Have you ever washed a feather duvet?

[stan]

Laundress

Thank for mentioning the ultra light method, I was waiting to see if someone would.

The last machine I saw that did this was named " Pillow Barn" it preformed exactly as you described.
The customer picked out the shade and pattern of the new ticking the cleaned feathers would go into, at the time it was brought in.
Often times, the amount of feathers for one pillow where split between two, or vise versa, per customers request.
Sometimes new feathers where added to the mix, again per customers request.

 

[launderess]

Down/Feather Cleaning

Via special machines one mentioned upthread is still around and somewhat popular. Everyone from large commercial laundries to small dry cleaners to Laundromats offer the service. Machines range in size but some are small enough that a good sized "small" plant could offer the service.

You can often pick up the machines at auctions or commercial laundry appliance places for very little money.

Loading…

americanplantandequipment.net

 

[launderess]

How They Do Things In Australia

This service autoclaves your down or feathers which offers sterilizing as well.

Loading…

www.dyneman.com.au

 

[launderess]

The Famous "Pillow-Vac" Machine

One of the most popular in the industry:

Now all this points to something one has been saying for ages here in the group; tis far better when cleaning down or feather filled pillows to remove the down from ticking and launder them separately. This was the advice given to housewives or those doing the wash ages ago and still rings true.

Removing the filling allows a through cleaning, rinsing and so forth of the down and or feathers. It also allows any broken bits, dust, dander, and god only knows what else to be washed away or removed. This just cannot happen fully or even at all when the filling is encased within covering. Ticking of pillows, duvets and such are designed to be as tight as possible to keep down/feathers from getting out. It is like taking a bath wearing a shift. Yes water and soap do reach down to the skin but how much of the muck is totally rinsed away?

Loading…

www.harrispillow.com

 

[launderess]

Even the best hotels do it

Loading…

www.hotelchatter.com

 

[sudsmaster]

This service autoclaves your down

I can't imagine those high autoclave temps (240F plus) are not damaging to the protein in down/feathers.

 

[stan]

"Even the best hotel do it"

That's very similar to the machine I remember! Except the one we had would be considered a vintage one now LOL but same principle.
Thanks for posting Laundress.

 

[foraloysius]

"I can't imagine those high autoclave temps (240F plus) are not damaging to the protein in down/feathers."

Actually there are down duvets that can be boil washed, so down must be able to take a lot of heat.

 

[vintagekitchen]

Washing separately

My grandmother has talked about doing as you described, emptying the pillows and washing or replacing the ticking, same for feather beds, but she says feathers were simply fluffed and aired, not washed. I'm curious how one would manage to wash feathers or down in the old days, seems it would be extremely difficult without the ticking to contain them.