Although it is recommended that comforters be washed at least once a year, most people can’t recall when the last time they were cleaned. We often avoid washing heavy bedding because we don’t think it is worth the extra effort of taking it to the Laundromat. What if you could clean your comforter at home? Once you know how to clean a comforter at home, your comforter will look cleaner.
How to clean a comforter without going to a laundromat
It is easy to wash comforters at home by using the right water temperature, washing settings, and detergent. These 6 steps will help you care for your comforter from the comfort of your own home.
#1 – Learn Washing Instructions
We recommend that you read the care instructions on your comforter before you go near the washer. Dry cleaning is an option for some materials. Most labels will include important instructions regarding washing and drying temperature.
#2 – Pretreat Sain
Pretreating stains before washing is a good idea to maximize stain removal. Use detergent or a mixture of baking soda and warm water to gently rub the stain. Let it sit for at most 30 minutes.
#3 – Choose the right type of washer
It’s important to ensure that your comforter fits in your washer properly if you want it to be easy to wash. Although it might be tempting to just stuff it in and forget about it, there is a chance that the comforter will not get clean enough. Worse, your washer could be damaged. To maximize space and cleaning potential, it is recommended that you wash your comforter by itself once you have determined that it fits correctly.
Don’t worry if your comforter is too big for your washer. For tips on cleaning a comforter that doesn’t fit into your washer, see our Bonus Step below.
#4 – Select Wash Settings
The right settings and temperatures are key to washing a comforter in the washer. Coldwater is best as it can shrink the comforter’s fabric and cause damage to its filling. We recommend gentle washing to further reduce damage.
#5 – Use the Right Detergent
As chemical additives can cause comforter to become less soft over time, we recommend that you use mild detergents or those made from natural ingredients. A fabric softener is also a bad idea. It can cause down to be less fluffiness than other down options.
#6 – Dry Comforter
After washing your comforter, we recommend that you dry it on a low heat setting for at least 1-2 hours. This will reduce heat damage to the comforter’s filling. To prevent clumping, place a few tennis balls inside the comforter. After 30 minutes, take it out of the dryer to fluff the filling and distribute the heat.
Bonus Step: What to do if your comforter is too big for your washer?
You can still save money by not having to take your comforter to the Laundromat if it’s too large. This is how to clean your comforter at home.
- Warm water and a cupful of detergent will fill your bathtub to the halfway point.
- Put your comforter into the tub, and gently swirl it for several minutes.
- Rinse the tub and drain it. Repeat as needed to get rid of suds.
- Take out the comforter, and squeeze it to get rid of excess water.
- Dry the comforter on a low setting if it fits in your dryer. If it does not, hang the comforter in a sunny, grassy area and flip it as necessary until completely dry.
You can clean your comforter safely at home with a little knowledge and a few basic steps.
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