Did you know you should be washing your duvet and pillows at least twice a year? We don’t like to think about it, but we all know that sweat, skin cells, dust mites and other undesirables build up quickly. Plus, we all love the feeling of hygienic fresh bedding which makes this a real no-brainer. So, when’s the best time to do it? We recommend giving your bedding a wash when changing from a winter to summer duvet.

Previously, the act of trampling duvets in the bath and trying to wring and hang them out to dry was as good a workout as any. Thankfully many modern domestic washing machines have capacity to wash a duvet, it’s the drying that can be tricky. Consider taking your duvet to a local dry cleaner or launderette who will take the hassle out of the task.  Not only will they be able to wash and dry it for you quickly, but they’ll also have specialist professional detergents and cleaning agents which will give the duvet a new lease of life. Often, they’ll even provide a breathable duvet bag for storage.

A good dry cleaner or laundry will extend the life of your duvet, but every product has its shelf life.   The next question — what do you do with an old duvet to avoid it ending up in landfill?  Depending on the filling, crafting groups can often re-use stuffing for new projects. Local animal shelters and charities are also happy to receive old bedding to be used for the animals.