Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Cleaning/Laundry Tip--Down Comforters & Jackets

Happy Tuesday!  Time for another cleaning/laundry tip.  Depending on the size of your comforter, you may want to take it to the laundromat where they have the oversize load washing machines.  Sure, you may be able "shove" it all into your washer at home, but if there isn't much room for agitation, how clean do you think it will get?

Down Comforters / Jackets: These can, indeed, be washed rather than dry cleaned. Any stains, such as the grime on the cuffs of a jacket, should be spot-cleaned with a pre-treater, then rinsed with water. Wash the item in the gentle cycle with mild detergent. The key is to ensure the down is rinsed extremely well. Then, place in the dryer rather than line drying. This allows the feathers to plump up again. Place large knotted towels or tennis balls in the dryer with it to help fluff the down. The only caution is, if the item has weak seams or fragile fabric it could "explode" and leave you with only down. If there are stains remaining, place it (on a blanket) outdoors in full sunshine for a day or two. This often helps. If not, at least your comforter will have that outdoor fresh smell.

If your going to put it in the sun to get some stains out, then I would recommend putting some lemon juice on the stain.  The combination of the sun and lemon juice may "bleach" the stain.

Have a great day. 
Welcome to any new readers & hugs to all my friends! 

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