How to wash a duvet comes down to two things: a machine big enough to let it move, and drying it fully so the fill doesn't clump or mould. Get those right and both down and synthetic duvets come out fresh. Here's the method, the most common mistakes, and how to handle a duvet too big for your home washer.
A duvet cover takes the wear and washes like a sheet — the duvet itself only needs a real wash a couple of times a year.
Repair small tears first (or you'll lose fill), then put the duvet in a big front-loader with room to move. No agitator pole if you can help it.
Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent on a gentle cycle. For down, use a touch less — too much strips the natural oils that keep down fluffy. Skip fabric softener.
Trapped detergent makes duvets stiff and smelly; a second rinse flushes it. An extra spin gets more water out so drying is faster (and safer for the fill).
Tumble on low with wool dryer balls (or clean tennis balls). Stop every 30 minutes to pull it out and break up any clumped fill by hand, then keep going.
This is where mould and that damp smell come from. A big duvet can take several dryer cycles — the fill must be completely dry, not just the shell, before it goes back on the bed.
Sheets are the easy part: wash them weekly (every 3–4 days if you sweat a lot or sleep with pets) on a warm-to-hot cycle. Pillowcases touch your face every night, so don't let those slide. The duvet and pillows can go far longer between washes if you use covers and protectors.
More care guides: clean a pillow · clean a mattress · get smells out of a mattress.
Practical bedding-care tips — not medical advice.
About · Contact · Privacy
← Back to GoToSleep