Comforters can be large, heavy and difficult to clean. Unfortunately, the need to wash a comforter does comes every now and then. Here are a few tips to help you get your comforter clean without causing too much wear and damage to your comforter or your washing machine.

Washing

If you are going to wash your comforter in a machine at home, you must have a large capacity machine and possibly a front loader. A post from Home Ec 101 informs that because comforters can soak up so much water they can damage the motor of a top loading washing machine. The damage is likely to happen over time and different washing machines will be able to handle different amounts of wear and tear, but you probably don’t want to experiment with your own washing machine.

Instead of washing the comforter at home, take it to a local laundromat. It will have high capacity machines that will have no difficulty handling cleaning a comforter. Use a delicate setting and wash the comforter on cold or warm, but not hot.

Drying

To dry the comforter use a low heat setting. RealSimple suggests putting in a few new, clean tennis balls in the dryer with your comforter to help fluff the filling. The dryer can also be tough on your comforter causing some wear and tear. If you have plenty of time and space, you can hang your comforter to dry instead. This will help your comforter last longer, especially if you need to wash it often.

Dry Cleaning

Some comforters that are down or synthetic alternatives to down require dry cleaning. Be sure to follow the care instructions carefully and take your comforter to the dry cleaners when necessary. A small bill at the dry cleaners is cheaper than replacing your comforter or washing machine.

Duvet Covers

To avoid putting wear and tear on your comforter use a duvet cover. Duvet covers slip on over your comforter and are easy to wash in your home machine. You will not have to wash your comforter as often and as a result you can extend its life.

Taking proper care of your comforter will help it stay fluffy and cozy for a long time. Try not to wash it too often, but when you must follow the care instructions carefully.

Photo “Laundromat Day” courtesy of Celeste Lindell.