17/10/2020
Around 35% of our time is spent asleep under a duvet, so it needs to be washed and dried regularly. Find out about the best way to clean duvets and pillows.
Most of us wash our sheets and pillowcases regularly but duvets - and pillows - are another story. Some of us rarely or never clean our duvets, but this is a job that should be done at least once a three month’s time.
Each night we shed skin cells, and we sweat as we sleep. This encourages dust mites, which produce droppings that encourage bacteria as well as causing irritable eyes and asthma. These droppings, skin cells and sweat accumulate in our pillows and in our duvets.
The washing process
Start by checking the label. Some down, or feather-and-down, fillings need to be dry-cleaned.
If there are any stains on the duvet, shake the filling away until the stain is isolated, and treat the stain in the appropriate way before popping it in the washing machine.
Usually, a standard 7 kg machine can take a double duvet or even a king-size duvet but it may depend on the tog and the thickness.
The duvet needs room to tumble around the drum. The best way to feed it in is to fold it in half, spreading out the weight as you go.
If there isn't enough room in your domestic washing machine, take the duvet to a launderette, where there are big machines, both for washing and tumble-drying.
Wash all duvets on a gentle cycle. For feather/feather-and-down duvets use a non-biological detergent (without enzymes).
Run the duvet through two rinse cycles to make sure all the soap has been removed.
Use a normal spin setting.
If your tumble dryer is big enough, dry the quilt on a low heat, taking it out and shaking it occasionally during the cycle. Dryer balls, or clean tennis balls, will help prevent clumps of feathers and/or down forming.
In summer, dry the duvet outdoors in the sun – ultraviolet rays are a natural disinfectant which help to kill any remaining bacteria – but make sure it's totally dry before putting it back on the bed. In the winter, use a warm iron instead.
That’s how Clean the Duvets .
