Yes, feather pillows can generally be dry cleaned, but it's best to have them professionally cleaned by a reputable dry cleaner experienced in handling delicate items.
While washing a feather pillow at home might seem like a viable option, it often leads to clumping, incomplete drying, and potential damage to the feathers. Professional dry cleaners, like Fashion Cleaners (as mentioned in the provided reference), possess the specialized equipment and expertise needed to clean and properly dry feather pillows, ensuring their longevity and fluffiness.
Why Professional Dry Cleaning is Recommended:
- Specialized Equipment: Professionals have large capacity machines designed to handle delicate items like feather pillows.
- Proper Drying: Tumble dryers with specific temperature settings are crucial for completely drying feathers to prevent mildew and clumping.
- Ozone and Light Processes: Some dry cleaners, like Fashion Cleaners, utilize ozone and light processes to sanitize and clean the feathers effectively.
- New Ticking (Pillow Covering): A reputable dry cleaner may offer to replace the existing ticking (pillow covering) with a new, clean one after cleaning the feathers.
- Preventing Damage: Professional cleaning minimizes the risk of damage that can occur during home washing, such as feather breakage or fabric tearing.
What to Expect During Professional Dry Cleaning:
- Inspection: The dry cleaner will inspect the pillow for any existing damage.
- Cleaning: The feathers are cleaned using specialized cleaning agents and techniques.
- Drying: The feathers are thoroughly dried using appropriate temperature settings.
- Refluffing: The feathers are fluffed to restore their original loft.
- Reticking (Optional): The feathers are placed into a new, clean ticking if requested.
In summary, while the idea of cleaning feather pillows at home may be tempting, professional dry cleaning is the safer and more effective method to ensure your pillows are thoroughly cleaned, properly dried, and last longer.
