Duvet Cover Tips & Tricks

What is Triple Sheeting?

Triple sheeting is a method that hotels use to cover their duvets, using flat sheets.  This technique is simple and quick, and for hotels it works great because they do not have to keep a stock of duvet covers.  Learn how to triple sheet your comforter.

Do You Need to Use a Top Sheet With a Duvet Cover?

Most people find that they no longer need to use a top sheet when using a duvet cover, since the duvet cover serves perfectly as a top sheet.

Others prefer using a top sheet in conjunction with the duvet cover. Either way is fine, it's just a matter of personal preference.

A little mystified by other bedding terms like pillow shams and bed skirts? Here's our guide to to all that stuff and what makes a well dressed bed.

To Tie, Or Not To Tie...

To tie, or not to tie: Some duvets (like ours) come with little "duvet loops" at each corner. If your duvet cover has "ties" (fabric laces) inside at each corner, you can tie the duvet cover to the duvet to help keep the duvet from shifting around inside the cover.

Usually though, a duvet cover that is a bit smaller than your comforter will be all that is needed to prevent shifting. A quick shake in the morning (described above in step 6) will be all that is necessary to put everything in it's proper place.

One exception to this rule would be a silk duvet cover with a silk comforter. Silk on silk is very slippery, so ties would definitely be a good solution to help prevent shifting here.

Closure Choices

Duvet covers usually come with either button or zipper closures.  We have also seen duvet covers with fabric ribbon ties in the place of buttons.

We like a good nylon zipper closure for convenience (the Schlossberg duvet covers come with zippered closures).  A zipper is easy, and quick to use.  You just have to be careful not to catch the duvet cover and comforter fabric in the zipper as you open or close it.

Buttons can provide a more traditional look, especially with a fluffier comforter.  It can be a bit tedious to fasten and unfasten 10 buttons (or so) each time you change the duvet cover for laundering.  But, having said that, buttons are really not so bad.  We use duvet covers with both zipper and button closures with equal pleasure.

Duvet Cover Fabric Choices

Duvet covers are available in a wide variety of fabric choices; cotton, linen, silk and more. A good quality lightweight cotton duvet cover is hard to beat for comfort and ease of care.

Cotton Percale fabrics are generally lighter and cooler, compared to cotton Sateen fabrics. Sateen fabrics are warmer, with more "body" and "drape". Learn more about cotton Sateen and Percale fabrics.

Here's three fabric choices in a wide variety of solid colors that we can wholeheartedly recommend: St. Geneve Capri Sateen, Sferra Celeste Percale, and the Schlossberg Noblesse Sateen.

For those that prefer organic cotton, the St. Geneve Nico Organic Cotton Percale is really quite nice.

And, for those seeking the very best of the best when it comes to lightweight & soft duvet covers; the Sferra Giza 45 Percale.

How to Put Your Duvet Cover On - The Duvet Burrito

The "Duvet Burrito" method involves rolling your comforter up with your duvet cover, inverting the duvet cover ends then unrolling. It's actually kind of neat.   Here's a video for the duvet burrito method so you can see for yourself and decide which method works best for you.

Just in case you don't know... the difference between a duvet and a duvet cover.

How to Put Your Duvet Cover on - The Old School Way

As simple as putting a sock on your foot; a really big sock on a really big fluffy foot! It can help to have 2 people, one person on each side of the duvet to pull the cover over the comforter, without having to go from one side of the bed to the other, but it's also easy for 1 person to do. Here are the steps:

1: Lay the comforter on the bed, so that it fits your bed correctly.  Most people assume that the labels on the comforter go at the foot of the bed.  This is not always true.  Down comforters can have the labels on the end, or the side of the comforter.  So it's best to let you eyes be your guide to make sure your comforter fits your duvet cover, and bed, correctly.

2: Place the duvet cover with the opening at the end of the comforter that is at the head of the bed. This way, the closure for the duvet cover will end up at the foot of the bed, where you want it.  It may help to fold the comforter back a bit to make room for the duvet cover at the head of the bed.

3: Roll up the duvet cover a bit, just like you would roll your sock up before putting it on your foot. If you have ties on your duvet cover (and your duvet has corner loops, like ours do), you'll want to roll the duvet cover back all the way so that you can fasten the ties to the corner loops on the duvet.  Note:  You may find that it is not necessary to use the ties, but they are there if you need them.

4: Once you have the ties fastened on each corner, lean over a bit and help the middle of the comforter into the duvet cover.

5: Now that you've got the cover started, simply pull the cover down over the comforter, again, leaning over a bit and helping the middle part of the comforter into the cover. If there are two of you, you'll do this in tandem. If just one person, you will have to go from one side of the bed to the other. A couple of trips should do it!

6: Fasten the bottom ties and button the buttons or zip the zipper closed. Hold the comforter, with both hands through the duvet cover at the foot of the bed and give it a few good shakes so that the comforter fills the duvet cover properly. You may also want to do this from the side(s).

7: Fasten the buttons, or zip the zipper closed.

8: Viola! You're done.