Washing a duvet cover in a washing machine

Bed linen differs in volume and type of fabric from everyday bed linen, and therefore requires special care. Before washing a duvet cover in an automatic washing machine, you need to prepare the product, select the right powder and set the correct cycle parameters. Step-by-step instructions and recommendations from experienced housewives will help you figure it out.

Preparing the duvet cover

If pillowcases and sheets do not need preliminary preparation for washing, then you will have to tinker with the duvet cover. The fact is that other underwear can get inside the latter and become crumpled. Especially if the product has a large hole in the center.

The lump only seems harmless and is not limited to poor washing of the duvet cover. Due to the laundry bunched up in a ball, the balance of the drum is disrupted, an imbalance occurs, which threatens the washing machine with destroyed shock absorbers or damaged tank walls. If the machine does not have a built-in unbalance protection function, the consequences will be dire.

You can prevent clumping by preparing your duvet cover for washing. It’s easier for those whose bedding has special fasteners, buttons or zippers: just close the hole and start the cycle. If this is not possible, we act differently:

• take a few pins;
• we attract the edges of the hole to each other;
• We connect the edges with pins.

Clumping of laundry inside the duvet cover threatens the washing machine with imbalance and all its consequences.

It is better to give preference to plastic clamps, because the metal will creak and clang when the drum rotates.Another option is to carefully thread the hole. Twisting or tying the duvet cover in a knot is strongly discouraged. Firstly, it will make it difficult to wash the clothes. Secondly, the fabric will become very wrinkled and will need ironing.

How much laundry should I load?

The main danger when washing bed linen is exceeding the permissible loading weight of the machine. Almost no one washes one or two duvet covers; more often they try to reduce the number of cycles and load a whole set or even two into the drum. But not all washing machines are capable of handling such a load.

Each washing machine model has its own maximum and minimum capacity. Compact narrow models take no more than 3-4 kg of laundry, standard ones - up to 5-6 kg, and full-size ones can carry up to 9-10 kg at a time. The minimum for most machines starts from 1.5-2 kg. To ensure high-quality cleaning of things, you need to know the norm and follow it.

One cotton duvet cover weighs approximately 0.5-0.7 kg.

Some modern models offer auto-weighing and signal when the drum is overloaded. But most washing machines do not have this function, so the user has to estimate the weight by eye. An approximate weight table will help with the calculations:

• sheet - from 400 to 500 g;
• duvet cover – 500-700 g;
• bedspread – 600-800 g;
• pillowcase – 150-250 g.

It is important to consider not only the weight, but also the volume of loaded items. The laundry should rotate freely in the drum, so it is recommended to leave at least 1/3 of the tank “empty”. Ideally, the tank is filled halfway, then everything will be washed and rinsed well.

Setting up the machine and what to wash it with?

After loading the machine, select the program. “Delicate”, “Manual” and “Sensitive” are considered universal, suggesting long-term, gentle and high-quality cleansing. But it’s better to study the bedding label in advance and set the cycle parameters in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. For silk linen we turn on “Silk”, for cotton linen – “Cotton”, for bamboo or satin – “40”. There is no need to worry about the set degrees or spin intensity - everything is programmed under suitable conditions.

When cleaning bedding, it is preferable to use gels with a natural composition and conditioner.

We pay special attention to detergents. A person comes into very close contact with the bedding, so people prone to allergies need to take care of natural hypoallergenic compositions without phosphates, chlorine and fragrances. It is better to choose gels and liquid concentrates, as the powder takes longer to dissolve and often lingers in the fabric fibers, causing irritation during sleep. To add softness, use conditioner or rinse aid.

Stick to the rules

Bed linen should be washed regularly to ensure a healthy and sound sleep. For cleansing to be effective, you should adhere to several standard rules. These include the following recommendations:

• after purchase, the linen must be washed - it is unhygienic to lay out a set even from a sealed package;
• you cannot mix linen from different types of fabric (each material has a special mode, otherwise the product will deteriorate, become covered with pellets and become rough);
• whites and colors are always washed separately, even pastel shades;
• duvet covers are turned inside out before loading into the drum;
• do not neglect the factory tag, which must be sewn on the wrong side of the item - it indicates the permissible temperature for cleaning;
• the embroidered product is placed in a special mesh bag, which will protect the applique from friction against the walls of the drum;
• Children's and adult clothes are washed separately;
• a duvet cover with a 3D image can be washed at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees;
• do not overuse bleaching agents (even gentle compositions destroy fibers and make fabric fragile);
• Turn on the double rinse function to completely rinse the detergent from the fibers.

Before washing, the duvet covers are turned inside out, and the provided zipper is closed all the way.

Washing duvet covers will be simple and without surprises if you prepare for the process in advance. The main thing is to remember the risk of imbalance and choose the right washing gel.

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