All the time! Pillows & comforter. The only special treatment they get is a few stops of the dryer to fluff them out and make sure they are getting completely dry. They get Tide in TL machine w/ extra rinse, no FS.

Thanks for all the encouragement/advice. I've really been afraid to go there but I must. I gave all the pillow protectors a hot wash and the pillows look so yukky I can't ignore them. Good to know it's what I also should be using on my coats. Will report back.

Down coats & vests, too. Forgot to mention - longer dry time, but when you take them out they seem, look & smell good as new!

Yep drying is very important with Down..and if course no enzymes since they will eat the Down lol.

After we could afford white goose down pillows, the first time I sent them to dry cleaner to clean. It cost a ton. Later I found out it is very easy to wash them at home.

I wash them in our SQ top load with whatever laundry detergent we have. Two per load just to keep load balance. Rinse twice, then put them out under the Arizona sun (one of a few times we are thankful for AZ heat). Shake and turn the pillows a few times, when dried, they are fluffy and smell really good.

I tried to use dryerballs in the dryer for pillows, but the sound gave me headache. I found leaving them out under the AZ sun is the easiest.

I too use the Miele down wash on my Cuddledown pillows. I've used their brand down wash but it just didnt clean very well. Their pillows wash up great, in my experience better than others. I think because of the construction and the very high thread count covers. I get hardly any down floating in the dryer lint trap.

I have some top-of-the-line down pillows that I wash about once a year. I just use a very small dose of liquid All and also put the same amount of fabric softener in the detergent dispenser (none in the softener dispenser) I wash as for woolens with an extra rinse and then I do a quick wash with no detergent in the machine to rinse the pillow(s) as best as I can. Then I tumble them on low for an hour and check. I keep repeating until they feel dry and then I tumble them an hour more. The down fluffs up so much that the casing is stretched to the limit (hard to put a case on them at first).

I just posted this, but what setting do those with a Miele dryer use to dry down? I washed my son's down parka and it says "low heat". I used the delicates but it was done when the coat was still wet.

Livebetter, I think I use the normal or wrinkle free, but I don't remember for sure. I just keep checking and adding time until dry. I probably eventually start use the 20min setting to get the last bit dry. I don't use the full or the turbo settings though.

@livebetter, I do on average of 3 45 minute timed cycles. It's a pain, but no other option works as well. I also don't turn on Gentle, since that would take even longer, but my down jackets are fairly inexpensive and I don't baby them too much.

The problem I have washing down pillows and down coats in a TL is they float on top of the water. So I have to stand over them and continually push them down into the water. Other than a FL, any suggestions on how to prevent this?

I did end up using the 45 min warm and some 15 min cool and I think it came out ok. Miele makes a specific down wash, you'd think they might give some direction on how to dry a down article. Oh well. Thanks :)

Bea, I have the same problem, floating, even with non Down comforters, I have to stand there and keep pushing down on them, this is not caused from overloading, I have some twin sized down alternitive comforters that are really bad at doing this. This is for sure a problem in top loaders. And even my kids non down coats do this, sometimes bed sheets bubble up, like a huge bubble up over the water level. This is for sure a pain in the &$$ for me. I wish I had an answer and a way to solve this..I'm guessing its caused from air trapped in the fabrics, but don't know how to get it out lol. I have been seen many times at the washer wearing Playtex rubber gloves for dishwashing standing at the washer pushing down, remember if I add a soup pot of water and have water temps of 150 I'm not putting my hands and lower arms in lol. Would love to find a fix for this.

Speaking of coats I have to wash the boys today, tonight its supposed to go down to 27 degrees, coat for school tomorrow for sure.

My method above works to get the air out of pillows. For large comforters, I can only recommend repeated wetting and fast spinning to press the air out.

I have a couple of heavy (junk) towels that I used to use in my TL to drape over the pillows to make them go under the water. I would check the load every now and again and re-drape them if needed.

Thank you Whirlpool..I will try that

Here are a few stills from a video of mine, washing a down comforter.

1. I pre-spun the comforter at 1200 rpm to extract as much air as possible. Once the spin stopped - puff - the air was back in. This is the prewash fill.

2. During the prewash: the comforter rolls around like a balloon.

3. After the prewash spin, not air was removed from the comforter. A lot of suds on the window from using Perwoll liquid.

4. Finally, after the more intense main wash spin, most of the has been wrung out. First rinse:

Pillows are in the machine with the Miele down wash. I used Pillows & very warm. Fingers crossed this works because these turned out to be the Hermes of pillows that have increased so much in value despite their sorry state that I could not afford to buy them today and cannot afford to replace them! I have 2 in there but they don't seem to be moving much. Think I'll do one at a time going forward. These suckers will take a week to dry! larsi, why can't you live next door?

LOL. Jane...how did they come out? The Little Giant would have swallowed those up and gently saturated them ;)

Even two stuffed in together came out very well, thanks for asking Larsi. They were in the dryer for 3 cycles and still are a bit damp though quite fluffy. I am leaving them out overnight then I'll give them another low cycle in the dryer. Lucky I washed the third one separately. It never deflated and I think the cover may be somewhat waterproof. There is so much down in there in never changed shape. Still have 5 to go.

But one thing is for sure. The down wash does not remove stains. Not even with hot water. I was DYING to put some oxi in there but didn't dare.

I wash my down blankets in Woolite. So far so good. Hope the pillows dry out nicely! Bet they will.

"But one thing is for sure. The down wash does not remove stains. Not
even with hot water. I was DYING to put some oxi in there but didn't
dare."

That's why I *did* use oxi the last time I washed my friend's down comforter. As I said above, I hadn't known the item was originally white.

While puppy sitting a few weeks ago, the 10w old puppy decided to pee on the big dogs down bed (yes, big dog is spoiled with a down bed).

Before the big dog got home, I washed her bed several times, even using some bleach, to make sure I removed all evidence.

No problems, except for finding one of the seams was a bit worn - lost a few feathers. Don't even think the big dog knew the puppy was bad.

Now the down stories emerge... @mdln - 'don't pee on the big dog's bed' sounds like the title of a political book LOL.

Whirlpool_trainee....I worked for a few years in the product testing lab of Maytag. I was part of the team that wrote the directions for washing down pillows in and washer a drying in a dryer. If you want the filling...i.e. down...in your pillows to get clean, you have to get the water into the pillow. We recommended opening a seam on the pillow about 2 inches and closing it with a basting stitch, so the air could get out, but not the down. We recommended washing with a neutral detergent like Woolite or one of the low sudsing detergents for front loaders, without enzymes or chlorine bleach. Rinse well, no fabric softener EVER...that kills the loft of the down, and dry with dry towels and a few tennis balls. Run a cycle, let the pillows sit so that the moisture equalizes and dry again. When pillows are thoroughly dry, sew the opened seam securely.
Similar directions for a comforter, but don't open a seam, but you must take great care to get it thoroughly wet. Detergent and much pushing it into the water will accomplish that.
I have washed more down jackets, vests and mittens than I care to remember ( we were skiiers!) and more than my share of pillows and comforters. I have even had a well worn pillow burst in the dryer....don't ask!! But I now inspect pillows carefully for wear before I wash and if there is a question, I wash the pillow inside a new pillow protector.

I have seen my elderly aunt do this with pillows..she opened the seam a bit and basted it closed, before washing..I ask her why, she told me the covering on this one pillow was more water froof and so there needed to be a small holey opening somewhere in order for the inside to get clean....however I don't do that with my down pillows as the covering on my is not a water proof fabric.

I'm not opening up any pillows. They are sewn with tiny stitches I cannot replicate. I'm washing all of them. Two of the three were fully saturated as they completely deflated and the down clumped. The third must be waterproof because the cover got washed but the pillow never changed shape.

All are taking several days to fully dry -- even the one which I believe is waterproof because the down didn't get saturated. I keep turning them.

One is clean but still quite stained. Planning to call Cuddledown and see if I can send it to them to replace the outer shell. I have one of their quilts which they refilled for me two years ago at a very reasonable cost. If not, it goes into a zippered pillow protector anyway.

If you can afford to throw away a down pillow that's one thing. But the cost of these is prohibitive today. I'm proceeding very cautiously.

Roc...are you allowing them to dry at room temp? Outside of the dryer? I'd be affraid to do that which is why I dread down pillow washing day. I've dried them in the dryer before and believed them almost dry, let them sit out flipping every few hours and several days later mold grew.that's why I'm asking.

I did dry them in the dryer first. They were fluffy all the way through. And yes, I left them out after that.

Will run them through the dryer again, just for good measure. Thanks for the heads up on that pinky.

Run your pillows and comforters through several dryer cycles. A dryer that shuts off when dry, senses that the outside is dry and shuts off, then the damp inside migrates to the shell and you can run again.
Actually the means by which a dryer "knows" when a load is dry is by heat sensors. Evaporating water consumes heat so the surface stays fairly cool as long as there is moisture to evaporate. When it's dry the heat of the garment rises and the dryer shuts off....not "knowing" that the inside of that pillow is still damp. so you let it sit for 20 minutes and dry again....and repeat......and repeat!

OMG pinky what a mess the fourth one is. It's a balloon filled with water and sodden down. Totally unlike the other three. I'm putting it through drain & spin cycle. I may need to slit it open to get the freakin water to drain out. Way too much to put it in the dryer. Different manufacturer.

Update: God bless this washer. The drain/spin took care of the problem. This one now looks like the first two. Part of the learning curve I suppose. #4 is now in the dryer with the balls.

"Actually the means by which a dryer "knows" when a load is dry is by
heat sensors. Evaporating water consumes heat so the surface stays
fairly cool as long as there is moisture to evaporate. When it's dry the
heat of the garment rises and the dryer shuts off...."

LindaC92, That's the process for dryers with autodry cycles that work via temperature.

More advanced units with true moisture-sensors do not work that way. This method dates back to the 1960s, including Maytag models with which you should be familiar per your work in their product testing.

Moisture sensing works by way of metal contact bars in the drum. One of the bars carries a very low-voltage electric current. Damp clothing touching across the bars completes a sensor circuit that either stalls the mechanical timer from running (on machines that have a mechanical timer), or is read by the cycle control board on machines that are fully electronic. Mechanical timers alternately stop and run in response to the moisture "hits" until the cycle time runs out to the cool down. Electronic controls have various programmed algorithms that respond to the moisture readings.

Maytag's early moisture sensor system worked on a unique control that involved monitoring an electric charge that alternately built-up and released when the sensor bars were shorted by a moisture hit. The drying cycle ended when the charge built-up to a target level for a specific period of time without releasing from a moisture hit. I have a circa-1970 model DE906 with this system.

Ohhh..Thank God Roc..otherwise opening it up could be a disaster. .that down finds its way out of the smallest of openings. Plus working with it full of water would have been a mess for sure. I'd recommend you put a double zippered pillow cover under the pillowcase on that one to cut down on how often it needs washed lol. Omg I just thought what if it would have exploded from water and air...next time you wash it I'd put it in a thin pillowcase and sew it closed. Just in case. Your right down pillows are just to costly to replace. Good luck Roc..and glad it worked out.

Had in in the dryer 45 mins and it looks nearly normal. Down has fluffed up. Giving it another 45. Phew! When it first came out of the washer it looked like it could explode. But the high speed drain/spin pulled the water out.

Recordas mentioned using the timed drying cycles which I've been using. Excellent tactic. They go for set time. I'm on the second 45 minute cycle now. I'll run the pillows that were washed earlier and are now dry through another cycle just to be sure.

Knew this would turn into a PITA. Cuddledown woman said to try never to wash down bedding if you can avoid it. Unavoidable.

I have successfully washed all my down items without problems. Rococogurl, when you washed that cashmere coat several years ago, I thought you "Roc'd". You will have good results with this too.

When I dry the down, I just do timed dry multiple times, as you are doing, and everything comes out great. I have been washing something down since the 70's. There seems to be a lot more bedding options in down these days. In the past it would have been coats and sleeping bags. When growing up we had feather pillows and I washed a few of those too. Never a problem with getting things dry, just takes a long time.

LindaC92 - opening the pillow would be a good idea, if my sewing skills would suck as f...udge. I once had a pillow tear, though not during laundering, and I used a stapler to mend it. No comments, please... *lol*

Fingers crossed, I will get a chance to wash my pillow when I'm off work during the last weeks of December. The pillow will just get drowned in the sink - that get the air out. The comforter will be more... interesting. I dry my pillow on low heat on Timed dry for three hours. The comforter gets put through the 10 cu.ft. Speed Queen at the laundromat.

I have successfully washed down pillows and comforters, vests and jackets in my washing machine using my normal detergent. You need to run them in the dryer for a very long time, as down is slow to dry and must be thoroughly dried in order to fluff the items up properly.

@enduring - Thought I also remembered you using the timed dry. I've been doing 45 minutes twice. Should I go for 3? The pillows are all fluffed up when they come out of the first cycle. Just have no guide for how they feel when they are "really" dry IYKWIM.

The cashmere was nothing like this. So basic.

You could try 45 min and select gentle for that 3rd cycle.

The think I've noticed with down is that you think it's dry, then you do another cycle and find out what dry down really feels like. It seems there are mini clumps that you don't really notice, until it's really dried. It feels fat and warm all over.

And if your pillow does explode in the dryer, usually the first clue is feathers flying past the window....then you discover your dryer has stopped because the lint screen is covered and you are thankful it's not on fire. So you try to scoop up all those wet feathers in the washer and put them in something so you can salvage the pillow, and you have a sack full of wet feathers you don't dare to put into the dryer until you can get them into something secure, so you get 2 zipper covers and stuff all feathers and the partial pillow into one of them and then into another for safe keeping, and you find that even then it leaks down in the dryer....etc .etc etc.....
And you discover that for weeks your dryer occasionally spits out a few down fluffy bits.

ALEX....LMAO a stapler...really...I would have used a hot glue gun. LOL.

Its so hard to know when down is completely dry and since it molds so fast im very careful......I take mine out of the dryer every 15 minutes and fluff it up...I did Amiees down comforter this past summer dried it 3 hours than hung it on the line in the sun all day..threw it back in the dryer for another hour..I'm paranoid. but I can't afford to replace Down..its just to expensive. I don't use anything on the boys beds except alternative down since I worry how it will affect the asthma child.

God Roc you did have a close call for sure, but I'm glad it worked out for you..how often do you wash those pillows some people do it once a year some twice...I do down comforters every 4 months but I use duvet covers.

LOL, stapling pillow seam... you may want to try iron on mending tape, it works really well.

So, the big dog down bed took 5-6 hrs to dry. After every 45 minutes, I let the dryer cool off for about 15 minutes and then just started another timed cycle.

That is some dog bed!!! My goodness.

i never washed them before. Cuddledown told me not to. But they had to be washed. Each has now been through 3 dryer cycles.they fluffed immediately as Im using the blue dryer balls. I will dry them again. They feel fine but it sounds like that cant be trusted. I am being so careful because there is no way I could replace them. Not the only things that have gone to the moon.

Roc, when you think their dry let them sit overnight and see how they feel in the morning..I know its hard to tell but its even harder when their warm from the dryer.sitting overnight won't hurt..several days will. If they feel fluffy after they come to room temperature I'd say they are dry.

Just starting out on the second group of 4 pillows.

First 4 came out superbly -- so many thanks to all who contributed how tos, warnings and encouragement.

Had been planning to buy felt dryer balls but since doing this I decided that the two blue rubber/plastic ones from the supermarket work just fine. Don't feel I need more. Someone had posted about those. I definitely find they work well.

YEA, clean pillows are so nice!

I have many times, make sure you have two pillows to balance the weight. They wash nicely but it takes a long time in the dyer. After you fluff and dry again the next day