It keeps you warm in winter, cool in summer, and takes you to dreamland each night.So how can you keep your duvet fresh and clean? Simple. With these five easy-breezy steps.
If you want to keep your beloved feather duvet fluffy and feeling good for a long, long time, it’s important to know how to wash it without ruining it. Here's some advice to help you keep it clean and cosy—just the way you like it!
Don't wash it too often
It may surprise you to learn this, but it’s best to wash your duvet as infrequently as possible. Once every five years is a good schedule. And when the time comes to clean it, the best approach is to entrust it to a dry cleaner.
- If you wash it or have it cleaned too often, the duvet may lose its fluffiness; in fact, some duvets should only be dry cleaned every 10 years. So be sure to check the care label before taking things into your own hands.
Of course, for reasons of hygiene and comfort, the comforter slipcover must be washed or cleaned regularly.
Steps for machine-washing your duvet
If your quilt is washable, check the care label for specific instructions on how to wash it. Then follow these steps:
Step 1:Before putting your duvet in the washing machine, make sure it has no loose threads that can snag and grow with washing.
Step 2: Don’t force your duvet into the washer. Place it gently. For a proper washing, it has to be able to swish around. If it’s too big for your machine, take it to a laundromat where they have oversized front-loading machines.
Step 3:Wash in cold or warm water using a mild soap.
Step 4: Rinse twice, as soap residue can keep the down from fluffing up properly when dry.
Step 5:Dry the quilt at a low temperature.
- You can add drier balls or tennis balls to the dryer to prevent the feathers from sticking together.
- Be sure to allow a couple of hours or more for this step, as wet down can rot.
- Make sure the comforter is completely dry before putting it back on your bed.
- If you prefer to dry your duvet on the clothesline, don’t leave it in the sun too long. However, it’s still a good idea to finish it off with a spin in the dryer to fluff up the feathers again.
How to wash a duvet in an emergency
So, you were snacking in bed and accidentally stained your quilt... Go ahead and blame the midnight munchies, but you still have to get it clean!
- Gather up the duvet to keep it from getting wet and sponge-clean only the part that is dirty.
- Afterwards, dry with a hair dryer at low temperature.
Remember, any yellowish circles that appear on your quilt over time are not food or sweat stains; they are from the natural oils of the bird feathers used to stuff your duvet.
Don’t take risks
If you can’t find a washer big enough to wash your duvet, if you lost the care label, or if you want to make sure the job is done right, entrust your duvet to a dry cleaner. That’s the best way to avoid ruining it forever—and to continue sleeping like a baby!
