CLEANING DOWN

Choosing to wash or dry clean your down items depends on the fiber content in the shell of the item. Always follow the care label.

When machine washing down comforters, wash separately in warm water with a short cycle and high water levels with a mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly to prevent discoloration and loss of water repellency of the shell fabric. Items should be tumble dried at temperatures no higher that 140'F with tennis balls to fluff the down. Air drying does not completely dry down.

Cleaning and Storage
Clean down items at least once a month during the season and once before being stored.

To store your down items, keep them in a loose condition - never in plastic bags unless specially designed for comforters. Store items in dry dark places to prevent fading, moisture and mildew.

Possible Problems
To prevent down feathers from poking through the shell fabric, manufacturers apply an inner coating known as "down proofing". Unfortunately some of these "down proof" coatings may dissolve when dry cleaned. Once the coating has been removed, dark feathers and other impurities may show through the surface of the shell fabric.
This is not something that the dry cleaner can predict nor prevent as it is impossible to know if the item contains a non-durable coating or not.