The Best Way to Clean a Down Comforter

Down comforters, even those that are protected by a duvet cover, need to be washed every now and again to remove foul odors, dirt and bacteria. Ruining an expensive luxury comforter by washing it incorrectly would be an awful shame. While special care must be taken to clean these comforters, the process for washing them isn't that much different than the one used for cleaning other bedding. The method mentioned below thoroughly cleans the comforter without causing any damage.

Things You'll Need

• Washing machine
• Mild liquid dish soap or down fabric detergent
• Dryer
• Tennis balls or laundry balls

Instructions

1. Remove the comforter's duvet cover. Set the cover aside as you're only cleaning the down comforter at this time.

2. Place only the down comforter inside the washing machine. Washing only the down comforter helps to prevent any damage.

3. Set the washing machine to the "Hand Wash" or "Hand/Wool" cycle. Set the temperature to "Cool/Cold."

4. Add 1 tsp. of the liquid dish soap or the down fabric detergent into the machine. Regular laundry detergent damages down comforters.

5. Run the washing machine. Wait until the entire wash cycle completes.

6. Place the down comforter inside the dryer. Then, place three clean tennis balls or three laundry inside the dryer.

7. Set the dryer to the "Tumble" or "Tumble Dry." Run one cycle; dry for 60 minutes if using a dryer that doesn't have timed programs. When finished, remove the comforter from the dryer. Shake the comforter out gently, and then place it back into the dryer. Run one more "Tumble/Tumble Dry" cycle.

8. Inspect the comforter. Run another "Tumble/Tumble Dry" cycle if the comforter is still moist. Make sure the comforter is completely dry before replacing the duvet cover to ensure mildew and mold don't appear on the comforter.

References

• Why Buy Down: Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

• Linen Wash: Le Blanc DOWNWASH