Clean, fresh bedding is a key component to getting a good night’s sleep. When you use a duvet with a duvet cover, it is remarkably easy to refresh your bed. The duvet cover comes off of the duvet easily and can be washed in most standard washing machines in Canada. This means you can refresh your bed whenever you need to, without dry cleaning fees or other special cleaning services.
But what is the best way to wash your duvet cover? While it may seem simple, there are a few helpful practices that can help extend the life of your favourite duvet cover. Finding the perfect duvet cover can be challenging, so you want to keep the one you choose looking great for as long as possible!
How often should I wash my duvet cover?
Keeping track of how often to wash every piece of linen in your home can be a hassle. No one wants to follow a washing plan with exact dates for each piece of bedding. How often you should wash your duvet cover, then, depends on how often you use it. If you sleep with pets or spend time in bed outside of sleeping hours, you should probably only wait 2 weeks between wash cycles. However, Canadians who only sleep in bed can wait as long as four weeks, as long as they are comfortable with the state of their duvet cover.
Washing your duvet cover more often is not always the best idea. Sometimes, delicate materials can degrade faster if they are washed more often than intended. As always, make sure to refer to the manufacturer’s care instructions for more details.
General tips for washing your duvet cover
- Use the spin cycle, water temperature, and detergent recommended by the care instructions on the duvet cover.
- Otherwise, choose a gentle wash or spin cycle. Use cold water and mild detergent as a general rule of thumb.
- Zip or snap the duvet cover closed before washing, especially if you are washing with other items
- Washing the duvet cover with other items is fine as long as there is room in the washing machine drum. Try to choose similar fabrics and colours to prevent transfer.
- You can use non-chlorine bleach if you need it, but you should use it sparingly to preserve the duvet cover’s materials.
Putting a duvet cover in the dryer
While some companies don’t recommend putting their duvet covers in the dryer, it’s fine for most options. Make sure to use wool dryer balls with your duvet cover to help your bedding dry quickly and reduce wrinkles while in the dryer.
You should avoid drying the duvet cover for too long to prevent wear. Always use a low or medium setting when possible to avoid shrinking or damage to the fibres used to create the duvet cover.
How to wash our favourite duvet covers
Some of our favourite duvet covers come with simple, easy-to-follow care instructions. Here are some examples of the care instructions you’ll find in our top picks.
Silk & Snow Egyptian Cotton Duvet Cover
This Egyptian cotton duvet cover is machine washable and can be washed on cold with like colours. It can be dried at home as well, but make sure you use wool dryer balls and a low tumble dry setting.
Canadian Down & Feather Company Classic White Duvet Cover
Like the Silk & Snow duvet cover, this option can be machine washed on cold with like colours and tumble dried on low heat. Canadian Down & Feather Company advises against using bleach, though you may iron the duvet cover on low to reduce wrinkles.
