To wash a duvet in a washing machine, check the care label first, then make sure the duvet fills no more than three-quarters of the drum. Wash it on its own on a gentle or duvet cycle at the temperature on the label, with a small amount of mild detergent and an extra rinse. Then dry it completely, in a tumble dryer on low heat or flat in an airy room. Most synthetic duvets wash this way at home. Doubles, kings and super kings often need a 9 kg drum or bigger, or a launderette.
How do you wash a duvet in a washing machine, step by step?
Here are the 7 steps, taken from the care guides of bedding makers, retailers and a washing machine maker:
- Read the care label. It tells you if the duvet can go in a machine, the highest temperature and whether it can be tumble dried. M&S and the Sleep Foundation both start here.
- Check it fits. M&S says the duvet should fill no more than three-quarters of the drum so it can move freely. If you have to force the door shut, the machine is too small.
- Take the cover off and look for damage. Electrolux suggests treating any stains first and mending rips or loose seams, which can let the filling escape in the wash.
- Wash it on its own with a little detergent. M&S advises a small amount of mild detergent and no fabric softener. The founders of scooms, quoted in Ideal Home, use non-bio at a third of a normal dose.
- Pick a gentle cycle at 30 to 40°C. Katy Roberts, a washing machine expert at AO.com, says 30°C or 40°C protects the fibres. Use the duvet or bedding programme if your machine has one, and add an extra rinse to clear the detergent.
- Dry it completely. Tumble dry on low with dryer balls if the label allows, or lay it flat on a rack in an airy room and shake it often to spread the filling.
- Check the corners before you put the cover back. Ideal Home suggests a dehumidifier if the middle is dry but the corners still feel damp.
Can you wash a duvet in the washing machine?
Yes, you can wash most duvets in a washing machine, both synthetic and down-filled ones, as long as the care label allows it and the drum is big enough for the duvet to move. Ideal Home gives this as the rule of thumb, with a reminder to check the label first.
There are exceptions. Belledorm sells one silk duvet that can only be hand washed, and some feather and down duvets need a dry cleaner. Electrolux says synthetic fibres are usually safe to machine wash, while feather and down may need gentler care or a professional clean. Our guide to what hollowfibre is explains how that filling is made.
What drum size fits a king size duvet?
A king size duvet needs a drum of 7 kg to 10 kg, depending on whose guide you follow, and one retailer says a king shouldn't go in a home machine at all. A thick, high-tog king needs the top of that range.
The sources disagree, so here is what each one says, size by size:
| Duvet size | Belledorm | Fine Bedding Co. | Scott's of Stow | AO.com expert | Electrolux |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 7 kg | 7 kg+ | 7 kg | Not given | 7 kg |
| Double | 7 kg | 7 kg+ | 8 kg | 9 kg+ | 8 to 9 kg |
| King | 7 kg | 7 kg+, 10 kg for 10.5 tog | Launderette | 9 kg+ | 10 kg |
| Super king | Not given | 7 kg+, 10 kg for 10.5 tog | Launderette | Not given | 11 kg+ |
Belledorm says a 7 kg drum takes up to a king if the duvet has room to move. Fine Bedding Co. gives its figures for its own Night Owl and Lark duvets. Scott's of Stow says a king or super king gains so much weight when wet that even a 10 kg home machine isn't recommended. Electrolux's figures come from its Malaysian guide, which groups king with queen.
Filling and tog change the answer more than size alone. Katy Roberts of AO.com says a 7 kg drum is usually too small for a 13.5 tog duvet, especially a double or king. Belledorm adds that a thicker duvet may squeeze in but won't wash properly if it's too tight, so a lighter summer tog duvet is the easier fit. None of the guides gave separate drum sizes for feather and down against synthetic, so go by the bulk of your duvet and the three-quarters rule.
What size washing machine for a king size duvet?
For a king size duvet, look for a washing machine of 9 kg or more. AO.com's expert puts the minimum for a double or king at 9 kg, and Which? says 9 kg and 10 kg are now the most popular drum sizes.
Check which programme the number refers to. Which? explains that the stated capacity usually applies to the cottons programme, and the synthetics programme handles about half of it. Other programmes can hold less than half. A washer-dryer also dries less than it washes: in Which?'s example, an 8 kg wash pairs with a 5 kg dry.
What size drum do you need for a single, double or super king duvet?
A single duvet fits a 7 kg drum in every guide we checked. A double needs 7 kg to 9 kg. A super king needs anything from 7 kg for a light one to 11 kg or more, and Scott's of Stow sends it to a launderette.
Not sure which size you have? Our UK duvet sizes guide lists each one in centimetres.
Can you put a duvet in the tumble dryer?
Yes, you can tumble dry most duvets if the care label allows it, on a low heat. The Sleep Foundation says down, down alternative and polyester duvets can all go in the dryer.
The advice changes a little by filling:
- Synthetic duvets: Belledorm says to tumble dry on low if the label allows, because synthetic duvets hold water and get heavy in the wash.
- Feather and down duvets: M&S says to tumble dry thoroughly on low heat with dryer balls so the feathers don't clump. Belledorm suggests a couple of tennis balls to bring back the fluffy shape.
- Silk and wool: check the label, as the Sleep Foundation's dryer advice doesn't cover them.
A duvet may need a few drying cycles, says the Sleep Foundation. Make sure it's completely dry before you use or store it to prevent mildew and clumping. M&S gives the same warning about mould.
How do you dry a duvet without a tumble dryer?
To dry a duvet without a tumble dryer, lay it flat on a drying rack in a well-ventilated room, or hang it outside, and shake it often to spread the filling. M&S suggests a dehumidifier indoors. The Sleep Foundation says air drying takes from a few hours to a full day.
What if your duvet is too big for your washing machine?
If your duvet is too big for your machine, take it to a launderette with large-capacity machines, or to a specialist cleaner. M&S says doubles, kings and super kings may need one, and Electrolux says the same for any duvet bigger than your drum.
Does washing a duvet kill dust mites?
A 60°C wash kills house dust mites, and a cooler wash only partly kills them, according to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Its leaflet advises washing duvets at 60°C if the materials allow it, and dry cleaning if they don't.
AO.com's expert puts 40°C as the top temperature for most duvets, so only use 60°C when the label says you can. Our guide to bed layers shows how the cover and protector sit over the duvet.
Is our duvet machine washable?
Yes, our machine washable duvet is a down alternative: hollow polyester fibre with no feathers, held in stitched channels so it doesn't bunch. It weighs around 1.2 kg to 2.2 kg, depending on size. It comes in single, double, king and super king, in togs from 1 to 15, from £15.99. Follow the label for temperature and drying.
Written by the Adam Home team in the UK.
