How can I get rid of the smell in my new duck down pillows? I tried washing them in regular laundry detergent, but they actually smell worse. Is this why LL Bean uses only goose down? Because duck down is harder to deoderize? I'd appreciate some advice.
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Marti,
The reason LL Bean uses goose down is because the loft of the feathers is greater. Eider down is probably the very best, but as you might guess, eiders aren't as plentiful as geese.
Now to your particular problem. Am I right in assuming that you're using raw feathers? If so, they need to dry first. As a kid, my grandmother used hen feathers for her pillows and her mattress. She'd pluck them and lay them between bed sheets. Then she'd stake them outside in the sun for several weeks to allow the quills to dry up. The simple scalding they got before being plucked was all the washing they ever got and I don't recall any problems. (Then again, that was so long ago, I probably don't recall a lot of other things too. LOL)