How To Wash A Duvet

To ensure your duvet is nice and clean, you should aim to wash your duvet every 3 to 6 months, and also anytime before you pack it away for the summer.

While doona covers and sheets offer some protection, your duvet is collecting sweat, dead skin and other microbes while you sleep. This can attract dust mites which feed off dead skin and are one of the most common allergen triggers for asthmatics.

Getting things started

Before you wash your duvet, it’s important to read the label. If the label says ‘dry clean only’ then you should take it to your local dry cleaners to avoid ruining it.

Once you’ve done that, check your duvet for holes, patch up any holes you find to avoid the stuffing escaping during the wash.

Washing your duvet

It’s important to choose the right machine when washing your doona. Attempting to wash a doona in a machine that’s too small could result in your donna not getting washed properly. It can also result in the machine overflowing.

Single bed doona covers can be washed in a 9kg machine. Anything bigger should be washed in a 13kg machine or larger. King and queen doonas should load one per machine to ensure a thorough wash and avoid the machine overflowing.

Once you have loaded the machine, set it to a warm/gentle cycle. The National Asthma Council recommends washing duvets, linen and at 55 degrees to kill dust mites and remove allergens. 

Drying your duvet

It’s important to dry your doona correctly to prevent the buildup of mildew and musty smells. The fastest and most effective way to dry your doona is to use a commercial dryer.

As with washing your duvet, it’s important to choose the right machine when drying your doona so that it dries evenly. Make sure your laundry has enough room to move around and not bunch up.

Once you have selected the right machine, set the machine to low heat, start the machine and check on it every 20 minutes redistributing the duvet to avoid missing spots.

For the best results try adding dryer balls or tennis balls when drying your doona. Dryer balls help balance the load and have been proven to reduce drying time by up to 25%.

Aftercare and storage

Store your duvet in a cool, dry place. For extra protection use linen storage bags. These allow your duvet to breathe while being stored over summer.