Cleaning & Sanitizing Feathers: Preparing Feathers for Crafts

  

Now I know I have to clean feathers!

How to Clean Feathers

My kids just got into chickens. We purchased some chickens and received some roosters for free. Since we had too many roosters, some had to go into the crock pot. 

The girls thought they could make some crafts with them. They researched different crafts and found out you have to clean and sanitize the feathers first. 

Thank goodness they found that out! Feathers can carry some nasty stuff:

       parasites

       viruses & bacteria 

       lice

       mites

What the mothballs didn't kill, the mixture of rubbing alcohol & hydrogen peroxide will.

Video of my daughter cleaning chicken feathers.  

Supplies Needed for Preserving Feathers:

Feathers
Mothballs
Plastic Bags
Rubbing Alcohol
Hydrogen Peroxide
Large Bowl with Water
Bar of Soap

1. Put feathers in a sealed container with mothballs for 24 hours.
   
2. Put the feathers in a zip lock bag.
3. Add 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol & 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide to bag.
4. Seal the bag.
5. Make sure the liquid covers all the feathers.
6. Let bag sit for 30 minutes.
7. Have a large bowl with water & a bar of soap.
8. Take a couple of feathers out of the bag and wash them well with soap.
9. Lay the feathers until they are completely dry.
10. Neatly put feathers in a clean/ dry plastic bag.