Washing pillows this weekend? This is the only product you'll ever need

What do you use to wash pillows, and particularly down-filled pillows? A down pillow, for many people, is the last word in pillow luxury. Down has that soft, bouncy quality that's almost impossible to replicate with synthetic materials; it's also a nightmare to wash – the down tends to clump after washing, and (in our experience) somehow conventional detergents just don't seem to clean down properly.  

• Want to know how to wash all kinds of pillows, not just down? Read out guide

Those of us at RealHomes who own down-filled pillows had just about resigned ourselves to pillows that were past their prime – until we discovered Grangers Down Wash. Honestly, we're not sure why this product isn't more popular than it is – although it might be because it's marketed as a specialist detergent for down jackets.

Yes, the Grangers wash works perfectly on jackets, but we've tried it on down pillows – and, behold a miracle. The down pillow came out plump and fresh, as though we'd just bought it. The trick is to always use two caps of the detergent, wash your pillow on a delicates cycle and on a low spin, with an extra rinse added to make sure the detergent is properly washed out. The kit also comes with handy dryer balls that you can put into the dryer with the pillow(s) to prevent the down from clumping together.

if drying naturally, give your pillow a good 48 hours to dry out completely – using it if it's damp can encourage unpleasant smells and mould growth. 

•  Need new pillows? Take your pick from our buyer's guide to best pillows