Owning a comforter is great for keeping yourself nice and cozy at night. But when it comes to the long-term usability of it, things become a little twisted. In case it sports with a ‘dry clean only’ label on it, you’d look for an alternative cleaning method for it.
We’ve come up with a long-awaited alternative method of washing dry clean only comforter. On top of that, we may dish out a few quick tips to maintain the integrity of the comforter that you’ve fallen in love with.
Got a minute check the guide out? Let’s dive right in.
Things to Know Before Washing a Comforter
If you’re not aware of what happens if you wash dry clean only comforter, you probably should.
Depending on the material, there may be times where you find the material to shrink after a cleaning round. Also, there are instances where the material loses its integrity overall like becoming mushy or hard, hurting the overall longevity.
We hope you now know what’s at stake here.
So, we believe it’s time to start cleaning!
Cleaning Agents and Tools You Need
When it comes to washing, the stain removal agents are the main ingredients. They can be sources from both commercial and household stuff. In terms of closely purposeful commercial cleaners, there are often debates. Biz Vs Oxiclean is a recent one that we call recall. It’s imperative that you be point-precise with the compatibility of a commercial cleaner to your comforter.
If possible, we’d suggest you keep both sorts of items by your hand. The following table constitutes the list of things you can use for proper cleanup:
Cleaning Agent (Commercial) | Cleaning Agent (Household) | Cleaning Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Bleach solution / | White Vinegar | Washing Machine |
| Ammonia-based solution | Hydrogen peroxide | Dryer Balls (Tennis Ball) |
| D-Limonene | Baking Soda | Dryer |
| Lemon juice |
6 Steps to Clean a Dry Clean Only Comforter
Placing the comforter in the washing machine
Step one is perhaps the most ignorant part. By this, we mean to say is that most people don’t care about it.
Things will be better if you own a big washing machine. A large front-loading washing machine with fewer disturbances (minimum number of clothes) will offer better results.
Using the right amount of detergent
This is important.
Using the cleaning agents we offered will certainly be effective. Still, using mild amounts is recommended if you’re willing to keep the insulating properties intact.
Warm washing, cold rinsing
With comforters, it must get the proper care while cleaning with a washing machine.
That is why we recommend simply a move-over along with two rinse cycles (not more than that).
Every particle of the detergent should exit the comforter. Otherwise, there may be issues with the material wholeness.
Drying a dry clean only comforter
You can always ask this question: can you put a dry clean only comforter in the dryer?
The answer, in general, is yes. And that’s what we will be doing here.
Take a dryer of large capacity and put the comforter in it. Make sure that it doesn’t spend too much time in the dryer. Usually, a couple of hours should be enough.
You’d want to be as patient as possible with such a delicate task. This will ensure a clean outcome with no possibility of mold growth.
Including dryer balls
Dryer balls are usually there to maintain the fluffiness. Use 4 to 5 balls in the dryer so that it can help with maintaining the evenness of the comforter.
A good practice here would be to fluff up the comforter more than 5 times by taking it out of the dryer. This will ensure a proper cleanup along with the right consistency.
Setting it down
After the previous step, all you need to do is get the comforter out and let it sit outside for some time. 30 minutes to an hour in the sun should be plenty. It’s for the sake of air circulation.
And that’s it.
Quilt Vs Comforter: What Matters in Cleaning?
In simple terms, a comforter generally helps you with a good night’s sleep. Now if you already own a quilt, then differentiating between the two may not be as hard as you think.
With a quilt, you have thick cotton layers that form a sandwich of sorts. But with comforters, the padding usually consists of wool, feathers and or other silk-based materials.
Although comforters, in contrast to duvet and quilts are easy to clean, there are specific ways to washing a dry clean only comforter at home. There are certain things you need to keep in mind if you want to proceed with the delicate cleaning operation.
Dry cleaning doesn’t meddle with stuff like material integrity, color fading, and other such concerns. And when you’re trying to wash it in an unfriendly manner, you will see that the results aren’t that great.
We’re trying to show you if it’s possible to wash a dry clean only comforter. If you move on further, you will find that it is possible.
How to Spot Clean a Dry Clean Only Comforter?
To spot clean a dry clean comforter, you need to keep a few things in check. For instance, spot cleaning can be done manually with your household products. Also, it’s only for spots that will go away easily.
Usually what you do is take some light cleaning agent, rub or rinse the affected area.
And that’s it. You don’t have to worry about any tough cleaning processes.
You could use light household agents to clean the spots, solutions like 50-50 water and vinegar mix can get the job done. Soak it for 2-5 minutes and you’re good to go.
One thing to keep in mind here is that you cannot use bleach. Only use bleach if the grime is very tough to remove. Because bleaching may end-up ruining the fabric. Use it only as a last resort.
Why Is a Washing Machine Not Always Preferable?
As far as the concept of machine washing dry clean only comforter goes, you should keep the manufacturer’s words in mind. If the vendors are asking you to treat the material easily, you probably should pay heed to that.
Also, in many cases, the comforter is much too large for your washing machine. So, you need to keep that in mind as well.
Final Thoughts
Our intention for this guide on washing a comforter that says dry clean only was to offer as much insight as possible. As a homemaker, you might be super aware of how different it is to clean a delicate upholstery from cleaning a metal accessory or pressure washing stubborn dirt. And that’s where you don’t stand a chance to make a mistake in any of the cleaning processes involved.
With that said, it’s time for us to say goodbye. We hope you now have the right information to take care of your comforter.
Good Luck!