How often to wash blankets and duvets: frequency guide
Quick answer
Discover what happens when you don't wash blankets and duvets, how often you should wash them, and the proper way to do it to avoid dust mites and odors.
What happens when you don't wash your blankets and duvets?
Blankets, duvets, and comforters are magnets for everything you don't want near your skin. Every night, your body sweats between 200 and 800 ml of liquid, a significant portion of which gets absorbed into your bedding. Add dead skin cells, body oils, hair, and if you have pets, dog or cat dander and fur.
When you don't wash your blankets regularly, here's what accumulates:
- Dust mites, millions of them feed on dead skin cells and thrive in the moisture of your duvet
- Fungi and mold, trapped moisture creates the perfect environment for spores that can cause allergies and respiratory problems
- Body lice and scabies mites, in extreme cases, unwashed blankets can harbor parasites
- Deep odors, accumulated body oils produce a rancid smell that airing out won't remove
- Pet dander, if your cat or dog sleeps in your bed, hair and dander build up between the fibers
How often should you wash them?
Frequency depends on the type of bedding and usage:
| Type of bedding | Recommended frequency | |---|---| | Sheets and pillowcases | Every 1–2 weeks | | Thin blankets and throws | Every 1–2 months | | Duvets and comforters | Every 3–6 months | | Pet blankets | Every 2–4 weeks | | Down duvets | Every 6 months (professional cleaning) |
If you sweat a lot, have allergies, or your pet sleeps with you, wash more frequently. General rule: if you can't remember the last time you washed it, it's time.
Can you wash them at home or should you take them to the laundromat?
Thin blankets and cotton throws
Yes, you can wash these at home. Use cold or warm water, a gentle cycle, and add ½ cup of vinegar to the fabric softener compartment to eliminate odors. Dry on low heat in the dryer or hang in the sun.
Synthetic duvets and comforters
Most can be washed in large front-loading washing machines. Always check the care label. Use a gentle detergent, a delicate cycle, and dry with tennis balls in the dryer to distribute the filling evenly.
Down duvets or specialty materials
These require professional cleaning. Down clumps in home washing machines and can lose its insulating power. At Emma Eco Laundry we have industrial washers that handle duvets of any size without damaging the filling.
How to tell if your blanket needs an urgent wash
Do this quick test:
- Smell it, if it smells musty, sweaty, or has a rancid odor, it's overdue
- Look at it against the light, yellowish stains (especially on the edges) are sweat and body oil residue
- Run your hand over the surface, if it feels greasy, that's accumulated body oils
- You sneeze when getting into bed, this could be a dust mite allergy
Let Emma Eco Laundry handle it
Washing large blankets and duvets at home is complicated: they don't fit in the washer, they take days to dry, and if they don't dry properly, they end up smelling musty. At Emma Eco Laundry we have the capacity to wash blankets and duvets of any size with eco products and professional drying.
Bring your blankets to our location in El Poblado or schedule a pickup via WhatsApp.
Need laundry in El Poblado? Emma Eco Laundry offers wash by the kilo from $16,000 COP/kg with pickup available, or monthly subscription plans from $200,000 COP/month.