How to Wash a Down Feather Pillow at Home

The Fix-it Guy shows you how to wash your down feather pillows. The improvement will amaze you! Beside feeling and smelling fresh they’ll provide better support because their loft is revitalized after a good laundering. This video shows how to use your top loading washer to do the job and which settings to use on both your washer and dryer.
0:00 Introduction
0:23 Preparing the pillow
0:52 Washing machine settings
1:13 Detergent
1:42 Loading the top loader
3:15 Squeeze out the air
3:58 Rinse cycle
5:03 Loading the dryer
6:01 Dryer settings
6:18 Fluff the feathers
7:28 Finished results

[@blkbeauti05]

I am 48 years old, I never had down pillows and now I do. I came here to listen and to learn. Thank you.

[@ItsFixable]

I'm glad you found it interesting.

[@MarkWickenheiser-yg7ny]

put 3 tennis balls in with the pillow

[@theechinacee]

I was going to be overly descriptive in my amazement and how well your method worked for me, but I’ll just say listen, learn and put this method into action. My pillows went from night to day ☁️

[@gansosyaguacates]

I don't even own feather pillows, and i thoroughly enjoyed this video.

[@dlg521]

If you put a dry towl in first and keep exchanging the dry ones during the drying process it helps absorb the water from the pillow

[@ItsFixable]

Nice tip!

[@adamstone8537]

If washing on sensors though instead of time dry, you’ll actually want to use a damp towel in there to keep the sensors from thinking the pillows are dry. The damp towel also prevents the feathers from potentially drying out too quickly and losing some of its natural oils and moisture. It also has a steaming effect on the pillows.

[@kirareginato7875]

I would never think to wash our down pillows. Leave it to you to take us step by step. Well done. Can't wait to rest my head on that pillow!

[@nataliey07]

Thank you for these instructions. My infant son managed to open the top of his bottle and spilled milk all over my pillow. This video definitely saved me from throwing it out ☺️

[@ItsFixable]

So pleased to know it helped you🙂

[@LiveLoveLaugh22]

Thanks for the step by step info, very helpful.🙌🏽

[@ItsFixable]

Happy it was of help :)

[@pcdoodle1]

This is content. I love the channel name too. 10/10.

[@jimtessin4130]

Excellent Thanks

[@ItsFixable]

Most welcome!

[@apryl6788]

Great Video!

[@ItsFixable]

Thanks!

[@sarahd3962]

Thank you so much for this

[@ItsFixable]

You're quite welcome! Glad it helped.

[@camofrog]

Throw tennis balls in the dryer to fluff the pillow

[@markellison24]

I felt that @0:10. Sometimes I feel like I’ve lost my loft.

[@lindabenear8210]

Thank YOU!!

[@ItsFixable]

I'm pleased it was helpful.

[@farkhodkuchkarov5238]

Thank you sir! This really worked out!

[@ItsFixable]

Great!

[@dawnboquist5473]

Thanks! Helpful

[@ItsFixable]

Glad to hear!

[@mayumikakizaki4335]

I LOVE This Video!!

[@ItsFixable]

Thank you!

[@mayumikakizaki4335]

Thank YOU!!

[@meliatortilla4625]

Beautiful bedding, and great way to clean the pillows

[@ItsFixable]

Thank you! 😊

[@debbiechaille6535]

My mother made my feather pillows so many years ago....ive been afraid to ruin them. Im gonna give rhis a try. I e never washed them. Only sunshine and fluffed in dryer. They are MUCH fuller and hard than the ones i see on these videos. I pray i get these same results. 😉

[@user-jm8li4dc1e]

Thank you! I hae quite a few feather pillows to clean, and the thought of it was daunting! I will be trying your method and gratefully will be passing on these newly cleaned pillows to family!

[@ItsFixable]

Wonderful!

[@chriswatts2096]

Rejuvenation time.

[@Sldejo]

Just finished a vid where a man was recording that his pillows were floating on top of the water. If he had watched this vid first, he wouldn’t have any problems. But it was a shredded memory foam pillow.

[@headguard1]

Also!, I remember helping you putty and paper that wall (and the shelves, I remember I held the screws for you! Lol) after you cut in the new sewer waste line to the garage ( I was like 6 or 7?). That must have been when you moved the machines outside to the garage to make room for your and Mom's office! about 1 or 2 years after you bought the place?

[@ItsFixable]

That's reaching back some years. I'd forgotten all about that. I've photographs somewhere; I'll have to dig them up.

[@JudahProject2012]

Moved out my ppls crib l. Washed a pillow. Wondered why it's so water logged, took off cover. Took off another. It's down. Wasn't down for that bs. I'm watching this video. I bought a new pillow cause I'm high and lazy with a good job. God bless humanity

[@bethm7177]

If you use spray & wash with dawn dish soap before washing anything from clothes to pillows etc. the stain should disappear.

[@AliYassinToma]

Doesnt the washer auto balance? Or is that in new machines only? I have a full auto 7kg washing maching its not that great as its a top loader with no middle pole it stays floating on top sadly no matter how much air i squeeze out. So i just flip it around every 5 minutes.. and the wash cycle is like 45 minutes.. Thankfully i only opened it 4 times which wasnt bad as the rest of the wash cycle is the drying..

[@mackenzierivercasey6752]

Thanks man! Hahah

[@ItsFixable]

I'm happy it helped!

[@francescareese7118]

Did I miss it? Is there a front loader washing method?

[@Renee1110]

I miss my washer that had the agitator. 🙁

[@foxybuddy]

Ahah this is how I'm going to wash my goose feather pillow and get it dry in the machine

[@CLLEON]

I wash my pillows the exact same way.

[@planetag310]

I live in an apartment and use a basic commercial washer & dryer with few settings. Bummer.

[@redblaze2613]

From the UK and dont have some of these settings. Im gonna try it anyways. No matter how much i fluff my pillow it always splits when i use it and the feathers are at the sides of my head....like an over illustrated princess Leia 🤣

[@ItsFixable]

Nothing to lose for trying!

[@explanger527]

Thank you for this video. I couldn't remember what the process was. I have two that are overdue on a cleaning. I'll be using a front loader, is there anything I should do differently to prep the pillows?

[@ItsFixable]

I have never used a front loading machine. I'm told they use less water so I think it would be advantageous to get the pillows moisture saturated before starting the wash cycle. So some kind of presoak. Not sure if that's doable in the front loader. Best of success to you. Let us know what you figure out.

[@explanger527]

@@ItsFixable will do. Thank you for your response and information.

[@DaveO2488]

What if the washer is a front loader?

[@headguard1]

Who knew (did you?) that your juvenile days helping PapaBruce cleaning textiles in Marin would be advantageous down the road?! (Pun intended)!

[@ItsFixable]

It's amazing how everything in life links together.

[@j.a.stafford1617]

Can I wash two standard sized pillows at the same time?

[@ItsFixable]

I would suppose so, if you have a large machine.

[@adamhuntniles1987]

How do you dry memory foam pillows

[@ItsFixable]

I haven't tried this because I haven't had the need, but I've read that you simply squeeze out as much water as you can by hand and then set the pillow in the sun insuring there's good ventilation. I'm thinking that it would help to suspend it so both sides receive air circulation. Let us know what you do and how well it works.

[@shelleysykes8071]

How do we dry them if we don't have a dryer?

[@ItsFixable]

Well, the second best option is to use a dryer at a coin laundry. The challenge of sun or line drying is that the feathers can start to mold if they don't dry out fast enough.

[@sir.periwinkleton262]

what brand of pillow do you use?

[@ItsFixable]

I don't remember the brand name it was sold under, but the material label says "made by Downlite".

[@Dave_Dawg_Rules]

wait a minute.... you mean im suppoed to put WATER in my washing machine??? -I always WONDERED what those hoses on the back were for .. So i guess i do need a drying machine after all... You got any videos on how to convince your nephew to return a gifted major appliance?..

[@TaylorHarder]

What a dirty naughty pillow

[@ItsFixable]

Shamelessly so!

[@deathfinaldestination4011]

I just bought 2 feather pillows and they do smell like goose I’ve been washing them and drying them multiple times in the dryer and I also put them in the sunrise and the air and still smell bad how do I get rid of the bad smell ( they ge y dry in the dryer over 10 hours ) I had to stop cos the feather start coming out of the pillow heeeeeelp lol

[@ItsFixable]

That sounds rather odd. Poor production in regard to the feather preperation in manufacture? They shouldn't smell when new. I suppose you can't return them now that you've washed them several times. Maybe try an odor destroying enzyme product.

[@dianebaum5194]

Next time get all down , no feathers

[@queenie_the_virgo]

I use Dawn. I figure if it’s good for ducks…

[@ItsFixable]

Just be careful to not over suds your washing machine.

[@susieserb6068]

sadly SQ will no longer let you lift the lid. I'm squeezing and saturating in my farmer's sink THEN putting the pillow in my speed queen. I wish I could open the lid to squeeze out the excess air; damn safety features.

[@ItsFixable]

Interesting; I've never heard of a feature like that.

[@susieserb6068]

@@ItsFixable well when your SQ goes south and you buy new you'll understand.

[@yariespinoza3035]

i did this but my pillows smell really bad but they dont smell burnt??

[@ItsFixable]

Did you get them into the dryer right away Isa? From what I've read, If they sit wet or if not dried completely, they will turn smelly. That's why its necessary to use a dryer and not try to air dry pillows. Just because the fabric feels dry does not mean the feathers are. So my suggestion would be to run them through a rinse cycle again and then dry them well in the dryer. Be sure the lint screen is clean so that you have good air flow.

[@johanagarciajimenez4364]

Add vinegar and baking soda to remove bad odor

[@roseballerine4395]

My pillow label says not to use dryer but it smells like sewage if I try to dry under the sun. I'm going to use dryer as your video.

[@YourMashedPotato]

So your pillow actually says it is okay to wash it? Are you sure it is a feather/down pillow? Because I've owned many and not one has ever said anything about washing or drying. Dry Clean Only, yes, but never any washing or drying. Do I wash and dry mine? YES. But i would warn to stay around your washer during the rinse/spin cycle as the motor may heat up if it is unable to spin up to speed.

[@chloeannmarie]

My washer overflowed on the large cycle 😂

[@ItsFixable]

Bummer, sorry!

[@beckycrowder804]

I wish I had your washer and dryer! The newer washers have these preset cycles and are horrible. They assume we are stupid and can’t figure it out!! Plus, they are designed to last about seven years. What a joke!

[@colleengiese]

Coffee drinker maybe...

[@ItsFixable]

Coffee and wine!

[@colleengiese]

@@ItsFixable likewise, here! Txs, just subscribed. The feather sofa pillow insert from Goodwill is in the dryer now. Txsssss

[@nataliegist2014]

What about putting a shoe or something solid in with it.

[@ItsFixable]

Yeah, I've heard people do that in the dryer. I didn't have a clean shoe or anything else of weight to use. In the end I still think you would need to fluff the pillow a number of times as it dries.

[@yoshikagekira2132]

No matter what I do it never goes down 🤷‍♂️

[@ItsFixable]

Are you saying that the pillow keeps floating? If so, you need to stop the machine and take some time to squeeze the air out of the pillow getting it saturated with water.

[@BabyKitten199]

You had to dry that for FOUR hours??? I don’t have my own dryer; that would cost a fortune in quarters to dry 😆😆😆

[@ItsFixable]

A laundromat certainly would be costly. Perhaps you have a friend who'd let you use their dryer for a few bucks? That's a $100 pillow. It's worth it to me to spend the time and energy to clean it.

[@Frip36]

Time is money. Time can be used in fun or interesting ways. Washing pillows is not one of the. Moral of the story: Buy new pillow. Will be on your doorstep the next day.

[@ItsFixable]

That's a $120 pillow. I'm happy to wash it and use my money for fun stuff 😉.

[@Frip36]

@@ItsFixable i understand. didn't realize the cost.

[@analiza265]

Made mine smell like a dead animal.

[@ItsFixable]

Maybe didn't get completely dry and so started to develop mold smell. It's important to loosen the clumps and really dry it out in the machine. Air drying doesn't work.

[@emily16338]

Just buy a new one wow too much trouble and moist feathers isn’t the vibe

[@ItsFixable]

Have you looked at the price of a down feather pillow? I think washing make a lot of cents ;-)

[@danielnovak1326]

4 hours of drying??? Insane! The used electric power costs the same price as a new pillow.

[@ItsFixable]

Thank goodness for my gas dryer!

[@YourMashedPotato]

Not to be mean here, (seriously) but apparently you do not have a good comprehension of your actual cost to run a dryer be it electric or gas. So unless you know where to buy quality feather pillows for less than $8 (and believe $8 for 4 hours is an extreme exaggeration) it is much, much cheaper to clean your pillow.