Everything You Need To Know About Caring for Your Duvet

Proper upkeep of your down duvet is essential for its prolonged life. Use of a duvet cover keeps the duvet clean and hygienic for many months. Besides, Diamond Bedding’s premium goose down duvets require low maintenance by design. However, every few months, they deserve a good wash to ensure that they are free from any dust, dirt, sweat, debris, grime, or any other filth. Here are detailed answers to some FAQs that our customers routinely ask us.

Should I spot clean my down duvet?

Although down duvets do not require regular upkeep, as they do not get dirty easily. However, sooner or later, you end up spilling some tea, your dog makes a mess, or something else might happen that leaves your duvet with a nasty spot on it. You don’t have to go cleaning your entire duvet when that happens. Just spot clean it lightly using a mild detergent and cool water for easy maintenance.

Can I get my down duvet dry-cleaned?

Dry-cleaning is one of the most effective ways to get rid of tough stains. However, we strongly recommend against dry-cleaning your duvets. The reason is that dry-cleaning makes use of chemicals like PERC, which are known to be carcinogens. And, when you sleep at night, your duvet is right next to your nose and mouth. You inhale the carcinogens throughout the night. This may not have any immediate impact, but the effects may accumulate over time. So, we strongly recommend our customers against dry-cleaning their down duvets.

I use a powerful detergent that can clean any stain. Can I use it on my down duvet too?

We advise against using any strong detergents with down duvets. Instead, we recommend using detergents for delicate fabrics. Some of the products include Woolite, Ecover Delicate Laundry Liquid, and so on. We are not affiliated with these products, and neither are we promoting them. You can use any of the delicate fabric detergents, and you should be fine.

Can I use a fabric softener when washing my duvet?

No. Fabric softener seeps into the down and coats the soft down. The effect is a less fluffy down. Instead of making your duvet fluffier, it compromises it. So, avoid using a fabric softener with down duvet.

How many times should I clean my duvet a year?

That depends on your usage patterns – how you use it and how much you use it. Say, you are using the duvet with a proper duvet cover and regularly clean the cover. In that case, the duvet stays pretty clean inside. So, you can wash it once every 2 years. However, if you do not wash the duvet cover frequently, then the duvet under it gets dirtier. If that’s the case, then you may even need to clean it twice a year.

If you use your duvet infrequently, such as only during the winter months, then your duvet might collect more dust in the cabinet. In such a case, it’s better if you wash it after each extended period of non-use, especially when those periods are many months long.

A quick test to ascertain whether your duvet needs a wash after a period of extended non-use is to give it the smell test. If it smells dirty or unusual in any way, then give it a wash.

How thoroughly should I wash my down duvet to ensure that it is fully clean?

Use a large capacity, front load washing machine to wash the down duvet. While the duvet might be light, it will absorb a lot of water and become plenty heavy during washing. Hence, a large capacity washing machine is preferred.

Select a gentle mode and use a low heat setting. The temperature shouldn’t be higher than 30^oC.

Down is an absorbent material. It can absorb detergent, soap, and any other agent you use for washing, and retain it even after the spin cycle. Therefore, we encourage you to stop the machine after the rinse cycle and repeat the rinse. We recommend that you use the lowest spin setting on the washing machine.

How should I dry the duvet?

Down duvets are best dried in tumble dryers.  Again, as with washing, drying should also be done at minimal heat setting. The reason is that heat can cause shrinkage.

When you are drying in the tumble dryer, throw a tennis ball or two in it. The balls make the duvet fluffy as it dries. If you want something more effective, then you can use dryer balls. To avoid any chance of down clumping together, stop the tumble dryer every 30 minutes or so and give the duvet a good shake.

Lastly, if the down duvet is not dry even after hours of tumble drying, then you can leave it for drying outside in the shade. As mentioned before, direct heat from the sun can cause shrinkage. So, drying in the shade is important.

Any other Don’ts that I should be aware of?

Yes. Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts

1. Do not iron your duvet. You might want to get rid of any wrinkles with quick ironing, but there’s nothing called a quick iron in the case of a duvet. No iron boards can fit a duvet. So, you’ll end up wrinkling the duvet as it keeps falling to the ground. Secondly, the heat can damage the soft down inside. So, it is a big no-no.

2. Do not line dry. Line drying encourages lumping towards both ends of the duvet.

3. Wash your duvet cover at least once a month. That’ll ensure that your duvet is clean inside.

4. Every morning, give your duvet a shake. Perhaps, every few days, you can fluff it up a bit too.

Diamond Bedding’s all-natural down duvets are easy to clean and maintain, as long as you know how to. All of this might sound like intensive care, but once you follow the instructions, you’ll realize that it’s all just a piece of cake. In return, you get to enjoy your amazing down duvet more.