Cleaning down pillows

[Deleted]

According to the household maintenance checklists I've cobbled together from lots of different places, I'm supposed to be cleaning my pillows regularly.  In the past I've always just washed my feather/down mixture pillows once or twice a year in the washer and dryer then put them in the sun to both sanitize further and allow them to completely dry (it takes several days for them to dry fully).  They're still pretty full after 7 or 8 years of doing that.  The down pillows I got from TCS last year say dry clean only on them.  I keep all my pillows in zip-up allergy barriers plus cases, so they aren't suppose to be dust-mite-y, and they don't have any stains or anything.  So my questions:

(1) How often do you clean your pillows?  Would the allergy barriers make a difference in the frequency?
(2) Should I be dry cleaning all of them rather than throwing them in the washer?  How do you clean feather and/or down pillows if you have them?

[pitterwoo]

I don't wash mine often, about once a year. I do the same as you said with washing them and drying them (with tennis balls in the dryer for fluff). I do the down comforter the same way.

I would never dry clean any bedding...or would never buy dry clean only bedding due to the chemicals.

I say keep doing what you do.

[Deleted]

:Y: Thanks.  The down comforter probably needs to be washed for the first time before being put away for the summer also.

[imojoebunny]

Just a suggestion, but wash your down pillows in a pillow case or allergy cover. It makes a huge mess if they get a small hole.

[Deleted]

Good suggestion! I can imagine what kind of mess that would make.