Few things are as nice as a weekend lie-in wrapped up in a fluffy feather doona or quilt during the winter months, but sometimes your doona needs a little TLC too. Can you wash doonas at home, though? If the care label says that you can, then you can clean it at home in the washing machine or in the bathtub. Learn how to wash a doona at home using a couple of different techniques here.
If your feather doona can be washed in the washing machine according to the care label, pop a couple of tennis balls into the washing machine along with the doona to make sure the feathers are distributed evenly inside the doona.
How to wash a doona at home
We all (hopefully!) wash our bedding regularly, but when it comes to doonas and pillows, maintenance tends to be a little less regular. Even though you don’t need to wash doonas and pillows as often (a few times per year is enough), it’s important to keep these items just as clean as the rest of your bedclothes, as doonas can harbour things such as dead skin cells, dust mites, and bacteria – not exactly what you want to wrap yourself up in!
Because a doona tends to be a large item, washing doonas in the washing machine at home can seem like a daunting task. It can, however, be done, and this will save you cash which would otherwise have been spent at the drycleaner’s. First, always make sure that your doona is machine washable before putting it in the washing machine – just check the care label. If your washing machine is big enough, you can wash doonas in the washing machine. Otherwise, you can wash them by hand in the bathtub. Just follow the steps below if you’re washing a doona by hand:
How to wash a doona in the bathtub
- 1
Fill the bathtub with enough water that the doona is submerged if you press it down into the water.
- 2
Add a small amount of appropriate detergent to the water (check the product label for exact dosage instructions) and move the cap around in the water to spread the detergent. OMO Sensitive Liquid would be a great choice for washing a synthetic-filled doona.
- 3
Gently push the doona into the water. If your doona is stained, you can use a little extra laundry detergent as a pre-treatment and then focus on gently rubbing the stains with the liquid before squeezing the water out of the doona.
- 4
Let the soapy water out of the tub and rinse the doona with just enough fresh water to submerge it.
- 5
Gently squeeze the water out of the doona and either use the tumble dryer (if you have one that’s large enough) or leave the doona to dry in the sun on a clothesline or a drying rack. Drying in direct sunlight will help to get rid of dust mites. Remember to be patient, as doonas can take a bit of time to dry.
How to wash a feather doona
Washing feather doonas can be a little bit different from washing the synthetic kind. Some feather doonas can only be dry-cleaned, in which case you’re best off taking it to the dry-cleaner’s. If you’re just trying to remove a small stain, though, you can isolate it by squeezing the feathers out of the stained area and then use some stain remover (or a very small amount of laundry liquid) and water to remove the stain.
If the label on your feather doona indicates that the doona can be washed in the washing machine, you can follow the machine washing instructions above and add a couple of tennis balls to keep the distribution of feathers even. Wash the doona at the temperature specified on the care label and give it plenty of time (we may be talking days) to dry in a warm space afterwards. Again, place it in a sunny spot hanging down.
Now you know how to wash a doona at home, you can just check your doona’s care label to see which method would suit it best and prepare for a post-wash snuggle with a clean and fresh-smelling doona! And don’t forget about the rest of your bedding.
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Check your doona’s care label to see whether it can be washed by hand or in the washing machine. If you have a feather or wool filled doona you need to use a detergent formulated for silk and wool. If your doona has a synthetic filling, then use OMO liquid for optimal cleaning.
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If it can be washed at home and you have a large enough washing machine, measure enough detergent for a full load and use the wash temperature specified on the care label of your doona. If your care label is missing, then use 30-degree Celcius wash for feather and wool doonas and up to 60-degree Celsius wash for synthetic filled doonas.
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If you’re washing a doona by hand, fill the bathtub with enough water to submerge the doona and a small amount of appropriate liquid detergent (check the product label for dosage instructions).
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Submerge the doona and focus on treating stained areas. Squeeze the soapy water out and refill the tub with fresh water. Wash out the detergent and squeeze the water out of the doona again.
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Let the doona dry completely on a clothesline or drying rack, possibly for a couple of days.