So, having recently started cleaning the plug hole, washing the washing machiene and opening windows, come and talk to me about

[addictediam]

Duvets and pillows.

Do you wash them? how often and how?

we've had the same duvets and pillows for almost 4 years and its occurred to me its a bit gross I've never washed them! I change bedding regularly buy have never even attempted to wash the duvet.

if they are washable synthetics, you may have to take them to a laundrette to fit them in the big washer and drier, and the cost of washing and drying them a couple of times will be quite high. New synthetics can be quite inexpensive to buy now.

I've got feather duvets that get chucked into the mashine once or twice a year. We've got a large washing machine. Feather duvets and pillows dry quicker outside (makes sense, you don't see ducks dripping wet on land!) and then I blast them in the tumble dryer to plump the filling up.

So how often would you wash them or buy new?

I air my duvet ( it went out today) bedding is changed weekly and duvet goes out mid week or as often as weather allows. Love a fresh bed.
It is washed maybe once a year, pillows more frequently.

Launderette for duvets wash then dry or pop on line on a very warm windy day.

All washing out today roll on spring!

I take my quilts and duvets to the cleaners a few times a year and pillows get washed a few times a year and then tumble dried - the smell is AWFUL as they are down and feather, but it is worth it. All my pillows have pillow protectors on underneath the pillowcases, which helps a lot and they get washed every few years.

What also helps is to never make the beds until they are properly aired, ie as soon as you get up hang the duvets etc over the bedstead or a chair for an hour or so until the bed is completely cold and fresh. I cannot understand people who pride themselves on making their bed as soon as they get out of it - a warm damp bed is perfect for germs and bugs - bleugh!

Totally agree i always draw duvets back!! I think you sweat about half a pint each (or something gross )every night. Open windows.

we wash ds1's pretty much every day.

yup, it stinks when you dry them. and you have to do it straight away or toss them in the garbage. no leaving them wet. we have a mahoosive washer and dryer though (bought it for this reason)

you can buy pillow liners that go under your proper slips, too.

I definately believe in airing the bedroom and not making the bed straight away.

I draw the duvet back over the bottom bed rail, open the window (if its not already been open all night), and have a quick spray of oust or febreeze.

I then go round the house and open all the windows for at least half an hour.

About lunch time I turn the duvet over and make the bed up.

I change all bedding every week.

I boil wash (with a dollop of bleach) the duvet and pillows once in sping and once in autumn.

Oh, the heaven of getting in a newly changed bed !!

I buy a new summer duvet and then a new winter one....pillows at the same time....too lazy to wash and dry them

Argos/Tesco value, cheapest I can find! I get a bit freaked out by imagining those bed mites munching away, plus the cats always sleep on the beds and I don't want to catch hardpad. ;)

When the children were in single beds I'd wash their single duvets, but ramming a kingsize in the washer and dryer is such a pita.

AND i do recycle the old ones for the dogs' beds.

I've been wondering the same thing since I realised the other day we've had our duvet 5 years and never washed it.

How big does your washing machine have to be to wash it at home? Could I stick it in any machine at the launderette or does it need to be a special big one?

I wash the duvet & pillows twice a year, at the Laundrette - this costs less than £10 (per time).

I air the bed every day for at least an hour, but if hurrying out to work it may stay turned back all day. Linen washed twice a week (sometimes more in summer).

Greensnail - it just depends if it would fit in the regular one at the laundrette or not. I use the big ones as then they have a lot of room to move around and get cleaned properly. It's only £6 and the dryer is cheap, quick & fab :) I love my laundrette.

Ok, I suppose I just need to go and check out the facilities at my local launderette then. I've never been there before and find the idea a bit intimidating for some reason.

I go to the laundrette once a year to wash all the duvets, I make sure it`s a sunny day & then bring them home & dry them on the line!!
I have a very lovely quilted throw for my bed in the summer that I use instead of a quilt, I probably wash it 2/3 times over the summer as hardly have it on-kick it off most of the time as too warm!!
Pillows when I think that they need a wash!! More often though I buy new ones before washing old ones as they have gone flat & buy new ones for the plumpness!!

Sweet Lord above, is that really somebody washing the duvet every day?

god almighty woman, there's a drought already this year!

I'd guess her child has severe allergies?..........

ah, but my ten yo pees through pull-ups and drenches everything.
not doing it out of choice, i can assure you.
(if i don't, the dog goes upstairs when we are out and pisses in his bedroom. on balance, the laundry wins. )

x post.
allergies might be easier...

Allergies would have been better. Poor you and him.

Lol

the rest of the duvets in the house ming. honest.

the dc' duvets get washed as needed, they are 7tog synthetic filled quilted cotton that fit in a normal mashine and airdry by evening.
my and dh' duvets (2x single feather/down) and pillows I wash in a laundrette once a year after hayfever season. I dry them there, too.
I air the beds by pulling the duvets over the bed-end and opening all windows in the mornings. make the beds when back home from work. open windows again before bedtime.

Thank you. I guess I have a long way to go before I'm a real domestic goddess!

laundrettes = highstreet, the dodgy part next to the beauty parlor

I wash our Ikea pillows and duvets in the machine each season - they wash really well.