When you wash your blanket, use luke-warm or cold water, never hot. Hot water should really only be used on heavily soiled items, like cloth diapers and towels. Also, use a shorter or delicate cycle and a small amount of gentle, bleach-free detergent.
You can wash most blankets weighing up to 20 pounds in your household washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent. Avoid using bleach, which can damage the blanket's fibers over time, and fabric softeners, which may create a buildup that gives your blanket a scratchy feel.
Wash it in warm water, but no warmer than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a mild detergent, with no bleach or fabric softener, and do not wash with other textiles. Tumble dry on the lowest possible heat setting – again, no more than 120 degrees – and without other textiles or fabric softener present.
Fill up a washer or bathtub with cold water and a light detergent. Use a delicate or permanent-press cycle if you are machine washing. If you are hand washing, let the blanket soak in the soapy water for 15 minutes before draining the tub and refilling with cold water.
You might not notice damage after a few hot washes, but Kozen told us that in the long run, synthetic fibers don't keep their shape, thickness, or integrity for as long as natural fiber blankets. So frequently washing them in hot water or drying them on high heat will speed up their decline.
While some washing machine temperature settings go as low as 20°C, most cold washes start at 30°C. A setting of 30°C is usually recommended for washing delicate clothes when combined with a delicate cycle, and not on quick wash.
Bed sheets should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric, using a sheets cycle or the cycle recommended in your washer's use and care guide. If there isn't a cycle specified, a normal or regular cycle will usually suffice for cotton, polyester or linen sheets.
How Many Blankets Can You Put in the Washer? The number of blankets you can put in the washer depends on the material, cleaning instructions, and whether or not you're washing them with other items. If you want an estimate, you can expect to fit 1 to 5 blankets in the machine.
Fill a tub or deep sink with cool water and mild detergent. Then add the blanket, swishing it through the water. Do not use hot water on a wool blanket, or the weave might shrink or warp, causing a wavy surface. Soak the blanket for up to 30 minutes if very soiled.
DO: wash bedding at 60°C or above. Although lower temperature washing is favoured for environmental reasons, for bedding it's best to stick to 60C, this will help kill dust mites and bacteria.
There's a lot of debate around the best temperature to wash your bedding, but as a general rule of thumb, we'd always recommend adhering to the care labels and following the instructions. Most fabrics can be washed at a warm temperature of 40° as this helps to remove dirt, natural body oils and takes care of germs.
Throw blankets
Keep your cozy throw blankets in good shape for Netflix marathons. Many throw blankets are, surprisingly, dry clean only, so always check the tag first. “If you put it in the wash, the blanket may lose the soft feel or it could shrink, depending on the material,” says Stapf.
3 Tips: When Cold Water May Not Work
Take fabric: Knits and synthetic fabrics (such as spandex, nylon, polyester, and rayon blends) are easier to wash in warm water. If sanitizing is the goal—say you or someone in your family is sick—washing clothing and bedding in hot water can help stop the spread of germs.
Research has shown that the temperature of the water doesn't really make a difference.” So a good scrub is more important than the water temperature. And research has shown that using washing up liquid to kill bacteria is important.
An Underpowered Spin
Unfortunately, if your washer has an underpowered spin, your items may not be spun fast enough to eliminate all the excess water. If you unload your washer and the items are soaking wet, yet there is no standing water in the machine, this is the most likely culprit.
An 8 kg drum can wash a queen or a lightweight size duvet. This is suitable for a medium size family. A 9 kg machine can wash a whole king size duvet and is the best option for large families.
Can you wash your sheets and blankets together? Yes — but avoid washing soiled dish towels and underwear with your bedding.
Use the cold water setting on your bedding and other oversized items for a gentler wash. Hot water can make colors fade or run. The extra rinse setting is also a good idea, because it ensures the detergent completely washes out of the bulkier material.
"If you or others are using a blanket every day, you may want to wash it once a week or once every other week," says Dr. Engelmen. "But blankets that aren't coming into contact with the skin's oils and bacteria may only need a wash every month or so to eliminate things like dust and pet dander."
Excess soap doesn't necessarily make the blanket cleaner; in fact, it can actually stay in the base fibers of the fabric and make your blanket feel less soft if the rinse cycle isn't super thorough. Dry your blanket on low heat, or no heat if that setting is available on your dryer.
30°C washes softer fabrics better than 40°C, which is why 40° is better for your everyday clothing, and fabrics that are harder e.g. wool. This is the temperature that most consumer testing boards use to measure the performance of the machine. materials at 40°C and the results will be just as good.
Towels and sheets, along with any clothes that an ill person has been wearing, should be washed at a fairly warm temperature to kill bacteria and potential mould. A good temperature for washing towels and sheets is 40 degrees, but a 60 degree wash will be better at killing germs.
Despite popular belief, washing your towels with cold water is the best way to keep them clean, soft and fluffy. Washing your towels in cold water will also help you save up to three-quarters of the energy you would have used had you chosen hot water.