It is possible to wash your comforter at home, and it doesn’t need to be done frequently. Down expert Jack Sukalac, owner of All About Down, suggests washing a comforter every three to five years, depending on its dirtiness or deflation. He also provided some tips for maintaining a comforter between washings.
In our comforters guide, we have tested ones with down, down alternative, and wool fills. The cleaning and maintenance approach for a down comforter will also work for down-alternative comforters. However, the wool comforters we have encountered should not be put in a washing machine and should be spot-cleaned only.
We highly recommend using a duvet cover to protect your investment. A duvet is just another term for a comforter (commonly used in Europe), and a duvet cover is the removable outer layer that can be easily washed (they are usually made from the same fabric as sheets, so you should wash them similarly). We’re not sure why it’s never referred to as a comforter cover.
If you’re not comfortable cleaning your comforter at home, consider using a specialized cleaning service like the one operated by Sukalac. This will help maintain its quality for many years. He strongly discourages dry-cleaning the comforter, and we concur – dry-cleaning chemicals can damage down.
