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How often should duvets and pillows be washed?
The need depends on use, filling and care label. Here is what we look at, and what you can assess yourself.
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There is no single fixed interval that suits every duvet. Use, filling and care label determine both when a duvet should be washed and how it can be treated.
Assess use and condition
Look at the duvet before you look at the calendar. Odour, visible marks and stains, lumpy or flattened filling and a duvet that no longer feels airy are the most useful signs. If several people sleep in the bed, if you sweat a lot, or if pets sleep in the bed, the duvet is affected more quickly. A duvet in a guest room used a few times a year is in a completely different situation from a duvet used every night. That is why it makes more sense to assess the individual duvet than to follow a general interval.
The filling determines the method
Down, feathers, fibre and wool react differently to water, heat and mechanical action. Down and feathers need space in the machine and above all must dry right through before the filling distributes itself again. Fibre filling can clump if the treatment does not suit the material, and wool filling is sensitive to both heat and mechanical action. The cover, hems and seams are part of the assessment, because they must be able to withstand the treatment. We go through the duvet and the care label before choosing the programme, dosage and drying method — and we tell you if we judge that the duvet should not be washed.
Drying is part of the treatment
A duvet is only finished when the filling is completely dry. Moisture left in the filling causes odour and a risk of lumps. That is why we dry duvets and pillows in large industrial tumble dryers with plenty of space and heat circulation, and check shape and loft before the duvet is handed back. Washing cannot repair wear, holes in seams or filling that has broken down — but a clean, thoroughly dried duvet typically feels airier again.
Mattress toppers and larger bed textiles
For mattress toppers, we only treat the removable cover. We assess the cover's material and care label and choose the treatment accordingly. The foam core must be taken out before handing it in, as we cannot treat it. For bedspreads, throws and large covers we also assess the material and care label. Feel free to send a picture and the measurements when you enquire, so we can reply before you transport the textile.
What you should tell us
For duvets and pillows: tell us the type of filling and size, what the care label says, and whether there are any known stains, marks or holes. For mattress topper covers: tell us the cover's material, measurements and care label — the foam core must have been taken out before handing it in. Feel free to tell us what the stain is and how old it is, so we can assess the job and tell you what we expect is possible.
With house dust mite allergy
Astma-Allergi Danmark recommends washing duvets and pillows at 60 °C followed by tumble drying as part of its advice on house dust mite allergy. This treatment requires the textile to be able to withstand it. If the duvet cannot withstand the recommended treatment, you should follow professional advice and have the specific options clarified. Washing is not in itself a promise to remove allergy symptoms.