How to Wash and Properly Care for Bedding

Sheets, as well as pillowcases and duvet covers - essentially anything that comes into direct contact with your skin - should be washed every seven to ten days. Failure to wash that often can result in the accumulation of unwanted filth like dead skin cells and dirt, while washing too frequently can wear out your bedding prematurely. It’s also a good idea to rotate in another set during washes to preserve color, elasticity and extend the overall longevity of the product. Plus, the more bedding sets you have, the more freedom you have to wash your sheets when you want to and not when you have to.

If you have decorative bedding on top of your sheets (think quilts, cashmere throws or euro shams), you can wash them a bit less often as long as they don’t come in direct contact with your skin. These types of extra bed layers should be cleaned every three months.

Next up are duvets and comforters. You might technically know how to wash a duvet and how to wash a comforter, but let’s be honest: most of us don’t wash our internal bedding as much as we should. Pillows, duvets and mattress pads should be washed less often than sheets, but still should be cleaned every three to six months. Mattress toppers should be taken to your dry cleaner every six months

You might want to wash your bedding basics every season to get on a solid cleaning schedule.

You’ll need to check the label, but as a rule, the best way to wash bedding is with cool water. Some fabrics do well with warm water while others, like mattress pads, are typically dry clean only. You should always avoid hot water because it can degrade the fibers over time and cause shrinking. Always wash bedding on the delicate cycle.

The first question you might have is can you wash sheets with clothes? While it’s technically doable, it’s not recommended. Brightly-colored clothing can bleed on your sheets, and zippers, hooks and buttons can cause pilling and abrasions. 

Wash bedding with other bedding, and keep similar colors and fabrics together. After you’ve gathered your load and checked the tags, these steps will show you how to wash your bed sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers:

1. Fill the washer with water. While cool water is always recommended, especially with percale and sateen sheets, you can use warm water on linen sheets and essential quilts if you choose.

2. Add mild, liquid laundry detergent in amounts less than the manufacturer calls for. 

3. Let the soap dissolve before loading bedding into the washing machine. 

4. Add non-chlorine bleach if you’re using it. We recommend OxiClean for removing stains. In this step, you can also add vinegar and baking soda to brighten your bedding.

5. Wash on a delicate cycle.

For even more detail, check out our guides for how to properly care for percale, linen and sateen.

Duvets, comforters and pillows bring a whole new wealth of questions, like can you wash pillows in the washing machine at all? Will my comforter fit in my top-loader? Like washing bed sheets, you’ll want to check the label before laundering. Some bedding is dry clean only, like most mattress toppers. All of Parachute’s natural down and hypoallergenic down alternative duvets are machine washable. 

Washing machine size is important to keep in mind, and many consumer machines won’t fit larger bedding like a king size duvet. If possible, you should use an XL front-loading machine. Duvet inserts and comforters get tangled in smaller machines, and the weight of this type of bedding can throw a top-loading machine off balance. If your machine is the right size, the steps are as follows:

1. Load your duvet insert, comforter or pillow into your machine.

2. Add a third of the detergent you’d normally use for a load of this size (the more detergent, the harder it is to wash out). Preferably use detergent made specifically for down or a mild, enzyme-free, all-natural variety.

3. Wash using cool water and a delicate cycle.

4. Run the rinse cycle twice to make sure you’ve rinsed out all of the detergent.

For a complete guide on how to wash a duvet click here.

Drying duvets, comforters, pillows and thicker bedding like quilts is a little bit more difficult than drying sheets. They take a long time to dry and require regular checking and fluffing. You’ll want to tumble-dry your down and down alternative bedding in an industrial dryer on the lowest possible heat setting and add dryer balls to help fluff the filling and keep it separated rather than clumping.

You’ll also want to check the temperature of your bedding every half hour and take it out of the dryer to break up clumps and let it cool down if it feels hot to the touch. It can take between five and six hours to properly dry a down or down alternative comforter or duvet, but you must make sure the filling is completely dry. If you put your cover on while it’s still damp, it can grow mold.

How do you know if your bedding is dry? Hold it up to the light. If you see clumps of filling, it’s not done yet. You can always hang it on a clothesline outside (providing that the weather cooperates) or lay it flat in a well-ventilated room to finish the drying process.

Comforters are particularly prone to stains since they don’t have a protective cover, but other bedding also falls victim. Hey, we spend a lot of time in bed. Stuff happens. If you have a stain, you’ll want to spot-treat your bedding. Dampen the area you want to treat. Then rub in a small amount of detergent or spot-cleaner like OxiClean, and let it sit overnight. The next day, simply rinse that area and let it fully dry. We’d recommend testing the treatment on an inconspicuous area just to make sure it doesn’t leave a ring. 

Learn best practices for removing all kinds of stains, from all types of fabrics in our stain guide.

No one wants dust mites! These unwelcome visitors are responsible for causing acne and triggering asthma-like symptoms or chronic sinus problems. Bedding protectors help reduce the dust mite population and improve the lifespan of your products. Our down and down alternative mattress pads provide an extra layer of softness and comfort to your mattress while protecting and extending its lifespan.

There comes a time when all bedding must be replaced. That’s where Parachute comes in. The best way to make sure that your bedding will last is to purchase quality bedding from the get go. Parachute’s bedding — whether you’re searching for a cozy down duvet or luxe linen sheets — is made for longevity, as long as it’s properly cared for.