Down comforters are so warm and luxurious to sleep on, but after a while they can get quite dirty. Oils from your hair and body will cause it develop an odor. You should clean it periodically when ever it starts looking or smelling dirty. These comforters will last a long time providing they are well cared for. Don’t over do it though. Depending on how fast it gets dirty, once every 3 years should be sufficient. Over washing it can cause the feathers to lose their fluff and become packed down and flat. Here are 3 simple ways to clean your down comforter:
Have it Professionally Dry Cleaned
You can take it to any dry cleaners, they may charge a little extra depending on the size of the comforter. King size comforters may cost a little more. Roughly for a full size comforter, you should expect to pay about $20.00.
Get a home dry cleaning kit
Dryel makes a home kit you can use to clean your “dry clean only items”. It works in your dryer. The heat from the dryer releases the cleaning agents in the Dryel cloth. To Use Dryel: Check for any spots or stains.There is a cleaning solution and absorbent cloth to pre-treat spots. Load the comforter into the special Dryel bag and add a cleaning cloth and close the bag. Set temperature on dryer to medium heat and tumble dry for about 30 minutes. A down comforter will take a while to dry, so if using this method you’ll need to repeat this several times. A word of caution though;down comforters can burn under excessive heat. You may want to let it tumble dry until its just damp and then hang it out to finish drying. Down feathers dry slowly and if not completely dry can cause an odor.
Clean it at home in your washing machine
You can successfully launder a down comforter at home. Some would suggest using a gentle cleaning product such as Woolite, but any kind of gentle soapy detergent will also work. Wash it in a warm water wash and spin dry. Depending on the size again, you may need an extra spin cycle as it will take a while to get all the water out. Check the load periodically and make sure the comforter is level and not bunched up. A hot dryer can ruin a comforter so be sure to dry it on medium heat. You may want to add a dryer ball or new tennis ball in the dryer with the comforter to help it fluff while it dries.A down comforter takes approximately 3 hours to dry, so you may want to dry it partially and then hang dry it to finish. Make sure it is completely dry before storing or folding. Damp feathers can mildew easily.
So whatever method you choose, just remember to use medium heat, fluff it frequently while its drying to keep the feathers from redistributing, and make sure to let it dry completely before using or storing.