How Often Should You Wash Your Comforter?

A comforter is a large, thick and sometimes heavy blanket you use may use to keep warm while sleeping. You may have other bed sheets that separate your body from the comforter, requiring the comforter to be washed far less frequently than the bed sheets and pillowcases.

Comforters do not need to be washed as frequently as bed sheets because they are rarely in direct contact with your body. However, they are still susceptible to allergens, dust mites, dirt and pet hair and will need to be washed often. Comforters should be washed at least once per month following the directions on the tag to avoid color loss and shrinkage.

Wash your comforter more often than once a month if it becomes dirty because of exposure to illness, contact with various bodily fluids, or if it is visibly coated with pet hair.

Some comforters cannot be machine washed or do not have a cover that can be removed and washed separately. If this is the case, these comforters can be professionally dry cleaned at least once per year.

If you have allergies or asthma, you may need to wash your comforter much more frequently because of the heavy buildup of dust mites, pet hair and pet dander a comforter can accumulate. According to the University of Wisconsin, people with these types of respiratory issues should wash their comforters once per week in water above 130 degrees to kill dust mites.