Blog

Photo Credit : Pinterest

If you love birds or you live in a place where there are many of them, you may often encounter feathers fallen on the ground as birds also shed feathers. This is a normal part of their growth. But what can you do with the feathers? In our modern times, feathers have many uses, particularly for decorative purposes. If you have birds as pets, you can also collect those feathers you find in their cage. You can use it decorate your home or even sell it if you have lots of it. But then, you must first learn how to clean feathers. Here are some tips: 

If the feathers are not too dirty, you can clean them by just dusting and brushing it mildly. This process is often used in very delicate feathers. All you will need here is a soft brush; no water and soap is required as it can damage the natural formation or shape of the feathers. Place the feather in you hand to avoid breaking the quill, then brush the feather in its original direction to remove dirt and dust. 

If you do not want you feathers to get wet, you can use a cup of corn meal, half cup flour, and three tablespoons of powdered borax. Mix all of this in a bag and put the feathers inside. Shake it until the feathers are covered with powder. This process will clean the feathers. Just shake off excess powders or use a soft brush. 

For feathers invaded with insects, you can use Sevin dust. Do the same procedure above; shake it in a bag but let it stay there for a few hours. Clean the feathers by brushing it. 

Got feathers covered with lots of dirt? Well, this will surely not be cleansed by just dusting and brushing, right? If this is the case, you can use gasoline to clean it. Put some gasoline in a bowl or in a small bucket, and then dip feathers into it. Try to do it one at a time to make sure that it will be cleansed thoroughly. Afterwards, shake off excess gasoline and let it dry. Now, if the feathers are white, here’s a better way to clean it using gasoline. First, create a mixture of gasoline and flour. Then, apply the paste from the tip to the bottom of the feathers. Rub it gently until the feather becomes clean, and then dip it in pure gasoline to remove the paste. Let it dry. Just remember, be more careful when cleaning feathers with gasoline, as it is flammable. Stay away from fire and use gloves to keep your hands protected.