Washing duvets: 5 tips to keep in mind and 4 mistakes to avoid

Ideally, we should wash our duvets a few times during the cold seasons. But there is definitely one occasion when washing them just can't be put off: this is when it is time to store them. However, there are a few good tips to follow to ensure this washing is thorough and effective.

Duvets come into contact with sweat, dust, dead skin and other bodily fluids - not to mention pet hair or food stains. Duvets are, of course, very bulky and must be washed carefully to avoid damaging them. Read on to find out how to do this properly:

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• Stubborn stains: do a  pre-treatment:
  All the stainsthat are on a duvet should be pre-treated so that the regular wash will make them disappear completely. You can use hydrogen peroxide for sweat or blood stains. Alternatively, try to use Marseille soap or even bile soap (also known as gall soap), capable of dissolving many types of dirt.
• Always do delicate washes: if you put the duvet in the washing machine, never set the spin cycle to more then 800rpm.
• An extra rinse is advisable, as these are thick items. If you wash the duvet by hand in the tub or in a large basin, take care to rinse it out thoroughly. It will be tiring, but it is necessary.
• The recommended wash temperature is 60°C, and no higher. Check the labels to be safe, though, as some duvets shouldn't be washed at temperatures higher than 30 or 40 degrees C.
• Air dry: a bit like woolen garments, duvets must also always be placed flat to air dry.

Mistakes to avoid:

• Don't forget to read the washing label: down stuffing should always be cleaned by experts. But even when the stuffing is synthetic, care must be taken. And the indicated temperature must be observed.
• Don't use fabric softener: especially with feather duvets, fabric softener builds up in layers between the feathers, causing them to clump together.
• If you use the dryer, don't forget to use dryer balls. Using a dryer is fine, and actually helps to prevent the stuffing from clumping. Just use dryer balls (or, alternatively, use pristine tennis balls).
• Never overfill the washer's drum: a single duvet generally fits into most machines without too many problems. For double duvets, you will need a very large washing machines or have to hand-wash it in the bathtub.