How to wash your pillows and duvet

Dirty pillows and duvets can be easy to ignore, however, cleaning them often is important for your personal hygiene and odour. Read on to know how to clean your pillows and duvet easily thanks to our expert cleaning tips!

For fresh, fragrant bedding all year round, use lavender sachets in your linen cupboard. Lavender works as a sleep aid and is a natural moth repellent to protect your linen. You can also perfume your bedding with a gentle scented fabric conditioner like Sunlight or Comfort. Comfort Fabric Conditioner has a core range and a perfume deluxe range formulated with Encapsulated Fragrance Technology to keep your fabrics smelling fresh and clean for longer.

How to wash pillows?

A comfortable, fresh smelling pillow is essential when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. After all, they’re the ones supporting your dreams! But while we usually wash pillowcases quite often, it’s easy to forget about cleaning the actual pillow they cover. So, how to clean pillows? Follow our top tips to wash them easily:

• Most pillows are machine washable but make sure to check the care label before washing them.

• Try to squeeze out excess air from your pillow, to be able to wash two at once in your machine.

• Use a gentle setting with your usual detergent, like Skip. If your pillows have dark stains, use a whitening laundry detergent like Surf.

• Unsure how to clean feather pillows? If the care label says it’s suitable for washing machines, simply run a low heat cycle at 30 degrees Celsius with a gentle setting.

• Run your pillows through the rinse cycle twice if necessary, to prevent them from retaining detergent.

• Use a tumble dryer on low heat if you can to avoid mould and try not to store your pillows in a cupboard straight away. Leave them in a ventilated environment for a couple days so they dry properly.

How to wash a feather duvet?

Now you know how to wash feather pillows so they’re perfectly clean and fresh, it’s time to take care of your duvet. So, how to wash a feather duvet? First, make sure your duvet is machine washable, especially if it’s a feather duvet. If it’s dry clean only, you’ll need to take it to a professional cleaner. You’ll also need to make sure your machine is large enough for your duvet. Once you’re sure you can wash your duvet at home, follow these few steps:

• Check your duvet for holes and fix them if necessary, to avoid loose feathers in the washing machine.

• Use a gentle setting at 30 degrees Celsius with an efficient laundry detergent like Skip. If your duvet is stained, pick a whitening washing powder such as Surf to make your duvet look as good as new.

• Your duvet might retain some detergent, especially if it’s really fluffy. To prevent it from retaining soapy water and detergent, run an extra rinse cycle.

Feather duvets look darker when you take them out of the machine, but they’ll return to their normal colour once they’re dry. Use a tumble dryer if you can – you can go to your local laundrette to find one that’s large enough. It’s recommended not to let your duvet dry naturally, as it can take a while and mildew might appear.

How often should you change your bedding?

The average person spends around 30% of their life sleeping, so it’s essential to clean your bedding quite regularly. Go too long without cleaning your sheets and pillowcases and you’ll create an unhealthy sleeping environment.

So, how often should you change your bedding?

It’s recommended to wash the sheets and duvet cover once a week to keep them fresh. If you’re susceptible to allergies, you can even clean them more often. Pillowcases can also be washed every other day to help keep your skin looking good, especially if you have oily skin. As far as the actual pillows and duvets are concerned, you should wash them every two to three months. Always check the care label first, as your duvet or pillow may be dry-cleaning only.

So, when it comes to keeping your bedding clean and smelling fresh, you now have all the tips and tricks to enjoy a good night’s sleep!

• Always check the care label to make sure your pillow or duvet is machine washable.

• Use a gentle setting with your usual laundry detergent like Skip.

• Run an extra rinse cycle to prevent your pillow or duvet from retaining detergent.

• Tumble dry your pillow or duvet on low heat.

• Wash your pillows and duvet every two to three months.