Such indispensable things in the house as pillows can be divided into two categories: those that provide comfort and convenience for the body (for sleep, for the back, for the neck, supporting pillows for pregnant women, massage, etc.), and decorative. Despite the great diversity in size, composition and purpose, all of them are made of certain materials that wear out during use, are subject to contamination, lose their shape, and require care.
But the most important pillow issue is hygiene. It is especially relevant for rooms where children, expectant mothers, people with various allergic reactions are constantly located. Therefore, users often wonder if pillows can be washed, because this is the most common way to keep things clean. The possibility of hygienic treatment at home is determined by the composition of the filler used to make the product. It depends on him whether it is possible to wash the pillow in the washing machine.
Types of Fillers
For those who do not yet know whether pillows can be washed in a typewriter, it is first necessary to determine the type of filler. Depending on the nature of origin, they are natural and artificial.
Naturals are divided into:
- animal origin (fluff, feather, wool, silk);
- plant origin (bamboo, various herbs, eucalyptus, algae, buckwheat husk, corn, peas, cherry pits, etc.).
Artificial (synthetic) fillers are:
- bulk (ecofiber, holofiber, hollow siliconized fiber and others);
- orthopedic (latex, polyurethane foam, gel, memorform).
There are pillows with a combination of different fillers, for example, a soft down pillow or silk can have an orthopedic insert in the core.
Both natural and artificial fillers are widespread, each of which is good in its own way.
Briefly about popular fillers
Most often, consumers choose pillows with the following fillers:
- Bamboo. Unique material for its antibacterial properties.
- Buckwheat husk. High strength filler. It has an orthopedic effect, takes the form of a body.
- Komfortel (many elastic balls). It passes air well, retains heat, does not absorb odors, and is resistant to biological influences.
- Swan fluff (artificial) - bulk polyester microfibre coated with silicone. It has the shape of balls. It forms a soft elastic structure.
- Polystyrene (balls). Is it possible to wash a pillow in a washing machine from this filler? Yes, but it is important to observe the temperature regime - not higher than 40 degrees. Balls stick to everything that concerns them. Therefore, before washing, a pillow with this type of filler is additionally placed in a bag of dense fabric and carefully knotted. This is done to protect the machine from damage if the pillow breaks and the filler gets inside the drum.
- Polyester Restore shape after prolonged compression, does not absorb odors.
- Fluff. Very soft material, retains heat, quickly restores shape. The question of whether you can wash down pillows, consider in more detail below.
- The synthetic winterizer is a soft, short-lived material. Can pillows made of this material be washed? On the recommendation of the manufacturer, this process should be carried out at a temperature of no higher than 40 degrees, without the spin function, since the filler may stray into a lump. When washing a synthetic winterizer, tennis balls are put in the drum of the washing machine - they will not allow it to stray.
- Fiberlon (plates). It allows air to pass through, quickly restore shape.
- Hollofiber (100% polyester impregnated with silicone). Soft, airy material that retains heat. Does not absorb moisture and odors. Not combustible. Withstands thermal effects up to 70 degrees and at the end of washing it can be wrung out.
- The wool is sheep. Eco-friendly material. Soft, breathable, excellent heat retention.
Which pillows are available and which are not?
Proper handling of the filler directly affects the durability and appearance of the product, ease of use and quality in general. But no matter how accurate the operation process is, over time the fabric of the pillow gets dirty, dust accumulates inside it and conditions are created for the active development of ticks. In the end, there comes a time when the product needs to be cleaned and washed.
You can wash pillows with organic filler of animal origin and synthetic. Products with vegetable fillers do not wash, but are replaced with new ones. Cleaning orthopedic products is best left to professionals, especially pillows with memory effect.
Is it possible to wash a pillow (fluff / feather) in a typewriter?
Before starting the procedure, the product must be “disassembled”. To do this, gently open the breastplate and remove the fluff (feather) from it. Fill the filler into several pre-prepared tissue bags. This is to the question of whether it is possible to wash feather pillows. Given that a small volume will be better cleaned and dry faster, fill them should be no more than 2/3 of the volume.
Can I wash my feather pillow without tearing it apart? Small decorative items can be washed in their own hand. As for pillows of standard sizes, it is better to apply the above method of preparing the product for washing.
Before starting, it is important to choose the right machine program. This should be a delicate or hand wash with a temperature of no more than 30 degrees. It is recommended to use liquid detergents designed for wool products.
To prevent fluff from sticking together, you can put special balls for washing in the drum or replace them with tennis balls. It is advisable to set the number of rinse cycles as large as possible. If additional spin is possible, this function should also be activated. During the spin cycle in the washing machine, the filler will inevitably lump into lumps, which should be kneaded by hand before drying.
Drying of bags with down is carried out in air, periodically turning over, shaking and whipping down. It is possible to carry out drying on warm batteries. This filler dries for about 2 days. If possible, it is best to dry the feathers by removing them from the bags and spreading them under the sun on a horizontal surface, covering with gauze. The more often you make a feather, the better. Well-dried filler is collected in a new denim coarse calico and sewn up. This completes the pillow update process.
Sheep Pillows
Such products are very convenient and easy to operate. Is it possible to wash pillows made of sheep’s wool in a typewriter? Yes, and you don’t have to rip it apart. The pillow is laid in the drum of the whole machine. Choose a mode for washing wool or delicate. The procedure is carried out at a temperature of 30 degrees, without spin. At the end of the wash, they are dried in the open air, under the influence of sunlight, in a horizontal position.
Latex pillows
Manufacturers do not recommend washing latex pillows in a typewriter. Natural latex reacts to ultraviolet radiation and temperature. Having examined the properties of latex, it can be argued that washing in hot water with detergents will lead to a change in its properties. It is allowed to wash latex manually, without spinning. This applies only to 100% natural latex.
You can distinguish genuine latex from a fake by dipping part of the product in a container with a small amount of water. Natural latex does not absorb water, while the artificial filler will absorb it like a sponge.
For hand washing, add a small amount of detergent to a container of warm water (not higher than 30 degrees). Gently wipe the surface of the pillow with a soft sponge and rinse with clean water. Dry the pillow with a towel. You can not squeeze in order to avoid losing the shape of the product. Dry in a suspended upright position, in a well-ventilated area, away from heaters and sunlight.
Synthetic pillows
Synthetic filler eventually deteriorates, so before deciding whether to wash an existing product or purchase a new product, it is advisable to check its quality characteristics. Putting a small object, weighing about 1 kg, on the pillow and removing the load after a while, you should evaluate the ability of the pillow to restore its original shape. If the dent remains, then such a pillow is better to replace. If the test is successfully passed, then in the next step you need to try to determine the type of filler.
Information about it is most often placed on a label attached to the pillow, or contained on the accompanying commodity packaging. There may also be indications of whether the pillow can be washed, in what way and in what mode. If it is not possible to establish such data, one should be guided by general information from the manufacturer. We can assume that the mode for all synthetic pillows is the same, but in the complete absence of information about the filler, washing is allowed at a temperature of no higher than 30 degrees.
In typewriter
During this procedure, the main thing is to choose the right temperature and set the appropriate mode. It was previously considered whether it is possible to wash a feather pillow in a typewriter and how to do it. And what are the rules for products with artificial fillers?
Manufacturers of synthetic pillows recommend washing with liquid detergents, since powdered products are poorly washed out of the filler. To avoid damage to the structure of the filler, bleaches cannot be used.
The mode for washing should be selected gentle, suitable for synthetic fabrics. For some types of synthetic filler, it is forbidden to use the spin mode at the end of the process. Also, pillows with synthetic fillers cannot be twisted.
Such products are dried in a well-ventilated area, away from any heating appliances, spreading them horizontally, periodically whipping and turning. It is forbidden to tumble dry. The drying process can be accelerated by applying moisture-absorbing wipes or fabrics, but this is not necessary at all, since the synthetic cushions dry quickly.
Manually
For high-quality manual washing, you will need to put a lot of effort.
Having collected warm water in a spacious container, it is necessary to dissolve a liquid detergent in it. Water should be sufficient to completely soak the product. During the soaking, the pillow is gently sunk, pressing it with your hands, several times taking it out and turning it over with the other side.
The washing process consists in moving the detergent between the elements of the filler structure by tapping the surface of the pillow with the palms of the hands. The duration of the process is 30-40 minutes. It must be remembered that the pillow can not be wrinkled and twisted.
At the end of the wash, the product is rinsed with plenty of water. It is not possible to rinse the filler well, simply leaving it for a long time under a stream of running water. It is necessary to press rhythmically on the pillow, intensively pumping water through the filler. At the end of the rinse, let the water drain on its own.
To speed up the process, you can absorb moisture with a towel. The drying process is similar to the method described for the machine wash process.
Helpful information
If at the end of drying it is noticeable that the synthetic filler has strayed, then you can try to level it with your hands or with a light tapping with a knocker. A radical method that allows you to get directly to the filler is to tear up the protective tissue and then comb the synthetics with a comb with wide teeth.
When washing in the machine at a time, it is recommended to wash two pillows. This is necessary to evenly distribute the weight in the volume of the drum and increase the efficiency of cleaning products.
Conclusion
Having considered the question of whether it is possible to wash pillows from fluff and other fillers, it is worth summarizing that during this procedure it is important to observe the temperature regime and individual recommendations of the manufacturer. The whole process will depend on the filler material.