Yes, you can wash feather pillows. They should be washed once a year, in fact. Just put them on the gentle cycle with natural detergent.

They take forever to dry--you'll have to run them through the dryer for several cycles.

The pillows will look, feel and smell so much better! I just did our down pillows for the first time after owning them for five years and they have that springy quality back again.

Toss a couple tennis balls in the dryer with the pillows, that will help keep the feathers from clumping up and loosing their volume.

Am I missing something? What's wrong with dry cleaning and why wouldn't you sleep on something that's been dry cleaned? You wear clothes that have been dry cleaned, don't you?

I second the tennis ball in the dryer. It makes a huge difference and you get really plump pillows. (the only downside is the ruckus they make!)

Also, am I the only one who was thrown by the picture? I was looking at it thinking, those cases should be dry cleaned!

I'm wondering if anyone has advice for how to wash feather pillows without a clothes dryer. I don't have a dryer, nor does anyone I know. Is there any way to get a feather pillow dry fast enough to prevent mold? Hanging outside on a sunny day?

Icexpat, I washed a feather pillow once and let it air dry draped over a banister. As far as I can tell it didn't get moldy inside, but it did take several days to fully dry. I never use my dryer and it pains me to think of how much energy it require to get a feather pillow dry!

It's a 101* here. Wait for a really hot day, and then wash your pillows. I would imagine anything I put outside would dry pretty quickly.

I would rather wash and dry my pillows than dry clean them. I'm skeptical of coating something in chemicals and then putting my face on it every night.

Yup, wash 'm and put 'm in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls.

My first thought is exactly what dearmisha and engineergirl had to say already - they'd take FOREVER to dry!
I tie flies occasionally, and have gotten feathers from natural sources, that is to say, picking them up off the ground at a petting zoo. I brought them home and BOILED them to clean them off (man did that SMELL), and even laying them all out individually, they took forever to dry. I can't imagine having them cooped up in a pillowcase and expecting perfection.

Do you have access to one of those fancy new steam dryers? I feel like that'd be the perfect option - that and a few tennis balls.

This is why I wouldn't dry clean anything I come near...

The solvent used to "dry clean" is typically tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), abbreviated "perc" in the industry and "dry-cleaning fluid" by the public.

The main effects of tetrachloroethylene in humans are neurological, liver, and kidney effects following acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure.

Results from epidemiological studies of dry-cleaners occupationally exposed to tetrachloroethylene suggest increased risks for several types of cancer.

You really need to dry them in a dryer (not an open air dry) to prevent mold growth. You can't see or smell the mold but starting it in there will have it multiplying over time and you don't want to sleep on that. Hot dryer, and don't use fabric softener - really bad to inhale that later, too.

thank you edgaroso. i figured it would be something like that!

Yes, wash them as well as your duvet - but you're better off doing it in a front-loading washer because a top-loading washer isn't going to clean them as well...
...and ditto the tennis balls - I keep a canister of them in my laundry area just for this purpose.

My husband accidentally put our down comforter in the washing machine and it turned fine - in fact now I wash our comforter every few months or so. Down pillows can't be much different!

Instead of putting it in the dryer, just lay it out or hang it on an outdoor clothesline in the sun. This will kill off bacteria, whiten it, and make is smell amazing! When it's all dry, you could throw it in the dryer with tennis balls to fluff, or just take out some of your frustrations on it and beat it fluffy!

Thanks for the tips. I've always wondered about washing my pillows and was getting ready to toss them. Will definitely try.

If ever you wash your pillows in a top-loading washer, DO NOT select «large wash» water level! Huge water spill, downstairs neighbors wet, bad karma!

I wish I'd known about the tennis ball trick.

I have washed feather pillows and had it turn out alright, but I have also washed pillows and had to throw them away because they molded.

Instead of washing them, I would try setting them outside in the direct, hot sun for a few hours and then "fluffing" them in a tumble dryer. This will make them seem fresher.

Good to know!

Dry cleaning is not good for the environment which means it's not good for humans either. Here's some info from the EPA: http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/garment/ctsa/factsheet/ctsafaq.htm.

I've always washed down in the washing machine with no troubles. It takes some time to dry, but it's just a matter of a little extra patience. And I'd rather have my bedding washed in water and mild detergent than scary chemicals!

If it's hot and dry where you are you can probably dry pillows outside in the sun. Fluff them frequently as they dry. I wouldn't try air drying in a place that is cool or has high humidity because of the possible mold problem, but there are always laundromats!

Don't use fabric softener, I was told it makes the feather fibers clump so the pillows are more matted, less fluffy -- think hair conditioner!

I wash my down pillows despite the fact that they have tags saying dry clean only. They do take a long time to dry in the dryer. Dry cleaning removes the natural oils in the down resulting in less loft. (Also beware of dry cleaning natural woolens. I sent a gorgeous Oaxacan rug to the dry cleaners and the process removed the natural lanolin and left the rug in a rather limp and more easily soiled condition. Sigh.)

Wash your pillows with Sport Wash, which you can often find in the hunting section of Wal-Mart (of all places!). It's great on down, and will help restore its loft.

http://www.atsko.com/products/laundry-care/sport-wash-residue-free-detergent.html

I have used this, plus tennis balls, on my duvet and my down coats. Works great http://www.amazon.com/Nikwax-Down-Wash/dp/B000YTSA9K

Will the color from the tennis balls bleed?

I wash mine as well (and i even *gasp* use bleach!)
But instead of tennis balls, id go online and buy some felt dryer balls, so your pillows dont get that weird smell.

There are toxin free dry cleaners that use liquid carbon dioxide as the primary cleaning agent.

That said, it is almost always safe to wash feather or down items but only in a front loading machine, as top loaders tend to agitate too roughly.

Tamarind: I have tennis balls that are bouncy but are still dog toys, so I shoved them into thick, clean white socks & tied off the ends. I still got the bounce-effect (and the noise) but I didn't have to worry about whether the tennis balls were pristine enough.

If you do wash your duvet or pillow make sure to hang around while it's washing if you have a top loader. When I recently put a duvet in it just floated and would not have even become completely wet had I not stood there and shoved it under water many times. But it was fine after!

If you wash and put your feather pillows in the dryer how do you know when they are dry.

Well I washed my feather pillow in a front loader washing maching at the highest temperature for washing whites. Took it out and it seemed very soggy like a drowned cat ! I left it in my airing cupboard overnight. ( I do not have a tumbler dryer ) Then I had a bit of a brainwave. I put it in my cooking oven ! Yes ! I set the temperature up high for about 10 mins. Then I switched off the oven. I put a small hand towel on the wire tray then laid the pillow on top and closed the door. Now to "bake the pie !" I checked to see what was happening about half an hour later. The pillow felt much better and dryer. I took it out of the oven and fluffed it up a bit. Then took the handtowel out and repeated the process of heating up the oven first then switching the power off..then putting the towel and the pillow back into the oven and closing the door. Pillow feels like new again ! So ladies and gents why not try "baking" a pillow for lunch !

There is a better way, send them to julius alterations and cleaners in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. We can restore your pillow to like new condition, the feathers get sterilized in our Pillow-Vac machine and installed into a new feather proof case, and it starts at only $15.00 for a Standard pillow. See www.juliusalterationsandcleaners.com for more info.

If you do not have tennis balls handy, use a pair of clean sneakers, I have an old pair that I washed and use just for washing items that are filled with any sort of "fluffy" filling.

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