Do you think it’s already time to wash your down comforter? Well, guess what? It’s no longer necessary for you to pay for a professional laundry service because you can do it yourself. Take note, however, that you need to do it carefully and patiently.
Down Comforter Vs. Down Alternative Comforter
Down comforters are made from duck and goose feathers. You can determine the quality of any down comforter you’re interested in based on its fill power or loft. A down comforter that has more fill power has the best fluff and insulating ability, which is how you’ll know which one to choose.
On the other hand, down alternative comforters are the best choice for those who are allergic to down feathers or for those who have a smaller budget. Down alternatives are usually made from polyester, cotton, rayon, etc. Although they cannot effectively regulate temperatures compared to down comforters, they are much easier to clean and maintain.
Can I Wash My King Size Comforter In My Washing Machine?
King-size comforters can easily be washed at home! It is very important that you should read the label on the comforter to know what the best cleaning method is. For most king-size comforters, a washer can be used to clean them. They can then be dried using a dryer. However, if your comforter is too huge enough for your washer or is made of fragile materials, you should hand wash it. Additionally, air dry it instead of using a drying machine. No matter what method you use, your comforter will be clean and feel fresh.
How to Wash A Down Comforter At Home
One of the greatest attractions in every bedroom is bedding and pillows. Comforters and pillows are soft and warm, helping us sleep comfortably. You can guarantee that a quality comforter can keep you warm all night long, however, cleaning them is not the easiest thing to do. That is why most people would rather let a professional do the cleaning for them. That being said, cleaning your comforter at home can help you save money on dry cleaning services and you can still rest assured that your pillows and down comforter are clean.
So, can you wash a down comforter in the washing machine? Whether you want to dry clean or wash your comforter, it all depends on the fabric. Perhaps you might think that washing a feather comforter at home is difficult. The truth is, it’s quite easy. It’s fine to clean them professionally every few years. But if it becomes really dirty before that time comes, washing it at home is a great option. This can save you some money and ensure you of a safe, good night sleep!
Without any more delay, here’s how you can efficiently wash your favorite down comforter.
Manually Prepare the Comforter
First, you need to prepare the down comforter for the cleaning process. If you see stains on the comforter, then spot clean it with your hands.If there is a flurry of flying down and feathers, then it may be a sign of a ripped area (or multiple). Look for the tears and sew them manually with a needle and thread.Keep in mind that machine washing is not efficient in removing spots and stains. Besides, we don’t want to keep the comforter inside the washing machine for a long time.
Machine Wash the Down Comforter
Don’t use a small or average sized washing machine
for your comforter. I suggest visiting your local Laundromat and looking for a large front-loading washing machine. That being said, be careful at the laundromat, as a top-loading machine typically has an “agitator” at the center which could rip the comforter apart.Add mild laundry detergent, but do not add too much of it. A small amount is enough to clean your down comforter.Select the warm water option for the washer. Do not use excessively hot or cold water as these may damage the quality of the down or feathers. Try to completely submerge the comforter as much as possible as well. Then, choose a gentle or delicate cycle to prevent damaging your comforter.
For the rinsing option, run the rinse cycle twice. This is to ensure that the soap was completely washed out of the comforter before drying it out. I personally recommend that you squeeze the water out of your comforter before tossing it in the dryer. This will help the comforter to spin freely inside the dryer.
Dry the Down Comforter
It helps to have a few tennis balls when drying your down comforter. These will help you keep the fluffiness of the comforter while preventing the down and feathers from mushing or clumping. They can also speed up the drying process of the comforter.Make sure not to set the drying machine to the high setting as it may shrink the down comforter. Remember to check the fluffiness of the comforter once in a while during the drying process. You can manually knead and shake the comforter to distribute the down properly.When checking to see if your comforter is ready, look for clumps inside the comforter. Clumps mean that the comforter is not completely dry yet. Toss it back in the drying machine and repeat the process until completely dry.
Things to Keep in Mind When Washing Your Down Comforter
- You can also choose to air dry the comforter by laying it out in a sunny area for a couple of hours.
- Avoid line-drying as it may produce mildew.
- You may opt to air dry your comforter before tossing it in the drying machine.
- The drying process can take 5 hours or more, so you’ll need to have a lot of patience.
- Washing the comforter should only be done once a year at most.
How Often Do You Need To Wash Your Comforter?
Cleaning your duvet cover sets, comforters, and pillows are essential. However, should you wash your comforters more often? Probably not as frequently as your bed sheets since we don’t come in contact with them directly. It is recommended that you should wash your comforters at least once a month. Follow the directions on the tag carefully to prevent any color loss or shrinkage. A dry cleaner can freshen up your comforter, however, there are simple do-it-yourself methods that you can use to get them cleaned. All you need is a washing machine and a dryer.
Reduce the Need to Wash Down-Filled Items Frequently
Typically, most manufacturers of down-filled items provide cleaning recommendations on the tags. Additionally, they do not recommend cleaning them more often. Probably, they would suggest cleaning them every three to five years. That is why it is very important to keep an eye on your down-filled items when using them.
Manufacturers of down comforters usually stuffed them with feathers from geese, ducks, etc. Hence, if you find these feathers lying around in your bed, there is most likely a hole in it. It is important that you stitch up these holes once you find them.
In the case that you discover some small stains, you should clean them up right away. To do this, you can submerge your comforter into soapy water. Scrub the stains until they are entirely removed. Then, rinse it with clean water.
Using a duvet cover can help in protecting your comforter and keep it pristine all the time. Choose duvets that can fit the size of your comforter. When there is dirt or you find stains on the duvet itself, you can easily remove it to clean it up without worrying about your comforter.
How Do I Get Blood Out Of A Down Comforter?
Removing blood stains from a comforter is relatively easy, as long as the blood is still fresh. Still, even if the blood stains have dried up, you can still remove them as long as the comforter has not been washed. However, once it has been washed and dried, then it is quite impossible to eradicate the stains entirely. Nevertheless, you can still use the same technique to eliminate them. The most important thing is to treat the blood stains while they are still fresh or have dried up but hasn’t been washed and dried yet.
- The first thing you have to do is to wet the stained area with cold water.
- Then, rub a bar of soap into the stain. You can put a small amount of hydrogen peroxide onto it if your comforter is light colored.
- Next, clean the comforter using a washer. Check the load washing machine capacity before putting your comforter into it. Be sure to use a mild detergent and let your front-loading washer run for a while before you place your comforter inside. This is to ensure that the detergent is thoroughly mixed with the cold water. Choose the gentle cycle so as not to damage the baffle plate of your washing machine.
- While you are washing your comforter, you can sit back and watch Earthlink Cinemana on your android phone. If you want your comforter to dry up quickly, you can use two tennis balls or dryer balls. Simply put them into a pair of socks and throw them into the dryer together with your comforter. These tennis balls or dryer balls can help in reducing the drying time and in making your comforter fluffy.
How To Keep A Duvet Cover On A Down Comforter?
Duvet covers are great for protecting your comforters. Fortunately, keeping your comforter in place inside a duvet is very simple. All you have to do is tie the corners. You can also sew two pieces of ribbon on each corner. Tie the ribbons around to prevent the cover from shifting. Another way is to use clips. You can find these comforter clips at any bed-and-bath retail outlet. Similar to the ribbons, all you have to do is clip them on the corners of the comforter.
Final Thoughts on How to Wash a Down Comforter
Washing your down comforters is essential if you want to sleep cleanly. At first, you might think that it’d be a hard task, but after reading this article, you’ll realize that washing your bedding is a pretty easy task. It only takes a little bit of time and effort to keep your down comforter nice and fresh. By washing your down comforter every now and then, it will maintain its quality and warmth for a long time. Plus, you don’t have to wash your down comforter too often if you cover it with a duvet. Just be sure to wash your duvet cover frequently.
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