To wash your quilt, set the washer to a gentle, delicate cycle with cold water only. Add a dye- and perfume-free detergent. For bulkier blankets like quilts, recommended to use a large load capacity washing machine. If your quilt is a king size, use a large, front loading washing machine.
The best advice with quilts is to wash them only when necessary to prevent fading—usually not more than twice a year. Hand-washing with cold water and mild detergent is the preferred cleaning method since it is the gentlest; as a last resort, you can use a washing machine's delicate cycle using cold water.
If you use a top sheet, monthly washing of your quilt cover should be sufficient. If you do not use a top sheet, wash it more regularly. Your quilt itself should be washed at least twice a year. Use cold water and a mild detergent, and run the quilt on a gentle cycle with minimal soapsuds.
Most modern quilts are machine washable, but always check your product's label for any special instructions or restrictions, then consider these general guidelines when caring for a quilt from The Company Store. Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle with a mild, low-sudsing detergent.
Although lower temperature washing is favoured for environmental reasons, for bedding it's best to stick to 60°C, this will help kill dust mites and bacteria. It's hard enough to keep bacteria and germs at bay, but if you eat in bed, there's a chance you're making it an even bigger breeding ground.
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.
Wash with the hottest water temperature setting listed on the care label. Polyester blends are best washed using warm water, while cotton can toleratehot water. Hotter water kills most germs and also takes care of dust mites that thrive in bedding. Wash at least once every other week.
When washing bedding you want to wash at 60 degrees on a long wash ie 2 hours plus to make sure that any sweat, dander, dust or other nasties are killed and then removed. Wash all bedding on a full cycle 60-degree wash. Colder temperatures may not kill all the bacteria or remove sweat as effectively.
The first step to hand washing is to make sure the tub or sink you will be using is clean. Next, fill-er-up with some cold water and dye-free, perfume-free detergent. Place your quilt in the water, and make sure every inch of it is submerged.
Unless the comforter has something spilled on it, you won't need to wash it more than once or twice a year. The cover, however, will need to be washed weekly. If you consistently use a top sheet, you might be able to stretch this and wash your cover every two to four weeks.
High heat tends to damage cotton. When you're choosing your settings, try to lean toward a cold, low-intensity cycle setting to preserve the colors and fabric. Also, inspect the quilt after the wash cycle finishes to check for any residual detergent. If necessary, you may need to perform an extra rinse cycle.
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.
Cleaning a quilt
But if you're confident a quilt is safe to wash, fill a clean bathtub with cold water and add a little gentle, fragrance-free, undyed liquid detergent and 1⁄2 cup of white vinegar. Put the quilt in the tub and gently move it around.
HE top-loading washers have a soaking advantage even though they use much less water. Allow the machine to fill until it reaches the pre-set soak water level, then pause the cycle and open the lid and add the quilt. Gently submerge it under water to soak. Front-loading machines are a little trickier.
Helping your clothes stay vibrant and last longer - Washing with a warm water temperature − on cycles at 40°C or higher – is more suitable for heavy soiling, but can come with a few downsides such as colours fading and shrinking fabrics. Washing at 30 degrees can help keep your colours vibrant an minimise shrinking.
The right temperature
The temperature you wash your duvet at is important. Always wash your duvet and pillow at 60 degrees to get them properly clean. 60 degrees is also the temperature that kills house dust mites.
However, it is recommended to look at the label of your bed linen before use. Good to know: it is useless to wash your sheets at 90 degrees.
Bedding & Sheets
This wash cycle is set to prevent large items from tangling or wadding up into a ball throughout the wash, but if your washer doesn't have a specific sheets or bedding cycle, you can also use the heavy duty or bulky option to achieve this.
Wash sheets in cold water, as the default. Use the “normal” cycle (also called “regular” or “permanent press”). Do not overstuff the washing machine; sheets need room in the drum of the washer in order for water and detergent to fully penetrate the fibers.
Cotton. This is one of the hotter, more aggressive cycles – since cottons need this to get clean. The cotton program is ideal for sturdy fabrics like jeans, towels and bed sheets. It uses a higher water level and longer washing time to ensure thorough cleaning.
Warm washing (40 degrees)
The benefit of warm washing is that it requires shorter wash cycles than a hot wash, as little to no heating is required. There is also no need to maintain or service an engineering solution such as an ozone unit.
The most important thing to pay attention to when washing cotton is that it does not shrink. Especially at higher temperatures you have the risk that this will happen. We therefore advise to wash cotton fabrics the first time at a lower temperature (maximum 40 degrees) and not to put them directly in the dryer.
If your clothes have tough stains on them though, you might need to opt for a warmer wash. 40 degrees, or a warm wash, is the perfect compromise between a hot wash and getting tough stains or dirt out of clothes as long as you use a good detergent.