How to wash your goose down duvet
You can machine wash your goose down duvet. Follow the instructions on the care label carefully. Wash your goose down duvet duvet in the washing machine at 40° once every 6-12 months. Use non-bio detergent, a third of the usual amount. Tumble dry on low heat.
If your duvet pockets start to appear less fluffy than before, this is a good indication that it is time to wash your duvet.
Caring for your goose down duvet:
- Give your duvet a really good shake every night or morning to keep the down as fluffy and airy as possible and insulating optimally.
- Pull back your duvet and open your windows every day to allow your duvet to breathe and any moisture to evaporate.
- A good quality 100% cotton or linen duvet cover will protect your duvet from body oils, fluids, hair, etc. Wash your duvet cover once a week to keep both your bed linen and duvet fresh.
- Swap your duvet around each time you wash your duvet cover, so that the head and feet ends are reversed. This will help to keep the down filling fluffy.
- Replace your goose down duvet every five to seven years for optimal insulation and breathability.
Washing your goose down duvet:
- Machine wash at 40° every 6-12 months - you may need to take your duvet to the laundrette unless you have a large drum capacity machine.
- Use non-bio (enzyme free) mild detergent - about a third of the usual amount.
- We don't recommend using fabric softener as this may clog up the down and feather filling.
Drying your goose down duvet:
- Line dry or preferably tumble dry on a low heat setting - make sure your duvet filling is completely dry before you place it in your duvet cover.
- To help keep the down aerated and fluffy as it tumble dries, we recommend using scooms Wool Tumble Dryer Balls or even clean tennis balls. As they bounce around the drum, they will help the hot air to circulate more evenly and efficiently.
- Take care to make sure that the laundrette does not overdry your duvet as this may shrink the cotton casing. Your duvet will need around 90 minutes in the dryer and should be taken out when it is nearly dry and then hung up to dry for the last 24 hours or so at home somewhere warm but not in direct sunlight.
- We don't recommend dry cleaning your scooms duvet as the chemicals used may damage the down and feather filling.
Goose down duvet drying tips:
- Shake the duvet several times during drying to prevent clumping and use dryer balls as these help to keep the down filling aerated and reduce drying time.
- Ask the laundrette to check the duvet every few minutes as soon as it appears to be nearly dry and remove it from the dryer promptly. (It could be worth discussing whether to dry the duvet on a low temperature rather than a medium temperature if they think that their dryers might increase in heat over a long drying period.)
- Before placing your duvet in the duvet cover, check that the down in each duvet pocket is looking nice and fluffy and not clumped together. Give the duvet a good shake and hang out for longer if necessary.
How to get the best insulation from your goose down duvet:
Down insulates so well because it traps air. So the down needs to be light and airy to insulate most effectively:
- Check your duvet cover isn't too tight as it could constrict the downs natural loft. If your duvet is rather squashed into the cover, then you won't be getting the maximum insulation that the duvet can provide.
- Similarly, if you cover your goose down duvet with a heavy blanket this will squash the air out of the down and will decrease the warmth of the duvet.
- Use bed linen made from a natural material, like 100% cotton or linen, so that the down can breathe, (which synthetic materials don't allow).
How to shake your goose down duvet:
Shaking your duvet regularly is a great way to keep the goose down fluffy as well as getting a bit of daily exercise:
- Take hold of one corner of your duvet from the bottom edge and shake it firmly several times diagonally across the duvet. Then repeat the process on the other side from the top end of the duvet.
- Shaking it vertically rather than horizontally will allow the down to spread across the whole pocket, resulting in a fluffier and more comfortable duvet.
- Shake your duvet on a daily basis, or as often as you think of it, to keep it at peak fluffiness.