Many of us may wash our bed linen once a fortnight or so, but it’s NOT the same for our duvets and pillows. They’re bulky, hard to dry and we don’t want to ruin them.
According to Laundrapp, 20% of people who use a duvet have never washed it.
But whilst we may be ignoring our duvets, the dirt definitely doesn’t.
A study by Worcester University found that not washing a duvet for 6 months can yield up to 20,000 live dust mites, countless dead dust mites, dead skin cells, and even fungus.
So how can we keep our bedding clean?
duvet do’s.
Duvets first. Aim for once a year.
And for starters we need to check the care label on the duvet itself. That’s going to tell you whether or not you can wash in a machine or if it needs specialist cleaning at the dry cleaners. If you’re good to go with a washing machine then next you must check whether the duvet filling is synthetic or
For synthetic fillings:
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Check that it fits your machine. If not you’ll need to head to a laundrette and use their larger drums.
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Add your smol capsule in the empty drum first. It doesn’t matter if you are using bio or non-bio (or even fragrance-free) but you’ll want to choose a gentle cycle with the correct wash temperature as stated by the care label.
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Set the spin speed to a normal setting.
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Hang your duvet to dry. Don’t use it until it’s fully aired and dry.
For feather or down fillings (most will be dry clean only so be sure before you wash at home):
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Check that it fits your machine. If not you’ll need to head to a laundrette and use their larger drums.
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Add your smol capsule in the empty drum first. It’s best to use a non-bio for a natural filling and make sure to choose a gentle cycle with the correct wash temperature as stated by the care label.
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Set the spin speed to a normal setting.
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Hang your duvet to dry. Don’t use it until it’s fully aired and dry.
pillow pointers.
Interestingly pillows contain different levels of dirt according to the material it’s made from.*
Pillows made from foam, gel or hypoallergenic materials tend to resist dirt and dust mites more effectively than ones made from wool. With feather pillows being somewhere in the middle.
Either way, you’ll want to wash your pillows every 4-6 months but firstly check whether your care label allows for machine washing.
For foam pillows:
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Make a solution with warm water and smol washing up liquid.
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Using a cloth, gently sponge the foam clean with the solution.
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Rinse the area with clean water.
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Allow to air and dry fully before use.
For down or polyester pillows:
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Put your smol capsule at the back of the empty drum and add the pillows on top.
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Ideally wash pillows in pairs to balance your machine drum because they can get very heavy.
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Choose a cool wash temperature.
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Allow to air dry before use (some pillows can be tumble dried but check your labels).
a clean sleep.
And to keep your bed fresher for longer, pull back the covers each morning to let your bed air before you make it. It’s a great way to let the fibres breathe and allow moisture to evaporate. That’s going to cut down on the dust mites and allergens within so definitely worth adding this step to your routine. Anything for a clean sleep!
LAUNDRY FREE TRIAL*M Aykut, University of Dicle, 2021
