Hand-washing duvets?

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

I am (late) Spring cleaning at the minute and trying to give everywhere a good blast/de-clutter. I've noticed all the duvets could do with being cleaned but we can't afford to take them to the launderette right now, much less replace them.

Has anyone managed to hand wash by, say, soaking them in the tub and wringing them out? Is it a right pain in the arse or doable? Any tips? Thanks!

[Seeline]

They are bloody heavy when wet, and it's nigh on impossible to wring out much water.
I have memories of carry one downstairs in a laundry basket with my Mum (it took two of us to carry it) sloshing water everywhere, and when we got it downstairs to hang on the line it was so heavy that the edges just dragged on the ground. we were in hysterics

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Oh dear...maybe I'll get some Febreze!

[nothingwittyhere]

Do you have a washing machine that can do a spin cycle only? You could try washing them by hand and then spinning them in the machine, then line-drying.

[Seeline]

Many domestic machines aren't big enough to cope with the weight of a wet duvet. I think mine will do a single, but not a double.

[Imnotaslimjim]

I've done this, but only a single. Put it in the bath, add enough warm water to wet it thoroughly. Get in the bath and stomp all over it to force the water through it. If you want to "wash" it, add soap and stomp it again, then change the water and repeat the stomping. Pull the plug and carry on stomping from the end without the plug. It takes a while but you can force a lot of the water out. It took me about an hour all told. Then lay a towel on the floor and hang the duvet half in the bath and half over the edge. Once the outside part has stopped dripping, turn it round and leave that to drip. Once the dripping has stopped you can take it outside and get it aired.

[Sgtmajormummy]

If they're synthetic and single size I'd put them in the washing machine. Feathers or down need professional washing IMO.
Otherwise a good blow on the washing line in the sun should freshen them up without needing to wash them.

I wouldn't expect a self service wash at the launderette to cost more than £10 including tumble drying and that would do a double and 1 or 2 singles.

[TheSunHasGotItsHatOn]

What capacity is your washing machine? Mines a 9kg and can wash and spin a single duvet and if I put it in properly a double duvet, after a 1600 spin they don't take long to dry out on the line and I have a 7kg drier so the singles take about 30 minutes to dry in there. I wash them separately not together.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

We've only got a 6kg-er I'm afraid...

I might just air them out on the line for now and save up for new (cheap) ones soon. Thanks, all.

[amarmai]

i am going to try the stomp in the bath method. Good exercise too!