Cleaning Insulated Bedding Product
Regardless of the myth of difficult cleaning, it is actually quite easy to clean your down and down alternative bedding products. In most cases, both down and down alternatives need similar care.
The biggest factor is the detergent. Using harsh detergents can strip down of the oils essential to keep it lofty and resilient and also strip the synthetic fibers of the slick surfaces needed to create that comfort you feel.
It is also important to make sure that the products are dried thoroughly. Even synthetic fibers can grow mold if not dried properly. And for down, this is critical.
Please follow any instructions on the care label on the products since there may be trims that need special attention, but in general, you can follow the instructions below for good results. And to start, be sure to see our ALLIED DOWN WASH which, while formulated specifically for down products, works extremely well with down alternative insulations as well.
This helps to saturate the items allowing the detergent to penetrate the fabrics more effectively and get to the down clusters to clean them thoroughly.
There is a greater likelihood that the fabrics will require a lower temperature than the down itself. This also saves energy when it is not needed.
This will ensure that all detergent was completely rinsed out of the down and the product. Leaving residual detergent on the down may cause a reduction in fill power.
If you think the item is dry, it is worth running one last dry cycle. Many people assume it is dry by the feel of the textile, but the down inside remains slightly damp. This may take several cycles. It is not possible to over-dry in a home laundry machine, and is always better to err on the side of dry with down insulation.
It may be obvious, but do not bleach or iron your down filled products.
We also generally recommend against dry cleaning, but if that is necessary because of certain trims on the item, it is recommended to use an eco-friendly dry cleaner who has experience with down filled products.