Do you ever get your duvet cleaned?

[MrsMuddle]

I am generally a slattern, but I think I have surpassed even my usual low standards here. I've never had my duvet cleaned, and it is definitely more than 10 years old (maybe older... DH thinks we bought a new one when the DC were small. I'm not so sure.)

Obviously, I change the cover regularly - I'm not that minging!

I guess I should think about having it cleaned or getting a new one.

I'm prepared for an onslaught of posters who get their duvets cleaned annually!

We have a cheap douvet from argos and it is fine. I can't get a king size in my washing machine but will replace the douvet after a while as it cost less than it costs to get it washed.

I used to work in a laundrette though and can confirm all they do is wash like any other item and stick in dryer.

First quite warm spell of the spring (so anywhere between April and July) I wash all the small ones at home, and the 2 quite large ones at launderette. This is not too dear.

As they but one is polyester ones, they get dry on the line at home or even hung over backs of doors, quite easily.

Try to repeat wash in early autumn for the thin duvets, but sometimes we don't get a warm spell at right time.

You're all (well, most of you!) so clean!!

Will definitely make an effort to clean / replace duvet this year.

Our goose down/feather one gets a service wash at the launderette about every 6 months. DS polyester one gets done at home every time he is sick on it - probably every 4 months!

Yes, the cat chucks on mine regularly.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have rushed into the dry cleaners saying "it's got sick on it but I've folded it into the middle".

yes at the change of every season before I put it in the loft.

We have cheap duvets from Lidl and IKEA. With the exception of the down one.

That one is Ralph Lauren. I bought it for $107 in a January sale years ago and wisely hung onto it.

But to me, I cherish 'cheap' stuff just as much, so like to keep things in order. It may be 'cheap', but it still costs money I'd rather not spend and is perfectly good.

I sewed drawstring bags out of old curtains to store out of season duvets in.

We can't get by with an all-season one up here.

I do. I take mine to the dry cleaners. Every 6 months or as soon as I remember after that.

I have just treated us all to 10 tog microfibre duvets from Next, they guarantee to fit into domestic washing machine even my SUPERKING size!

I have washed the single duvet after my son wet the bed. You can tumble them but it needs to be done in large capacity one at a laundrette, I hang it over the banister and it dries in a few hours!

Microfibre feels silky soft.

I used to wash the single 4.5 tog ones (matalan special!) but because mine is superking I used to bin and buy new.

I store them in the loft in the bags that the new ones came in.

They have big machines at the launderette, take ours there every so often for a wash in that.

Have always washed duvets in the laundrette once a year like my Mum. Don't try it at home as you need to have the space around it for soap and water and for some action to take place. No softer. I had my old single Duvet for 15 years. Lovely on a cold winters night snuggled under it saves loads on heating bills. Sadly had to be thrown out. I still need to collect our Duvet from a service wash. About £20.00 but it is expensive. next year when DS is at school I can sit with a book and watch it go round for £4.00

Where on earth do they still have laundrettes? There isn't one for 50 miles around here. I took mine to be cleaned once but realised that it was cheaper to buy new.I replace every 3 or 4 years and in between hang them out on a good breezy sunny day to freshen up. I can't buy expensive down ones as I'm allergic to feathers.

I didn't think of hanging them outside. Will do that as well in the summer. I don't think they need washing every month unless soiled. Laundrettes, still a few around. Another reason not to move out of London [hmmm]

Yuk yuk yuk!!! Never washed??

I wash mine after every season, ie every 6 months or so, kids ones much more often! Cot ones with almost every bedding change coz they fit in so easily.

Oh feel a bit sick now.....

i take them to a dry cleaners once a year. they usually have some kind of offer on them at some point and i take it as a reminder to do it. also do spare duvet for guests though prob dont need to

Have just tried to fit my king size duvet into our washing machine using the 'roll it up' method earlier in this thread, and just about got it into the drum and just about got the door closed, but it was very tightly in and I have bottled out worrying that the machine will spontaneously combust (esp as DH away overnight!!). Am I being a complete wuss? Will the machine cope? Is it safe or do I go with my gut, accept that it's too big for our machine and get it cleaned elsewhere??! Annoyed though as it needs doing and I thought this way seemed sensible. When the duvet was rolled up, it didn't look any bigger than my normal washing load...it was just more solid methinks...

Yes I wash mine (well have it laundered)about twice a year ,or asap if it gets anything on it (dog wee being the last thing,uggh)But it is a 13tog super expensive goose down one that we had as a wedding present so I am a bit precious about it. I would do smaller ones at home but we don't have a tumble drier and down needs a drier to get totally dry.

Oh, I do mine every week... don't you?

Not really. I have never washed a duvet in my life

For old fashioned friemdly advice I would recommend www.theduvetstore.co.uk. They do a couple of duvets that are especially made for washing in a domestic machine and can pretty much make anything you want as far as I can tell.

I take mine to the drycleaners once a year, he does both our very very thick and massive king-size and ds's single for £20, which I don't think is bad.
I know it's just me but having seen the types that lurk about in our local laundrette I really wouldn't fancy taking it there!!!