Here's How Often You Should Wash Your Comforter, According To Experts

Comforter in Washing Machine
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It’s pretty crazy to think about how much time you actually spend in your bed throughout the week. This means your bedding is exposed to a lot of germs, bacteria, and sweat. It’s important to clean your comforter, sheets , and general bedding items frequently. But the amount to which you clean your comforter really depends on a few factors.

Factors To Consider

“ Cleaning your comforter and bedding often can help provide a healthier and sleep-friendly environment,” explains Jessica Ruenz, the VP of Maid Right , a Charlottesville, Virginia-based cleaning service concept that’s nationally recognized. “Factors to consider for how often you should wash your bedding include levels in oily skin, going to bed dirty, sweating in your sleep, and more.”

Another thing to consider when figuring out how often to clean your bedding includes if you have animals that sleep with you in bed. “Do you sweat in your sleep or eat in bed—are your kids eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on your bed?” asks Sara San Angelo, a professional home cleaner and founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady in Charleston, South Carolina. “Is your comforter directly touching your skin, or do you have a top sheet?”

How Often Should You Wash Your Comforter?

According to Ruenz, comforters aren’t always making contact with your skin (unlike sheets and pillow cases), so they can go a lot longer between washing, about 2-3 months at a time.

In terms of duvets, the frequency with which you wash them depends on your use of a top sheet. “A duvet is used to cover a top quilt or comforter, however, if you use a top sheet between you and the duvet, you can stretch longer between washing,” explains Ruenz. “You can treat it much like your comforter. The range for this washing can be between 1-3 months.”

If you take a duvet or comforter off the bed to sleep at night (like, if it’s only used for decoration), then it only has to be washed maybe twice a year. “The duvet cover can be taken off and washed more frequently,” suggests San Angelo.

What To Avoid When Washing Your Bedding

There are a few things you should avoid when washing your bedding. First off, you want to always refer to the product label when washing fabrics to see if there are any special instructions. “Commonly, you want to use the hottest water that the label lists and use a gentle detergent,” suggests Ruenz.

Additionally, you want to make sure that your washing machine is actually large enough if you plan to wash a comforter or duvet at home. “Comforters and bedding get very heavy when being washed and can break a smaller machine easily,” warns San Angelo. “Newer machines have a bedding setting on them.”

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