How Often Should You Wash Your Duvet Cover and Duvet Insert? (2024)

FAQs

How Often Should You Wash Your Duvet Cover and Duvet Insert? ›

“For the outer duvet cover, I recommend washing it every few weeks or as needed for cleanliness,” says Missy Tannen, co-founder of bedding brand Boll & Branch. As for the duvet insert, if you are protecting it properly, every six months will be okay, says Tannen.

How often should you wash your duvet? The general advice is once per year at a minimum, but if you use the same duvet year-round, it could probably benefit from a wash every 3-4 months. If you suffer from allergies, are particularly sweaty at night, or have been very ill, your duvet may need more frequent washes.

We would not recommend washing a duvet cover with the comforter inside of it. This will lead to more drying time, and more opportunities for your comforter and duvet cover to rip or tear in your washing machine. However, you should also check the care instructions on your comforter before tossing it in the washer.

"Depending on how close the duvet cover is to your body while you sleep (do you use a top sheet?) and how much general use it gets (are pets and kiddos crawling around on top?), we recommend washing your duvet cover once a week, possibly extending to every two weeks if a top sheet is used," says Batlin.

"If your duvet is made from synthetic materials, then yes, you can put your duvet in the dryer on low heat," Mock says. "However, if your duvet is made of down and natural materials, then try not put it in the dryer; you should hang to dry instead."

If that isn't gross enough, a duvet that hasn't been washed for a year is likely to contain more than 20,000 dust mites, she said, which can cause irritated skin and eyes. For those with allergies or asthma, dust mites may make symptoms worse.

You won't need to wash your duvet insert very often, just wash the cover regularly. Comforters tend to be flatter, may feel heavy depending on the fill, and are not usually as warm as duvets. They also require extra care when compared to a duvet and are more likely to wear with washing over time.

Use a gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent. Hang dry or use low heat: After washing, remove the duvet cover from the machine as soon as possible to prevent wrinkles from setting in. Hang it up to air dry or use the lowest heat setting on your dryer. Avoid over-drying, which can cause wrinkles.

You can and certainly should wash your duvet - most can be either machine-washed or hand-washed, depending on what the manufacturer recommends - you will usually find this information on the care label. Another key reason to wash your duvet is to prevent it from becoming a home for dust mites.

How often do hotels wash their duvet covers? ›

It's a common practice that the hotel comforters are rarely automatically changed – unless a guest requests it. So, in this case, a visitor can wash their bedding on their own if they want to. The comforter or duvet cover will not need to be laundered more than once or twice a year unless something has spilled on it.

"Regular washing, or about once every one to two weeks, is recommended to maintain cleanliness and a healthy sleep environment," says Harris. Once a week if you don't use a top sheet. Once a month if you do.

The Sleep Council recommend you should replace your duvet after 5 years of purchasing. However, this depends on the quality of the product you buy.

If the comforter is worn out, you will see that the compartment (compared to compartments at the outer edges of the comforter) will have less and sometimes no down left in the compartments. If the compartment is less than 50% full, it is time to consider replacing it.

Can You Wash a Duvet Insert? Most duvet inserts can be washed, but check the tags on yours to make sure it's safe to do so. If the tag says “dry clean only” or “do not machine wash,” and you do wash the duvet anyway, then you run the risk of damaging the fibers of the duvet.

Because duvets have a cover, the duvet itself doesn't need to be washed as often as your sheets or other bedding. However, it doesn't hurt to wash it every few months. If this seems like too much, at least once or twice a year will do.

Your duvet inner stays on your bed every single day and night and is exposed to all the same dust mites, dirt and sweat that your duvet covers are. Your duvet inner is just as important to keep clean as your pillow cases, sheets and duvet covers are.

You can and certainly should wash your duvet - most can be either machine-washed or hand-washed, depending on what the manufacturer recommends - you will usually find this information on the care label. Another key reason to wash your duvet is to prevent it from becoming a home for dust mites.