deserve. The natural materials used to fill the goose down pillow are generally easy maintenance too, so you can rest even more easily.
This is fortunate for you, and one of the main reasons why down pillows have gained popularity for many people. Moreover, and as you can see, cleaning them doesn’t demand much as you would think.
So, if you want that good sleep as well as good health, then it may be time to start learning how to wash a goose down pillow to guarantee you a better and more quality rest at night. And only then can you experience the elevated comfort that goose down pillows have to offer.