Comforters and duvets are luxurious, ideal pieces for a home where staying warm at night is important. The additional comfort at night is a huge selling point, making comforters highly popular among Canadian households.

Depending on if it is a duvet, comforter, quilt, or blanket, they may be different methods to keeping them clean and washing them. We’ve done our best here to compile a list of quick, proven methods to wash a comforter or duvet in the home. Read what the experts have to say.

Down or synthetic fibers are commonly used in the manufacturing of a comforter or duvet. Many comforters are manufactured specifically to be used without a cover. Meanwhile, a duvet is largely an insert meant to be placed inside a cover, similar to a pillow to a pillow case. If it’s a duvet, washing the cover alongside sheets is recommended.

At times, prior to washing, you may want to consider freshening up the duvet and duvet cover. Some households will put the duvet or comforter into the dryer on low heat with dryer sheets to help add some freshness to it. If you do this, remember to stop the dryer roughly every ten minutes to redistribute the material. Repeat for approximately forty minutes and at the end of the cycle, you should have a fluffy, fresh duvet or comforter on your hands. Doing the same process on high heat also works though in this case, redistributing it every five to ten minutes instead is usually recommended.

The most proven method to washing a comforter or duvet involves following the manufacturer’s instructions. If there are care direction labels on the material, check those prior to washing. If you don’t know how to properly wash a given material, any mistake can be costly. If you do not consult directly with these instructions, you run the risk of damaging your comforter or duvet.

When washing a duvet, first, remove the duvet cover. Then, mix in a gentle detergent. Set the washer on its most delicate setting with a cold water cycle. To be clear, a front load washer with a large capacity is the most ideal to wash such a large item in. If your comforter or duvet needs to be physically stuffed into the washer, it might be best to take it to the laundromat. There’s no reason not to, if it cannot fit comfortably inside. If it is a comfortable fit, following one wash cycle, run the rinse cycle a second time. This is a required step in order to ensure detergent is thoroughly removed prior to putting it in a dryer or on the clothesline. This will also help remove any excess water and help the drying process along.

As you are drying a duvet or comforter, should the material be made from synthetics, it’s important to use a low to medium heat cycle. Be sure to avoid high heat! The materials commonly used for duvets and comforters cannot stand high heat well. Considering it will take time to dry thoroughly, it’s important to have heat set low. To help return the fibers to their natural state, throw in a few socks filled with tennis balls. Though it may seem noisy, it is well worth getting the duvet back to its regular, comfy state.

If you want to get your duvet or comfortable as close to feeling like new as possible, these are the quick, proven methods to do so. In the home, as long as your washer and dryer has the capacity for it, washing a comforter or duvet can be done successfully and with no hassle. Be sure to follow these tips and tricks, and enjoy the good night’s sleep afterwards!