Should You Wash or Dry Clean Your Comforter?

When it’s the end of the day and you are finally able to get in bed and relax, the last thing you want to do is lay down on a dirty or smelly comforter. Although you can’t always see it, your comforter gets dirtier every night. While washing your bedding can often get overlooked, it is actually a super important thing to do. Now you might be asking yourself, how am I supposed to wash my comforter? Is it supposed to be dry cleaned or can I wash it at home? Keep reading to find out! 

How Often Should I Clean My Comforter?

This is a great question that many don’t know the answer to. Although it can vary from person to person, here are a couple of guidelines to help you determine how often you should wash your comforter: 

• If you use a duvet cover, your comforter should be washed at least a couple of times per year. 
• If you use just a top sheet, you should wash your comforter every few weeks. 
• If you don’t use a top sheet or a duvet cover, it is recommended that you wash your comforter weekly. 

It is important to remember that these guidelines can vary per person. If you sweat a lot during your sleep, if your pets sleep in your bed, or if you spill food or drinks on your comforter, it may need to be washed more often. 

Should I Dry Clean My Comforter?

Now that you know how often you should clean your comforter, let’s learn more about the best way to wash your comforter.

Make Sure to Check the Label 

When trying to determine whether your comforter has to be dry cleaned, the first step you should take is to check the label. Typically, the label will have symbols on them to help you determine the best method of washing. If the label has a circle, this indicates that the item should be dry cleaned. If the label has a circle with a line through it, it indicates that you should not dry clean the comforter. 

What is The Material?

If the label is missing from your comforter or it does not have any symbols on it, considering the type of fabric is the next best solution to determine if you need to dry clean or if you can machine wash your comforter. The laundry needs are different for each fabric. Try using this helpful guide to learn more about some of the most common fabrics used for comforters. 

• Synthetic: These materials consist of polyester, nylon, spandex, rayon, and more. Generally, a synthetic comforter will not need to be dry cleaned; however, that isn’t always the case. For example, a rayon comforter will need to be dry cleaned, whereas a polyester comforter will not need to be. Although it’s not always necessary, it is still safe to dry clean synthetic comforter. 
• Silk: Silk is a soft, delicate fabric that is cool to the touch. It is highly recommended that you dry clean any silk fabric because machine washing can damage and wrinkle silk. 
• Down: Comforters made with down feathers are typically light and fluffy. You should never dry clean a down comforter. However, there are also down-alternative comforters that are made using a wide range of materials; these may or may not be dry cleaning, depending on what you prefer. 
• Wool: Wool is a fabric that should always be dry cleaned. Machine washing a wool comforter greatly increases your risk of shrinking your comforter. 

Machine washing a dry clean only comforter can cause damage or lumps. Be sure to always check the label so that you don’t ruin your comforter. If you still are unsure of whether your comforter should be dry cleaned, try contacting your local dry cleaners to get more information. 

What are the Benefits of Dry Cleaning Your Comforter?

While dry cleaning your comforter isn’t always necessary, it does have benefits. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of having your comforter dry cleaned instead of machine washing it at home: 

• Guaranteed Clean: Comforters are often large bulky items that take up the entire washer and dryer. Because of this, it often means that not every area of your comforter has been properly cleaning. Taking your comforter to the dry cleaners for a professional cleaning is the best way to guarantee a clean comforter. 
• No shrinkage: Both washing machines and the high heat from dryers often cause many fabrics to shrink during the process. However, taking your comforter to the dry cleaners will help you to avoid any shrinkage or other damage to your bedding. 
• Better for your home appliances: When you wash bulky items in your home’s washer and dryer, it can cause damage to those appliances. Utilizing your local dry-cleaning service will help spare your washer and dryer the bulk of the work. 

Choosing a Dry Cleaner’s

Whether you are in need of more time or just want to avoid the hassle of laundry, our team of professionals at Hangers Cleaners is here to help. From dry cleaning services to wet services, alterations, pressing clothes, and many more, Hangers Cleaners has got you covered! We know that life can get busy – that’s why we offer free dry cleaning delivery and pickup for all of our customers! Call us at 501-227-8500 to schedule services for all of your laundry needs today.