Want your bed to look good and smell completely fresh? Don't forget to wash your duvet.
Duvet covers are meant to be removed and washed regularly, but even with a cover, the duvet itself will get get a little stale and dusty if you don't wash it at least twice a year. Even a down-filled insert needs to be cleaned — and you don't necessarily need to pay a professional.
When to wash
If you use your duvet (with a cover) year-round, wash it at least twice a year, as well as whenever there are spills or stains that seep through the cover. Allergy sufferers should plan to wash theirs more often — at least every three or four months. Duvet covers should be washed at least every week or every other week, depending on how they're used. For duvets that are only used during the winter, an annual wash before storing it for the off-season will suffice.
How to wash
Most duvets, including those with goose down filling, can go in a regular washing machine (as long as the drum is large enough). Make sure to read the care instructions carefully, remove the cover to wash separately, and wash the duvet by itself without any other items. If your machine is too small to accommodate your duvet, you don't necessarily have to pay for dry cleaning — your nearest laundromat will likely have large-capacity machines that can hold even the thickest king-size comforters.
To keep the filling even and prevent clumping, throw a couple of tennis balls into the drum with the duvet. If possible, set the machine to add an extra rinse cycle to ensure that all detergent has been washed away. Remove the duvet from the machine promptly to avoid mildew, and dry according to the care instructions.
