How to clean feathers?

[GBov]

Have just plucked a Narragansett turkey and kept the best feathers back in a bag. I want to clean them and give them to my daughters kindergarten class. The feathers are too soft and fluffy and just plain beautiful to waste.

How do I clean them fit for little kiddies but not destroy them? I read to place them into a pillow case and put into the drier set on high for 40 min. but that seems a bit excessive.

How do you all clean them for crafts and such like?

 

[Wildsky]

I washed some last year with dish soap in a little dish, by hand and let them dry flat on a towel.

 

[TammyTX]

Some kiddos are allergic to feathers, if you haven't already done so, you might want to check before taking them to the school.

Putting them in the drier seems like an easy fix, why don't you want to do that?

The feathers sound beautiful and you may be able to sell them on ebay to craftpeople.

...I just checked ebay and there are 42 entries for turkey feathers!

Hey, and your shipping will be.....wait for it......




LIGHT AS A FEATHER!

 

[GBov]

Quote:

I just wanted to be sure to clean them without distroying them but might give the drier a try today.

 

[wood&feathers]

The drier should NOT go on high heat. That will cause the quills to curl sideways, so they all look like a J . I use the drier on medium heat for body feathers.

You might want to hand prepare the feathers of the rump and flight secondaries. I think they are the prettiest on the whole turkey.

I don't like to wash out the natural oils so I just use my fingers to stroke the feathers back into shape. To kill any possible livestock (I use feathers from hunters and many farmers) I seal the feathers in a paper bag and pop them in the deep freeze for a week, take them out to warm for a day, then back in for a week.

 

[GBov]

wood&feathers :

The drier should NOT go on high heat. That will cause the quills to curl sideways, so they all look like a J . I use the drier on medium heat for body feathers.

You might want to hand prepare the feathers of the rump and flight secondaries. I think they are the prettiest on the whole turkey.

I don't like to wash out the natural oils so I just use my fingers to stroke the feathers back into shape. To kill any possible livestock (I use feathers from hunters and many farmers) I seal the feathers in a paper bag and pop them in the deep freeze for a week, take them out to warm for a day, then back in for a week.

Too late, driered (if thats a word lol) them today. They came out really well, the only problem is the quill fluff but it blows off with a puff so not to big of a problem. I will try the freezer trick next time but there were too many feathers for my freezer space with this bird. Easily 2 pounds or more, the cleaned feathers fill a useful size box to overflowing.

I think the kids will enjoy them really, the wing feathers are FAB!​