How do I wash a duvet and pillows?

Bedding washing goes wrong in the drying, not the washing. A duvet or pillow that feels dry on the outside can hold moisture deep in the filling, which then grows mould inside the casing. Thorough drying is more important than anything else in the process.

What you'll need

• Washing machine of adequate capacity
• Mild detergent
• Tumble dryer or a long dry day
• Dryer balls or clean tennis balls (optional)

Step by step

1. Check the care label first.Some duvets, particularly feather and down, are dry clean only. Washing those at home ruins them.
2. Check your machine's capacity against the item.A double duvet generally needs 7kg capacity or more; a king needs more still. Forcing one into a small drum means it won't wash or rinse and can damage the machine.
3. Use a launderette's large machines if yours is too small.This is the normal solution for duvets, and it's cheap. It also has dryers large enough to dry them properly.
4. Use a mild detergent and less than usual.Bulky items rinse poorly. Excess detergent stays in the filling and stiffens it.
5. Wash on a gentle cycle at the temperature the label allows, with an extra rinse.60°C kills dust mites where the label permits it. The extra rinse is what removes residue from deep filling.
6. Check the item is evenly distributed before spinning.A soaked duvet bunched to one side causes severe imbalance. Most machines will refuse to spin, which is the right outcome.
7. Dry thoroughly — tumble dry on low with dryer balls, for as long as it takes.The balls break up clumps in the filling. Expect several hours, and stop periodically to redistribute the filling by hand.
8. Check for damp patches by squeezing the thickest areas before storing.This is the critical check. Any residual moisture inside the filling will grow mould.
9. Wash pillows in pairs to balance the drum.Two pillows balance each other. One alone causes the same imbalance problem as a duvet.

Tips

• Wash duvets once or twice a year, pillows every three to six months, and use protectors on both — a washable protector takes most of the load and washes far more easily.
• Feather and down items need particularly careful drying, and dryer balls are essential to stop the down clumping into hard lumps.
• Choose a dry, breezy day if you're line drying, and expect it to take more than one day. Bring it in overnight rather than leaving it to absorb damp.
• Memory foam pillows generally cannot be machine washed at all — spot clean and air them instead.

Common mistakes

• Forcing a duvet into a machine that's too small — It won't wash or rinse properly, and a soaked overloaded drum can damage the machine's bearings.
• Not drying it completely — Moisture trapped inside the filling grows mould where you can't see it, and the item is then unsalvageable.
• Using too much detergent — Bulky items rinse poorly and the residue stays in the filling, leaving it stiff and irritating.
• Washing one pillow alone — It unbalances the drum. Wash pillows in pairs.

Questions people ask