Comforter Cleaning

When you properly clean and care for your comforter, you'll get additional years of use out of it. Following are some comforter cleaning tips for various types of comforters to help you get started.

Tradition fabrics

Traditional polyester or cotton filled comforters are machine washable and dryable. For bigger comforters, like queen or king size you may need to use a commercial oversize washer and dryer for a thorough washing. To prevent mildew problems, make sure the comforter is completely dry after cleaning, or hang it up for a day before putting it back on your bed.

Air it out

In addition to regular washing, most fabrics need to be aired out a few times a year. Body oils and smells accumulate on the comforter over time. So pick a nice sunny in the spring and in the fall to air out your comforter.

Luxury comforters

Be careful with silk comforters, and silk covered down comforters. These luxury fabrics are dry clean only.

Feather comforters

Feather filled comforters are very thick, and about as practical to wash as a regular mattress! Feather comforters should be spot cleaned or dry cleaned only. To keep the comforter clean, use of a cover is highly recommended.

Down comforters

You should be particularly careful in caring for a down comforter. Specific care instructions for down comforter cleaning include:

Daily care is important for down comforters. Fluff your down comforter and down pillows daily. Make sure to air the comforter occasionally.

Protect your down comforter with a duvet cover and protect your down pillows with pillow protectors. Properly covered down comforters will rarely if ever need cleaning.

Wash your down comforter once every few years and only when necessary. Frequent or improper washing can damage the down clusters, stripping them of their natural oils and causing them to break.

Before washing make sure the fabric is not weakened from age or deteriorated from body oils

Home machines are not usually designed to handle large down items, especially if the machine uses an agitator. Using a front loading commercial washer is recommended.

Launder with water and gentle cleaning solutions specifically formulated for down.

After washing your comforter you may notice a pungent odor. This is natural with all down products, and will disappear when the down comforter is completely dry.

Dry your comforter very thoroughly so it doesn't mildew. When using a large commercial dryer on medium heat, down pillows will take about 3 hours to dry, comforters will take much longer.

Make sure the comforter has plenty of room to toss and fluff as it dries. Put a tennis ball or two in a clean white sock in the dryer with your comforter to help dry and fluff the down.

Storage

If you need to store your down comforter, or other comforter, make sure it is kept in a dry place. Mildew can ruin any comforter, so make sure your comforter is completely dry before storing.

More information on comforters