Washing a Down Comforter

[snarlingcoyote]

Okay, I was just at the thrift store and picked up a nice down comforter from Pottery Barn ($9.00 cost to me).

I'd like to wash it before I use it. Any suggestions other than maybe going to the laundromat for a tumble washer instead of my top loader?

 

[Mickey527]

My only suggestion is to make sure all the seams are good. Did you ever have a down comforter open it's seams when washing?
I would take it either to a laundromat to wash in a front loader or to a dry cleaner and let them clean it. Way too messy to try in your own house.

 

[Eeyore's-tail-tack]

If you plan on washing it yourself, do cold water wash with low temp dry with tennis balls to distribute the down

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I would probably get it dry cleaned, even if it doesn't call for that. The cost will be minimal and you don't have to worry about ruining the comforter, or the washer for that matter.

 

[tr-ray]

We have a down comforter and we've never washed it on our own. We always take it to be drycleaned.

It takes about a week, and has cost me about $20.

 

[disneyfreakk]

I have washed our down comforter once a month at the laundry mat for over a year. No problems.

A top loader will not get it clean!! I have tried it before, and it doesnt work. Also, you may need to wring the water out before you place it in the dryer. It takes about an hour to dry. I use the blue laundry balls instead of tennis balls so I dont get that nice smell of burnt tennis balls. lol.

 

[kwilliamsrn]

I have washed our down comforter once a month at the laundry mat for over a year. No problems.

A top loader will not get it clean!! I have tried it before, and it doesnt work. Also, you may need to wring the water out before you place it in the dryer. It takes about an hour to dry. I use the blue laundry balls instead of tennis balls so I dont get that nice smell of burnt tennis balls. lol.

I second that we have multiple downs that we brought back from england and got from dh family, they are great but tough to wash have to go to the laundrymat, like the blue ball idea but can kill two birds with one stone if you have to was shoes, the work just as well just find the one huge industrial dryer in the laundrymat and load it up on hi, go and get your nails done bring lots of quarters.

 

[princessmom29]

I worked a t a dry cleaners all through college, and i will say please don't wash your down comforters. It removes the antimicrobial treatment from the feathers. If they stay the least bit damp they will mildew. What you end up with is YUCK!!! aeven if they don't mildew they are subject to all kinds of yucky stuff once that coating is gone. Dry cleaning chemicals leave it in tact. It is well worth the cost!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I think I'm going to suck it up and take it to the dry cleaners. (DH and I try not to use them - just easier and cheaper in the long run for us.) There's one close by where I work, and I won't have enough free time to do the laundromat thing until March.

Thank ya'll for the advice!

 

[sherry7]

I did some research on this a couple of years ago. Most dry-cleaners don't use dry cleaning chemicals, but instead they put it in the jumbo washer/dryer. Actually, dry-cleaning chemicals are bad for the down, since it leaves a build-up.

I have 4 down comforters, and have washed all of them several times. I used to go to the laundromat and use a jumbo washer. But now I have a extra-large capacity front loader, so I can do them all at home except the massive king sized one.

Some tips for doing it yourself: most importantly, use a BIG front loading washer. Go to the laundromat if necessary. Use only 1/2 of the amount of detergent you normally would, as it will cause a buildup on the down if you use too much. Whatever you do, do NOT use fabric softener. A second-rinse cycle is a good idea, as it removes more of the detergent residue. Put it in a large dryer (on low) with 2 or 3 clean tennis balls. Run it through several drying cycles (probably about 8 hours total, unless it's a twin size comforter). Even if it feels dry, it probably isn't. Take it out of the dryer occasionally and fluff it up before putting it back in.