How to care for down and feather beds

The majority of down- and feather-filled bedding articles are easy to clean. Here are a couple of tips for those who suffer from allergic reactions to house dust mites or who have an elevated risk for allergic reactions.

• Air your bedroom and bedding regularly and thoroughly. By doing so, you reduce the humidity in the room and in the bedding thereby creating a climate that is not favourable to mite growth.
   
• Appropriately labelled down and feather beds can be washed at 60°C using a neutral, mild detergent. Then tumble dry thoroughly.
   
• Down- and feather-filled duvets can also be examined, cleaned and refilled in specialty shops.
   
• Care instructions by the German Textile Cleaning Association (Deutscher Textilreinigungsverband e.V.)
  The Bonn-based German Textile Cleaning Association recommends having the summer and winter bedding washed once a year by a certified specialist. The pillows should be washed more often than the duvets – because our head perspires more than the rest of the body.
  The Association further recommends a dry and cool bedroom climate with a temperature not over 18 °C.
  On days with a low pollen count you can air the bedding at the open window or outside.
   
• Do not allow your bedding to become too old. It is advisable to replace it with new one after 8 – 10 years.
   
• Do not allow the bedding articles become too old. It is advisable to replace old articles with new ones after approx. 8 – 10 years.