Allergies and down filling

January 2, 2007 2:13 PM

Any recommendations on allergy proofing a down comforter?

I have a down comforter that i really love and enjoy but my girlfriend is completely allergic to it. She's allergic to down - im not sure if theres a broader explanation like if shes allergic to dander or whatever. I can replace the comforter and pillows but that would be expensive.
I found some allergen duvet covers on amazon but im not sure if they would work. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

posted by AMP583 to home & garden (4 comments total)

If she is really allergic, there isn't much you can do, aside from putting the comforter and pillows in airtight (i.e. plastic) bags.
posted by sulaine at 2:29 PM on January 2, 2007

get it washed (not dry cleaned) at a dry-cleaner that you trust. Ask them to wash it once, and rinse twice in water, then dry. This will take one week.

I am midly allergic to down but will not get rid of my comforter. I do the wash-rinse-rinse thing twice a year - I bring it to my drycleaner and a week later I have a clean comforter and breathe easy.
posted by seawallrunner at 2:46 PM on January 2, 2007

Most of the stuff that people are allergic to is the dirt and the junk that hasn't been washed out previous to the comforter being stuffed. (birds are filthy animals) if you get it washed, you'll be on the right track.

An important thing to look for in a comforter is how many times the down is washed before it's packed. That's why if you grab the cheap down pillows and give em a sniff, they smell like your uncle Larry's dirty underpants.

The other thing you can do is get an extra cover to put between the comforter and the duvet cover. That should help too, after you wash the thing a few times, that is.
posted by ampersand2001 at 4:21 PM on January 2, 2007

Wont washing it ruin it? I'm fearing all the feathers will pop out of it or something. i already have feathers coming out of the seams sometimes. It wasnt that cheap - around ~$100. My pillows are funky, ill get rid of those.
posted by AMP583 at 8:02 AM on January 4, 2007