I'm allergic to feather pillows, so I only buy light filled fluffy pillows, not exacrtly sure what they're called, but I know them when I see them. I don't like the old fashioned foam pillows either, because they stink. Congratulations on finding a method that works for you!

I do down comforters with bleach and soap and the key is getting it %100 dry--which can mean hot for 1.5-2 hours for a comforter. But thanks--I forgot about this and was thinking I might need a new pillow but will wash it first.

But!!!! Be aware that an "older pillow" can have a weakened tick and the weight of that heavy wet pillow in the dryer can cause it to burst...and then you have an unbelievable mess....with your dryer vent pouffing feathers into the wind!

Also chlorine bleach is pretty well death to feathers, just as it's death to silk and wool...all animal fibers.

As Noodles says, be sure to get any down item thoroughly dry...I dryed a king sized comforter for an hour at the commercial laundry....but when I went to make the bed, it was damp and I had to take it back...

Consumer Reports (March 2010), if I may quote them, says to "fill a sink with warm water and a powdered detergent. Hold the pillow under the water until completely soaked and knead gently. Drain the water out and press down on pillow to extract as much water as possible. Roll in towel to prevent dripping and then unwrap it and spin it in your washer for three cycles to extract water. Line dry or place in dryer on moderate heat with clean towels to speed drying. A clean tennis ball will help fluff the pillow."
I have laundered my down pillows with much success. Just remember to make sure they are completely dry!

When I wash my down pillows, I first put them in pillowcases and use my sewing machine to sew the pillowcases shut, or I use pillow covers with the zipper secured with a safety pin. This is to prevent the mess that would occur if a tick were to fail. I have a special set of inexpensive but sturdy pillowcases. I'm 64, and I learned this technique from my mother. We didn't have a clothes dryer, so she would get an early start on a hot, dry day and hang them on the clothesline. During the day she would rotate and fluff the pillows to help them dry.