Should You Wash a Comforter Before Using It?

Why is it important to clean our beddings frequently? Because we spend roughly ⅓ of our lifetime in beds.

Just like it’s important to keep your clothes clean. Cleaning the comforter together with the sheets will help them feel fresher. As well as being more pleasant to use and hygienic.

There is no hard and fast rule about how frequently you must wash the comforter. But it’s a good idea to do it at least once every month.

However, this will depend on your personal preferences. A big part of knowing how to wash a comforter is knowing how it fits into your lifestyle. As well as the material it’s made of.

Another thing to consider is whether you use a flat sheet. In between your body and the comforter. Which will prolong the amount of time between washes. Since you are not in direct contact with the comforter.

Using a duvet cover also means your body doesn’t come into direct contact with the comforter. Therefore, you won’t have to wash your comforter quite as often.

Moreover, if you regularly shower before bed. It means fewer oils, dirt, and dead skin in your beddings. Hence you can wash your comforter less frequently.

The number of people sleeping in the bed also counts. You will have to launder more frequently if you have pets, kids, and spouses piling into the same bed.

The frequency will also increase if you are a night sweater. Sweat residue builds up in the fiber of your sheets and the comforter. Making them dirty faster.

You can wash the comforter in cool or warm water; however if you are trying to disinfect it. Maybe you have a kid or a pet or dust allergies. You should wash it in hot water.

Perhaps you want to give the comforter a whitening boost. Be sure to use oxygen bleach or color-safe bleach.

In case you use a duvet cover on your comforter. You can wash it just as you would your sheets.

When using a top sheet. You can wash your duvet at least once a month. Wash it as frequently as you do your sheets without a top sheet.

If your duvet cover is made of linen or cotton. Washing it in warm or cold water is okay. But if it’s made of a different fabric. Follow the washing instructions on the label.

When you wash your comforter, drying it thoroughly is key. The reason is that if you don’t mildew, mold could grow in the comforter. And it will smell awful. As well as cause allergies.

Make sure you follow the care instructions. In order not to ruin the fabric of the comforter.

Always try to evenly distribute the weight of the comforter in the washing machine before adding your detergent of choice. 

Then toss a couple of tennis balls in. These balls help agitate and balance the comforter. Be sure to use the delicate setting.

Even when you are not washing the comforter, you may want it to fluff up. The tennis balls would come in handy. They will help it look and feel nicer.

Let the cycle run. Then switch it to the dryer. Toss the tennis balls into the dryer as well. They will make sure the comforter doesn’t bunch up. 

Use a gentle dry cycle as well. You may have to run it twice. To ensure it completely dries. That is how you wash a normal comforter.

A clean bed is the best. Washing a comforter that is too big. For example, a king-sized one. It might break the washer.

You can either use your bathtub or a huge basin. Provided the comforter can fit inside it. And leave room for water.

Don’t put in too much soap because it can make it difficult to rinse the soap off. As well as end up using too much water.

Let the water get soapy first before putting it in the comforter. You can use lukewarm or cold water. The comforter should be saturated with soapy water.

Then get to massaging and scrubbing it. You can do this using your hands. Or stepping on it with your feet. After a while, leave it to soak for an hour.

Once the hour is up, massage it again for a few minutes. While turning it over. 

Now drain the soapy water. Fill the tub or basin with water again. Massage a little bit, leaving the comforter to soak the soap. Rinse the comforter twice.

To try and remove the water from the comforter. You can either step on it with your feet. It will squeeze out the excess water.

Or get a plastic laundry basket. The big ones with holes. Then put the comforter inside and leave it for a while. The water will drain out.

Which will make it easy to hang it outside. For it to air dry and get some sunlight. Or take a shorter time when putting in the dryer.

How do you clean a down comforter? This is a bed covering that is stuffed with down feathers.

These soft fine feathers hold heat efficiently to keep you warm, held in place by rows of stitching.

You can either dry clean it or launder it. The most preferred method is laundering it.

This is because dry cleaning uses a chemical that can be absorbed into the down fiber. As well as the cotton.

Which then leaves a residue smell. That breathing it every night is not very healthy. Keep in mind that the dryer doesn’t fully dry the comforter.

Therefore take your cover to the laundromat. Their dries are larger than the dry cleaners at home. About 3 times the size. Which will help in the drying process.

Removing the duvet cover from the down comforter is the perfect time to check the comforter’s condition because they wear out, especially around the shoulder area.

All you need to do is hold it up to room light. Or a window where there is natural sunlight coming in. 

If you notice that the areas around the shoulder area are void. Then it is time to consider getting a new comforter.

Once you have put your comforter and detergent in the laundromat, add a half cup of bleach. To get rid of dust mites.

Almost all beddings contain dust mites. So a little bit of bleach will help get rid of them.

Once the machine has done its thing, take the comforter to the high-speed extractor, which is available in most laundromats.

It takes the excess water out of the comforter, speeding up the drying process. From the extractor, take it to the dryer.

Set the dryer comforter up to medium temperature. If you notice the comforter filling up the dryer drum. Take it out and reorientate it.

This is because the outside of the comforter is going to get warm. While the inside is still damp.

The same thing applies if you find some clusters on your comforter bunching up a little bit. 

Agitate them with your fingers. To fluff them up. The increase in the circulation of air will improve the drying process.

Do this activity every 10 minutes.  When you think it’s totally dry, turn the heat down a little bit. Then give the comforter another 5 minutes. Most of the time, it is not dry.

If you feel it’s dry when you get home, it’s still a little damp. Lay it out to air dry.

You can still wash the comforter at home with the dry cleaner if it’s not too big. 

Simply put the comforter inside the machine. Make sure you distribute its weight evenly.

Then put in your detergents. Set the washing machine in a delicate setting. Put it on an extra large load and use cold water.

Once it’s washed, put the comforter into the dryer. Remember to put in the tennis balls. Which helps fluff up the comforter.

Some of the feathers of the comforter will come out, together with the other dirt. For example, dog hair.

Once you remove it from the dryer, leave it to air dry. Because there is still a possibility, it’s damp.

You should always wash your new comforter before using it. Even if it is all wrapped up in air-tight packaging.

Comforters are produced in factories full of dust, chemicals, and dyes, which can be skin irritants. As well as cause allergies.

Washing it removes any remaining residues and scents. That may be attached to the fabric.

It will also give you peace of mind. Especially while sleeping, knowing the comforter is nice and clean.

In conclusion, washing your comforter too often might overwork the fabric and its stuffing, which can cause quick and permanent damage.

On the other hand, dirt and dust can accumulate if you don’t wash the comforter enough times. The comforter can make the bed look dirty.

Be sure to keep it clean.