Useful tips for washing a duvet and keeping it soft and puffy

Duvets are our "friends" in winter, as they protect us from the cold and keep us warm and cosy. However, the time soon comes when we have to wash them and put them back into storage. But this needs to be done with care...

In fact, without due caution, duvets will harden and lose volume due to the formation of lumps inside the stuffing, and can even lead to causing damage bad enough for us to have to throw the duvet away.

So how can we ensure that our duvet is clean and fragrant and, at the same time, stays soft and puffy? Here are some washing tips.

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Whether you choose to do this by hand or in a washing machine, the first thing to do when washing a duvet is to pre-treat the stains, to avoid having to repeat the operation a second time.

To do this, simply moisten any stains and rub them with a stick of Marseille soap, leaving it to act for several minutes so that the soap will dissolve the dirt. We remind you that this operation gets better results when the stains are recent. After the pre-treatment, you can proceed with the washing, which will be done differently depending on your chosen procedure:

• Hand washing: in this case, fill a sufficiently large basin or bathtub with warm water and a neutral laundry soap. To obtain the maximum sanitizing and stain-removing effect, you can replace the detergent with a glass of white wine vinegar and one of bicarbonate; optionally, also mix in 5 drops of your favorite essential oil, so that the duvet retains a pleasant smell. Leave it to soak for at least two hours, agitating it from time to time. Then, remove it from the water and remove the excess water by letting it drain and then dabbing it with a clean, dry towel. Dry it horizontally to prevent gravity from pulling the stuffing downwards and shaking it from time to time to better distribute the stuffing.
• Washing in the washing machine: the pre-treatment method is identical to washing by hand, but in this case, double-check on the label that machine-washing is possible. The duvet must be turned inside out (if this is possible with yours) and washed by itself at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees C. Also place two tennis balls inside the drum - these will have a massaging action on the duvet, which will prevent the stuffing from clumping. Do not spin and dry as described above. Alternatively, you can use the clothes dryer, this time inserting dryer balls into the drum (or tennis balls again). Remove the duvet approximately every 20 minutes to shake it out.

By following all these procedures, your duvet will be as good as new again, ready to be stored in the wardrobe until next winter.