Feather duvet - AIBU to bin it ?

[Fidgety31]

I’ve got a king size feather duvet . Had it approx 4 yrs .
It’s never been cleaned as it doesn’t fit in my washing machine.
How grim is it ? How do you clean yours or do you not bother ?

AIBU - I should throw it away and buy a new one as it will be gross and crawling with bugs

AINBU - I should wash it in the bath and wait forever for it to dry !

Take it to the dry cleaner's. I have mine done once a year

I've previously taken mine to a launderette for the large capacity machine. It needs tumble drying too ideally or the feathers clump together.

I take my duvets to Timpsons and they send them away to be cleaned. I’m pretty sure they do feather ones too.

I’d be worried about the chemicals though from dry cleaning

Do you not worry about what’s been washed in those laundrette machines though - like the ones at petrol stations ? I’ve heard people use them for horse bedding !

This. Don't dry clean it because the solvents will remain in the duvet.

Tbf that's why I only buy duvets that can fit in my own machine.

I only hang mine on the line once a year to air it, never washed or took it to dry cleaners
Sometimes I have sprayed it with pet enzyme cleaner because it smelled too chicken-y

How long have you had it ?!

I’m sure the staff keep them cleaner than people’s washing machines at home.

Take it to the dry cleaners and air it outside before using it.

I’ve never washed a duvet 😬 am I the only one?! I change the cover every 2 weeks religiously but I didn’t realise this was a thing?!

Also not a duvet washer, I thought that’s what duvet covers were for

I take mine to the local laundrette a proper one not the machines at the side of the road.

Costs me about £12 to wash and tumble dry it - I do hang around and it takes a couple of hour's, I try to do it every 6ish months as the dogs sleep on my bed.

I think mine is about 8 years old now, maybe I’m due an upgrade

Edited to add - mines a superking I cannot get it in my washing machine, it struggled with the kids double duvets

I put mine in my washer twice a year and then tumble dry with those ball things! I have to remember that when it feels dry to give it longer to really dry, I then air it outside (if possible) or in the utility.
I do have 10kg machine and just shove it in, had duvet about 8 years.

I've had mine since I was a child. It is a lovely, thick, warm as hell double. I vaguely remember mum gutting it once when I was a child, washing feathers by hand, laying them out to dry and then stuffing it back inside and hand stitching. I washed it a couple of times as an adult by taking it to the launderette. Other than that, I air it after winter and pack it in a breathable cotton bag for summer months, then air again before using it in colder season. I am still very much alive and in perfect health. I wouldn't be surprised if this duvet is actually older than me...

I used to take my bigger duvets to the laundrette, but they don't seem to have such big machines now. You might want to look into whether it fits at any near you.

I used to work in a dry cleaner and a feather/down duvet would not have been dry cleaned. We’d wash it in water and tumble dry it, because that’s cleaner. What does the label say is my first question! But I do think a duvet should be washed now and again and am fretting about my lovely lovely wool duvet that I suspect is too heavy when wet for even my communal laundry machines.

I dont think you can throw out a whole duvet after only 4 yearss, if it needs a wash just take it to a launderette. Its not going to be crawling with bugs

I’ve never looked at the care label tbh ! 🙈

Yet you don’t worry about 4 years worth of filth and bugs against your skin every night?

Chicken-y? Why?

I have a feather eiderdown that is over 70 years old that I can't bear to throw out!

I get mine collected by a commercial laundry who offer a feather duvet service. It always comes back clean and fresh.

We used a petrol station laundrette in Holland last year while we were on holiday. The machines were fresh, clean, did a good job. Although, I do see your point, given you're asking about a duvet you've not cleaned in four years, possibly gross and crawling with bugs ...
Edited to fix typo