How to Wash a Down Comforter So It’s Perfect and Fluffy

Don't be intimidated by your bedding. Experts explain how to wash a down comforter for the cleanest, coziest and fluffiest results.

Naturally breathable, insulating and lightweight, a down comforter is one of life’s simple luxuries—the fluffy, soft fill is made from the plumage under a duck or goose’s feathers. And while many people find down intimidating to care for, it’s actually quite simple. Confused about how to wash a down comforter? The truth is, most down comforters and pillows are actually made to be washed and dried at home, says Patric Richardson, a textile expert and host of The Laundry Guy on HGTV and Discovery+. Down is a fairly durable material, he points out—after all, it comes from duck or geese, which live outside in less-than-pristine conditions.

Still, there are a few things to know about down before tossing that comforter in the wash, or deciding whether to air-dry or machine-dry it. That’s why we’ve consulted fabric-care experts who know a thing or two about how to do laundry, including Richardson and Logan Taylor, who designs cleaning training programs for his Seattle-based business the Dazzle Cleaning Company. They gave us the inside scoop on how to care for this luxurious bedding mainstay.

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About the experts

  • Patric Richardson is host of The Laundry Guy on HGTV and Discovery+ as well as the author of Laundry Love and House Love. He gained national recognition for his sold-out “laundry camps” that teach his approach to cleaning and caring for garments.
  • Logan Taylor designs the cleaning training programs for his company, Seattle-based Dazzle Cleaning Company.

Reviewed for accuracy by: Mary Marlowe Leverette, a highly regarded fabric-care, stain-removal and housekeeping expert with more than 40 years of experience.

Can you wash a down comforter in your washing machine?

Roll up the duvet and put it in the washing machine.SURACHAI PUNGKIT/Getty Images

Yes, it’s not only perfectly acceptable to wash a down comforter in your washing machine, it’s also pretty easy. There is one caveat to at-home washing: the size of your comforter and machine. If you have a king-size down comforter, keep in mind that most home washer and dryer sets don’t have the capacity to do a thorough job cleaning a comforter of that size. If that’s the case, you have a few options. You can use a commercial-size washing machine at a local laundromat or opt for professional cleaning. But never, ever get your down comforter dry cleaned. “The dry-cleaning fluid will damage the down,” says Richardson.

How to wash a down comforter at home

Similar to washing down pillows, one of the most important steps when washing a down comforter is to make sure the comforter is fully submerged in water in the washing machine. Richardson prefers a front-loading machine for this reason. Down is lightweight for its bulk, and because many new top-loading washing machines use a sensor to determine how much water to add based on the weight of the laundry, they often don’t add enough for down. To circumvent that, he suggests soaking the comforter in water before adding it to a top-loading machine. Follow these steps to wash a down comforter at home.

Supplies you’ll need

  • Vinegar
  • Water
  • Toothbrush
  • Laundry soap or gentle detergent

Step 1: Remove duvet

white down comforter folded on a bedDvoinik/getty images

Remove the duvet cover and clean it according to its care label instructions.

Step 2: Spot clean

If your comforter has any visible marks or dirt, remove stains prior to washing with a few spot-treatment steps. “My go-to is usually vinegar and water, or laundry soap and a brush,” Richardson says. Use a toothbrush to gently work the spot cleaner into the comforter. For oil or grease stains, he prefers The Laundress stain solution or regular hand soap.

Step 3: Soak the comforter

If using a top-loading washing machine, soak the comforter thoroughly with water. You can do this in your bathtub or using a large container. (Skip this step if you have a front-loading washing machine.) Then place the comforter in the washing machine.

Step 4: Add your cleaning agent

Richardson prefers laundry soap (not detergent) or a down wash rather than a commercial laundry detergent. The reason? Harsh detergents may leave a residue behind that can cause down feathers to clump together. Mild and gentle detergents are acceptable to use on down comforters, but Taylor recommends using only half the amount that you would use for clothes or towels. Another option: Forgo detergent and use 2 cups of white vinegar.

Step 5: Choose the right wash cycle

Use a delicate cycle setting and follow the care label instructions, whether it suggests cool or warm water. Richardson prefers a warm express cycle because it’s long enough to clean thoroughly but short enough to avoid undue wear on the down. Add an extra rinse cycle to ensure all soap is removed from the down.

How to dry a down comforter

Machine-drying is not only faster than air-drying, but it’s also the best way to ensure that a down comforter is completely dry, which helps prevent funky odors. “Down can totally survive the heat of a dryer,” says Richardson. The only time you have to be cautious is when cleaning a down item that has a waterproof coating, like a parka or sleeping bag, because the coating on those items can be damaged by heat. In those cases, use your dryer’s air fluff setting, says Richardson. 

Step 1: Add comforter and tennis balls

tennis balls in dryer with black and yellow comforterYtje Veenstra/getty images

Place the comforter in the dryer. Add three clean tennis balls. These will help fluff up the down as it tumbles around, increasing its loft and fluffiness. This is an easy way to prevent the down from clumping up in one part of the comforter.

Step 2: Choose the right drying cycle

You’ll want to choose your dryer’s standard cycle, which should take roughly an hour to complete. If it shuts off early, that may be because the cover is dry but the down isn’t. In that case, use the “more dry” button on the machine or add drying time.

Step 3: Give it a shake

When the comforter is fully dry, it can help to give it a good shake. Have a partner grab one side, while you grab the other and shake it out. This helps evenly distribute the down inside the comforter. Then simply replace the comforter into the clean duvet cover, if using.

How often should you wash a down comforter?

This depends on a lot of factors, including whether you use a duvet cover and how you treat the comforter: Do you eat in bed? Do your pets sleep with you? Someone who showers daily before bed, wears pajamas and uses a top sheet will need to wash a comforter far less often than someone who sleeps naked directly underneath the comforter, for example. Richardson, who uses a duvet cover and has no pets, only washes his down comforter a few times a year. He says to sustain the comforter’s quality and lengthen its lifespan, you shouldn’t wash it more frequently than every two months. 

But what happens if you don’t wash a down comforter regularly? Aside from getting funky and possibly developing an odor, a dirty comforter may have a buildup of dead skin cells and dust mites that can cause issues for anyone with allergies. It could also potentially create issues with bacterial or fungal skin conditions.

FAQs

New mattress sheets, comforter and pillowsdeepblue4you/Getty Images

How do you wash a comforter without it getting lumpy?

Adding tennis balls or felted laundry balls to the dryer with the comforter can help fluff up the down as it dries. Shaking the comforter out when it is completely dry can also redistribute the feathers evenly.

Why does my down comforter smell after washing?

Sometimes, if the down is not completely dry, the feathers can develop an odor. Any moisture left in the comforter can react with the feathers. Not only is this an odor-causing environment, it’s also ripe for fungus growth. It is vital that your comforter dries completely.

If odor persists, add 2 cups of distilled white vinegar to your usual dosage of mild detergent when washing. Then dry thoroughly in the dryer, followed by some time hanging in the sun outside.

How do you fluff a down comforter after washing it?

Our experts suggest giving your comforter a quick shake to keep it fluffy. After drying, have a partner grab one side of the comforter, and take hold of the other side. Together, shake the comforter up and down until it reaches the desired level of fluffiness. 

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field, in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece, Leah Groth tapped her experience as a longtime home and lifestyle writer. Then fabric-care and stain-removal expert Mary Marlowe Leverette gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. For this piece, we relied on reputable primary sources, including cleaning and health experts and reputable organizations. We verified all facts and data and backed them with credible sourcing, and we will revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

Leah Groth
Leah Groth covers everything from cleaning hacks and consumer products to travel and pets for Reader’s Digest. When she isn’t working on a piece, you’ll find her chasing after her four children (two humans, a Vizsla and a German Shorthaired Pointer) or working on her 100-plus-year-old home outside Philadelphia.