Washing Duvets

[PinkyDink]

I need to wash my duvets. What's the best way to do this?
Was thinking I could wash the single duvets myself in the washing machine & then line dry. Am I mad in doing this at this time of year? How long will they take to dry? Also the label on the duvets say wash in a commercial size machine.
My double duvet - should I take this to the launderette and spend the day there washing & drying or can I send it somewhere to be done?

I just wash them in the machine, if they fit. The double duvets don't so they have to go to the dry cleaners (no launderette in our town).

I've dried them hanging on the banisters etc, and it can take quite a while. These days, I use the drier to start them off.

Are your duvets synthetic or down? With down, I wash them in the machine and then tumble dry with tennis balls. Down has to be dried absolutely throughly so it I had to put it them through a couple of drying cycles.

With synthetic check the label, probably tumble dry too... but I just did a synthetic pillow and it turned into a hard blob in the dryer and it has had to go in the bin (even though label says tumble).

I my my husband take the large ones to the launderette with a book!

Probably a bit too cold for a line dry in my opinion now....

I wouldn't like to breathe in dry cleaning fumes unless I had to tbh. Launderettes usually offer to do them for you as a service wash.
Have you asked friends/family? My washing machine takes double duvets and I am v.popular .
And I line dry (don't see what else you could do? Wouldn't they frazzle in a dryer?)but pick two dry days together if you can to be on the safe side.

50% polyester, 50% cotton. Says wash on wool cycle. It just about fits in, and the weather says dry for next 2 days....
I don't know what to do
I have machine washed pillows before and found that the shape does go very funny.
Maybe I should just buy some new ones?

New pillows every six months they say. I downgrade mine to camping/spares, then dog bed pillows before they finally make it, all flat and manky, to landfill. Otherwise it would be an awful waste

If you're really squeezing it in it won't wash so well. But then if it is covered in something you need to deal with now (ick) then it might be better than nothing.
Duvets don't tend to lose shape in washing cos the stuffing is sewn into channels.

No, nothing icky, just need a re-fresh. I am sooo unorganised, I should have done this in the summer!
Ok, will give a go and report back later, wish me luck!!

Oh blimey, I will feel responsible if it goes wrong.
Don't use too much detergent if its squished in and my machine (John Lewis duvet one) says 30 degree for duvets and slow spin.

I wash singles myself and the others I leave in launderette for a service wash. Give them a helping of your washing powder/softener mind, as they charge quite a bit for it.

Tippychooks - don't worry it was a success!!
I now have 1 clean & (unbelievably) dry duvet
However I am somewhat puzzled by the fact that the other single duvet will not fit into my machine , luckily I have a very kind friend who has offered to let me use her machine (she says her king size duvet fits into her drum )
Thank you all for the advice, much appreciated

I wash my (feather) duvets once a year after hayfever season. dh and I use single duvets, and they fit my normal mashine. to dry I take them to a laundrette and put them in with dryer balls for 20 min to fluff them up again. then they dry at home on top of the playpen and an airer for the rest of the day.
makes such a difference to the bedroom.

Some duvets are puffier than others Pinky (said in tones of great wisdom)

Thank the baby cheeses it worked, I was worried! A KS fits into mine too.

I've never washed feathers mousy, but I collect old eiderdowns and am often tempted. Maybe I will try your method!