Life Hack: How to wash a duvet and how often you should do it

Duvets generally last up to five years and if you wash it regularly and use a protector, you can extend its life.

When was the last time you washed your duvet? Was it when you spilled some coffee on it, or when toilet training a pet or a toddler went a little wrong? 

Or with nothing like these examples happening, have you never washed it, assuming freshly washed bedsheets are enough?

Duvets don't need to be washed as frequently as your other bedding items, but they do need to be washed. While your sheets should be changed every two weeks, you need only wash your duvet on average twice a year. 

However, if you sweat in your sleep, you might need to wash it more frequently to remove body oils and odour, particularly during the warm summer months.

Duvets generally last up to five years and if you wash it regularly and use a protector, you can extend its life. The protector can be used to protect the duvet from stains and dust mites.

You can wash a regular duvet in a washing machine if the drum is large enough to fit it. If the load capacity of your washing machine or dryer is small, I recommend using one of the pay-per-use dryers you can find in many petrol stations and carparks across the country. They usually have a large drum, and they are my go-to choice for my superking duvet. You can also wash them in a bathtub, but keep in mind a sopping wet duvet weighs quite a lot and will be awkward to carry to the clothes line or tumble dryer.

When you are washing a duvet always check the care label attached to it — this will let you know the temperature to wash it at (usually 60 degrees), whether you can pop it in a tumble dryer, and so on.

For a feather duvet, again check the care tags attached to it before washing. Double-check the stitching along the edges of the duvet and scan it for any minor rips. If you find any, repair them to avoid losing stuffing or feathers during the wash. Use a gentle/delicate setting on your washing machine and mild/non-bio detergent. Opt for warm water when washing feathers duvets and very cold or very hot water can be hard on the down.

While you are stripping the bed, it’s a great opportunity to tend to the rest of your sleeping area.

I would pop in two laundry balls or clean tennis balls into the washing machine drum to keep the stuffing from bunching. They will also help remove body dirt, sweat, and oils from your duvet.

Duvets can be tumble-dried on a low setting. Adding drier balls again here prevents the stuffing from bunching. If you choose to air-dry your duvet you can do so outside on the clothesline or on a clothes horse. If you’re washing on a rainy day, however, you can still dry it indoors. If your home has stairs you can hang it over the banister, otherwise hanging it over a door or lying it over a radiator will suffice.

Your duvet should be 100% dry before you return it to the bed. If you want to make sure that it is completely dry you can weigh it before it is washed, while still dry. After drying, you can weigh the duvet again. If the duvet weighs more than before, there is still water in it, and you should dry it again.

While you are stripping the bed, it’s a great opportunity to tend to the rest of your sleeping area. A few years ago, I wrote about the benefits of vacuuming your mattress to remove dust mites, pollen, and other dirt.

With the duvet in the wash, take a few minutes to hoover your mattress using the upholstery attachment to avoid damaging the fabric. 

This should be done every month and is an important household chore for anyone with allergies: pollen can be a trigger for respiratory issues like asthma and hay fever, so removing it will help to ease symptoms when the pollen count is high. 

Similarly, dust mites can irritate sensitive skin, so those who have eczema or other skin conditions should also be more mindful of this.