Dusters are an essential part of any household. However, feather dusters add much more than just aesthetic appeal to your home. A feather duster is handy for cleaning out tight corners and small spaces where you cannot fit a vacuum cleaner or even your hand. But every once in a while, even your duster needs some cleaning! Here are some practical ways on how to clean a feather duster.
How to clean your feather duster using baby shampoo
You should not use very harsh cleaners for your feather duster as it can cause damage. Hand washing it with baby shampoo is a great cleaning option. Here is how you can do it:
- Take a mug and fill it with lukewarm water. In the water, add baby shampoo such that the ratio of water: baby shampoo is 1: 2.
- Mix this well to create a soapy solution.
- Using the foamy portion of the solution, clean the feathers of your duster by hand. Do not rub the feathers too hard or use any other cleaning tools, simply use your fingers and the solution to wash and clean the feathers gently. Since baby shampoo is very mild, it will not strip the natural oils from the feathers and damage them.
- Rinse the feathers very gently, do not apply too much water force on the feathers.
- Take a clean towel and gently blot the feathers to hand dry the duster. Whatever remaining moisture you find on the feather duster, you can blow dry gently with a hairdryer or simply hang the feather duster to dry naturally.
How to clean your feather duster using rock salt
Another excellent method you can use to clean your feather duster is to use rock salt as a cleaning agent. Here is how you can do it:
- Lay down a couple of newspapers on a table, and place your feather duster on top of them.
- Take some rock salt and sprinkle it generously over the feather duster. Since rock salt is larger and more abrasive than regular salt, but it is still not a harsh abrasive, it is an excellent cleaner for your delicate feather duster.
- Wrap the feather duster with rock salt in the newspaper and fold the ends well to seal it off from the air.
- Shake the feather duster with the rock salt inside it vigorously for about 2 or 3 minutes, as this will allow the rock salt to gently but effectively clean the feathers of your duster.
- Finally, gently open the newspaper over a dustbin and shake off the excess rock salt from your feather duster, after which you can dispose of the newspaper, and your feather duster will be clean!
How to clean your feather duster using dish soap
If your feather duster requires deep cleaning, you can use mild dish soap to do this, however, be very careful not to add too much soap, as it may strip the feathers of its natural oils and damage it. Here is how you should do it:
- The first thing you can do is to take your feather duster outdoors and give it a good shaking. The shaking will help get rid of any larger dust, debris, and residue from the feather duster.
- The second step is to use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust from your feather duster. Make sure that you use the vacuum cleaner on its lowest setting only, and in case you feel the vacuum cleaner is pulling on the feathers too hard, you should stop using it immediately.
- Take a large bucket, or simply fill up your sink or bathtub with some warm water. Now, add a few drops of a mild, dishwashing soap into the water and mix it well. Make sure that you don’t add a very harsh soap or detergent, as it can damage the feathers of your duster.
- Now, take your feather duster and dip it into this soapy solution. Gently swirl it around the bottom of the bucket, as it will allow the soap to penetrate and clean your feathers thoroughly. Allow your feather duster to soak for a few minutes before you remove it.
- Rinse out your feather duster under warm, running water. Do not use too much water pressure, as it may damage your delicate feather duster. Using your fingers, gently sift through the feathers or massage the feathers to help the water rinse out all the soapy residue from the duster thoroughly. Keep doing this till the water runs clear.
- Lay down a clean, dry towel on a flat surface and place your feather duster on top of it. Gently wrap the towel around the feather duster and apply light pressure to blot the feathers and allow the towel to pick up the excess moisture.
- Allow the duster to dry in the towel for about 10 minutes before you remove it.
- Now, take the feather duster in between both your palms and rub the wand, so that you cause the entire duster to twirl. The motion forces the rest of the moisture to fly out of the feathers.
- Finally, you can use a blow dryer on its lowest setting to dry the rest of your feather duster off completely. Use your fingers to fluff up the feathers to make it look just like new once again.
How to clean your feather duster by using the shaking method
After every single use, you can use the simple shaking method to get rid of the residue, dust, and dirt from your feather duster with this method. Doing this after every use ensures that your feather duster remains clean and does not become sticky or damage:
- Take your feather duster outdoors for this method. Wear a mask around your nose and mouth so that you don’t inhale any of the dust particles which will fly out.
- Hold the duster in between your two palms and rub the stick in such a way that the feathers vigorously twist and turn, forcing out all the dust particles from it. Do this for about 2 minutes till you can visibly see no more dust particles coming out from the duster.
