I have washed my down comforter recently at home and even used downy fabric softener and dryer sheets and it smells really bad, I guess like damp feathers. How can I get the smell out? I've washed it twice!
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I have a down duvet, and I can only dry-clean it - I have never washed it myself. Maybe take it in to dry cleaner and see if they can help. Or do you have a laundry line outside that you can let it air out??
I wash my down comforter all the time. I would throw it in the washer with a cup or 2 of white vinegar, and let it soak overnight. Then drain it, wash with regular deterg. When you put it in the dryer, put 3-4 tennis balls or an old pair of canvas sneakers in the dryer with it. The balls keep the down from lumping up.
I took my down comforters to the laundry mat to wash and partially dried them. I also used fabric softener and was disappointed in the smell. After I got back home, I hung one outside to dry and dried the others in my dryer til they were completely dry.
I used to have one, and I'd take it to the laundry to clean it in one of their big washers. The ladies there told me the machines would never get it dry enough, and I'd have to take it home and hang it on the line. I'd follow Linda's advice about the vinegar soak and drying. After it dried as much as possible in the dryer, I'd hang it up outside somewhere until it is completely dry. Also, you may want to consider taking it to the laundromat to dry it in their big dryers (make sure you take your tennis balls, clean sneakers or whatever). The ladies at my laundromat let me use their reversing dryers because they work better for these kinds of things. Good luck.
TerryfromChilliOH
Hi - I would first try to completely dry it. If that doesn't "get it" - then I would suggest spritzing (lightly spraying) it with a mixture of water and a few drops of peppermint oil. The peppermint oil comes in little bottles, sold at health food stores, for eg.
The secret to down is that it must be completly dry, or it may grow some little things that can eat the costly down. Yum, yum, yum.
Down is normally washed a number of times in the manufacturing process, but the secret is complete drying.
Dry, dry, dry. When dry, the odor and problem is gone.
I once had an expensive down feather doona, I used it once, after 12months I took it from its bag in the closet when the grandsons slept over, It gave my 2year old grandson the worst [and first] bout of asthma, since that time he has always suffered with asthma, he is now 11 year old. Of course I disposed of the doona, they breed dust mites on a large scale.
I washed my duck down comforter in our deep washer and dried it four times at least with Downy dryer sheets. It still smelled like a wet dead duck. I took it to the cleaners, and when I picked it up, it still smelled like a wet duck. I sprayed it with FeBreeze fabric freshener with Gain and FeBreeze Victory Over Odors.
Pull a few stitches and check the inside feathers.if moldy or bugs I would throw away imediately. Otherwise reset, use vinegar, rewash and dry outside on the line.
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