Can You Get Mold Out of a Down Pillow?

Goose-down comforters and pillows are luxurious items in common use in bedrooms across the globe. Caring for goose-down materials, however, takes special attention. Instead of the simple washing and drying used for ordinary fibers, down materials present their own specific set of challenges in care, especially when it comes to the presence of mold and mildew. Mold and mildew are virulent agitators of respiratory conditions and sickness, making prevention critical.

Improper care when washing and drying down pillows leads to the buildup of mold and mildew in the feathers, even when using the most high-capacity and high-load appliances. When mold and mildew occur in down pillow fibers, there is nothing to be done except to dispose of them. You cannot remove or clean mold or mildew from down pillows.

Experts at Plumeria Bay recommend washing down pillows in a front-loading, commercial-grade washing machine with a nonbleach detergent. Mold prevention after washing involves drying time. It takes approximately three hours to dry two pillows properly in a commercial dryer on medium heat. While this method prevents mold, you also run the risk of overheating pillows when drying them too long, possibly damaging seams and even causing the down to spill out. It is essential to check pillows regularly during drying times to prevent these mishaps.

Washing and drying down pillows properly is obviously crucial. However, prevention is a key element in care as well. If you use pillow protectors over down pillows and under pillowcases, it lessens the need to wash the pillows themselves and allows you to merely launder the pillow protectors. This lengthens the life span of down materials, prevents signs of oil buildup from skin and hair, and extends normal wear and tear for longer durations .

Mold and mildew is not just an unseemly result of washing and drying down pillows improperly. Down pillows and comforters absorb all types of liquid. Spilling water or going to bed with wet hair can cause the buildup of mold and mildew in down pillows. You must be aware of these issues when you own and care for delicate down materials.