What is the proper means for cleaning/laundering a down comforter?

Question

I have a down comforter in bad need of cleaning. Is it safe to wash a down comforter or should it be dry cleaned. The label on the comforter is of little help. All it says is, "Covering: All Cotton. All new filling material consists of 95% crushed duck feathers, 5% down."

Oddly, there are no cleaning/laundering instructions on the label.

Help!

Answer 1

I wash my down/feather comforters and don't have any problems beyond having a washer with the capacity to hold the thing. I have a queen size one and four twin size. I wash all of them in warm water with a cold water rinse, using Woolite or a liquid baby detergeant. Don't wash anything else with it, and you don't want to use fabric softener as that will coat the feathers and attract dust or clump them. Dry it almost dry in a regular dryer on medium heat, as you don't want to cook the feathers, along with a tennis ball or two. When it's nearly dry, take it out and hang it to air dry the rest of the way if you can. I have dried mine completely when the weather was wet and it would have not dried within the day. Since your cover is all cotton, you have no way to know if it will shrink, so I would use all cold water to wash it.
I have family in the dry cleaning business, and when you take them in to have them done, they do exactly this. It's just dry cleaners usually have an extremely large capacity commercial washer in the back to throw it in. If you can find a laundry with large capacity machines you can use those just the same. A twin comforter will fit in a regular home machine and dryer just fine. Some dry cleaners do throw them in the chemical soak, which will sometimes turn them yellow as well as leaving them with that wonderful odor. If the cleaner doesn't change out the fluid frequently you can end up with strange stains as well. A lot of dry cleaners even have signs saying they are not responsible for stains on comforters. If you decide to go this route, I'd ask the cleaner to wash it in water as opposed to actually dry cleaning it. The chemicals also break down the feathers faster than water. Ducks are meant to get wet, not dunked in chemicals, after all. If your comforter develops lumpy spots, use a child's plastic bat and throw the comforter over a clothesline and whack it good. I usually get my kids to do it for me, when I air them weekly, and they do a really good job as they think it's great fun. My comforters all came from Germany, and I've had the largest one for over 12 years. It gets washed twice a year, and does just fine. The smaller ones are all about 6 years old or so, and they get the same treatment. One has even been wet on, and it washed up just fine afterwards. So you can wash them, as I've done it repeatedly.

Answer 2

You can wash it in a big front loader as suggested. It's the detergent that will ruin a down comforter. Wash it in a gentle soap product such as Ivory Snow. Detergent is too harsh and will strip the natural oils from the down feathers. Dry cleaning is also acceptable. I have done both with acceptable results. If the outside cover is too stained or you redecorate your bedroom, you can slip the comforter inside a duvet cover. A comforter will last many years with proper care. We clean ours twice a year, once half way through the winter season and once at the end of the winter season before we put it away.

Answer 3

Im a hotelier and I deal with a comforters daily as we change them daily. Since Im dealing with big numbers daily, we use front loader washer(110lbs). For 1 r 2 pcs, please use the house washer on mild washing cycle. Hang dry after wash. Once dry, run it in the dryer, under cooling cycle only to have the fluff back. Once this is done, let it air for 24 hours on flat surface. When you fix it back on your bed, fluff the comforter. For best view and comfort, do not place ant other sheet or bed spread on the conforter as this will destroy the fluff of the comforter.

Answer 4

Dry Cleaners

Answer 5

Take it to the dry cleaners to use the BIG front loader
unless you have a front loader at home.

Wash it like you would anything else.
and when you dry it, use a low heat setting, and IMPORTANT. you need tennis balls to throw in the dryer with the comforter. (so it gets the fluff back)

Answer 6

I took one to the dry cleaners and they ruined it. It came back all yellow and
yucky. I ended up washing it in cold water and dried it in the dryer with a
tennis ball. It came out cleaner but still stained yellow from the dry cleaners.
I would say wash it.

Answer 7

you should really take it to the cleaners. the xtra $$ is worth having it done right...................but if money is tight, wash it yourself on gentle with 3-4 tennis balls. they keep the down from bunching up. fold it over a clothesline to dry. ummmmmmmmmm it will smell sooooooooo nice. again, if you must dry, do so on low with the tennis balls, but not for a long time, just take the dampness out.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

dry clean it other wise it clumps up I have heard people say you can put shoe in the dryer with it or something never tried it never will dry clean only. thats what i do with my sleeping bags.

Answer 10

take it to the cleaners it cost about $10.00