Down Pillow & Bolster Care

Daily Care

Fluff your pillow & bolster daily. It's as easy as it sounds; simply give your pillow a few good shakes from end to end and side to side.

Use a pillow & bolster protector and wash it frequently (once a week is a good rule of thumb) in hot water. This will help keep body oils, perspiration and other soils away from the goose down, which will help to extend the useful life of your pillow.

Down pillows & bolsters like to be dry. They favor low humidity, so if you live in a very humid region and have an air conditioner, your pillows will thank you for using it.

If you find that your pillow & bolster is losing its firmness and resilience, give it a spin in the dryer, at low heat, or simply put it outside on a nice dry (low humidity) & sunny day. If this does not revive your pillow, it likely needs a bath.

 

How Long Should Your Down Pillow & Bolster Last?

 

The useful life of your down pillow can vary greatly, depending on how clean and dry it is kept and how roughly or gently it is used. As the down in your pillow ages, it will naturally get softer. At some point, washing and drying will not help to revive your pillow & Bolster to it's original loft and resilience. The amount of time that this takes can vary greatly from person to person.  

For a pillow & Bolster that is kept clean and dry, a life expectancy of 10 years or longer is a good benchmark.  If you find your aging pillow is no longer comfortable, even after a good cleaning, it is likely time to consider buying a new one. 

 

How To Wash Down Pillows & Bolsters

Feather World goose down pillows & bolsters are machine washable.

Down pillows & bolsters should be washed only when necessary. Once or twice a year is a good rule of thumb.

When it is time to launder your down pillows & bolsters, we suggest that you use a professional cleaner who is experienced in laundering quality down items.

If you are an industrious do-it-yourself type of person, have a washing machine with no agitator (like a front loading washer), and want to spend the hours it takes to properly wash and dry your pillows, here are the instructions:

  • Before washing, make sure that the fabric is not too old or deteriorated from body oils, or weakened from age.
  • Do not use agitator machine.
  • Do use a large front loading commercial style washer.
  • Make sure the pillow has plenty of water & room to "swim".
  • Use warm water and a gentle non-bleach detergent.
  • Do NOT use bleach. This will also cause the down clusters to become brittle and break into small pieces.

When the wash cycle is complete, wash the pillow(s) & bolster(s) again with no soap. This 2nd cycle with no soap will help assure that all soap residue is rinsed from the down clusters.

After washing, while the down is wet, you may notice a somewhat pungent odor. This odor is natural with all down products, and will disappear when the goose down is completely dry.

 

How To Dry Down Pillows & Bolsters

Be certain to dry your pillow(s) & bolster(s) very thoroughly so they don't mold or mildew.

  • It will take about 2-3 hours (or longer) to completely dry 2 standard size pillows.
  • Use a large dryer on low to medium heat. It is important that your pillows have room to toss and fluff as they dry.
  • Commercial dryers can get very hot. If you are not careful, you might burn the fabric of your down pillow(s) & bolster(s), or even the down clusters. Nothing (well, almost nothing) is worse than burnt brittle down clusters.
  • Check the pillows every 20 minutes or so when drying and check for overheating.
  • Pull the wet clusters apart when you check the pillow & bolster. This will help them dry.
  • Do not mistake a warm pillow & bolster for a dry pillow & bolster.
  • Did we mention? Make sure your pillows & bolsters are dry.

There. You're done. Aren't you glad you had a professional do this? :)

 

Storing Your Down Pillows & Bolsters

The bags our pillows & bolsters come in are breathable and are perfect for storing them in! However, even something as simple as a pillow case would also work to keep your pillow clean and dust free. Do make sure your pillows & bolsters are kept in a dry place when storing.

Mold and mildew can ruin goose down, so make sure your items are completely dry before storing (in the Cotton storage bag your Pillow & Bolster came in). If you do not have your storage bag, a cotton pillow case will work fine. Do not store your down pillow & bolster in plastic.