If My Feather Bed Gets Wet, Is It Ruined?

Featherbeds are the ultimate in bed luxury. They provide soft, luxurious comfort for the sleeper. If you own a featherbed, you want to protect this comfort so it will last for a long time.

Most featherbeds are bought in stores seasonally, and they are about three inches in height. They are typically imported from China due to the high labor costs to make them elsewhere. They are also expensive to ship, so most folks buy in stores, although you can find great deals with free shipping online.

They are not machine washable, so it is important to offer the right amount of preventative maintenance to keep your investment in good order. Most sold in stores sell between $50 and $100. When sold online, they can be more expensive because of features not available in store models (such as being hypoallergenic, made in the USA, better filling, etc.

). They are never sold with stain or water-resistant protection, so it is important to use a protective cover that will protect your investment. Featherbed protectors are usually made of twill-weave cotton and feature zipper closures.

They offer another layer of thick fabric to keep perspiration and dirt from getting on the featherbed. Featherbed protectors are not water resistant. They frequently sell in the $25 to $50 range.

Be sure that the protector you buy is large enough to fit your featherbed as some styles like down-top featherbeds can be really thick. We recommend considering featherbed covers with a gusset. Even with a featherbed protector, we rcommended you use a waterproof liner or mattress pad on top to prevent accidents from kids or pets to a minimum.

Make sure to buy one with a soft liner vs. a crunchy plastic liner which can be annoying. Having a mattress pad with a skirt will also have the benefit of keeping it in place, thus limiting it from sliding.

If your featherbed gets wet or soiled from a child, pet, or other accident, and it did not have a waterproof liner, you will likely need to replace it. Featherbeds are too large for washing machines and dryers. Furthermore, dry cleaning should be avoided due to the size and inability of the process to remove moisture.

The area of greatest concern are feathers and quills. These hollow tubes store water and make it very hard to remove. This presence of moisture along with your body's warmth can create bacteria and mold, so to best protect your featherbed investment, cover it with a protector and mattress pad.