How To Keep Your Down Comforter Warm, Fluffy & Clean
Plumeria Bay® down comforters are constructed with the finest down proof fabrics and craftsmanship. Follow the tips below for daily care, washing, drying and storing your comforter and you will be rewarded with many years of trouble free comfort and warmth. How long should my Plumeria Bay® down comforter last?
Daily Care - Use a Duvet Cover & Fluff Your Down Comforter
Daily Care: Always use a duvet cover. This helps protect your comforter from everyday soils and permanent staining caused by body oils, or the unfortunate accident.
Fluff it! When making your bed, just hold your comforter by one end, or by the sides, and give it a few good shakes. You may want to occasionally air your comforter outside when the weather is nice and sunny, with low humidity.
To help your comforter stay fluffy and warm, it is a good idea to refrain from laying or sitting on top of it. Down clusters are strong, but if they are repeatedly crushed they will eventually break, causing your comforter to lose it's warmth & fluffiness and the broken bits of down to start leaking through the fabric. This type of "wear and tear" is not covered by warranty.
Looking forward to receiving your new comforter & want to know what to expect? See our "short & sweet" unboxing guide.
Learn How to Wash Your Down Pillows
Washing Your Down Comforter
Our Cascade Made™ down comforters are machine washable.
Your duvet should be washed only when soiled (or once every five years or so, if you must). A properly covered duvet may never need washing.
Frequent or improper washing can damage the down clusters, stripping them of their natural oils and causing them to break. Washing (actually, it's the drying) can also cause your comforter to shrink about 3% to 5%.
When it is necessary to launder your comforter, you can do it yourself following the instructions below. If you choose to use a professional laundry service, we suggest you use a service that is experienced with washing down items.
Dry Cleaning is not recommended.
Make sure your washing machine and dryer is large enough for the comforter and/or pillows to move freely. Using a machine that is too small can cause damage to the comforter or to your washer or dryer.
Before washing make sure that the fabric is not too old or deteriorated from body oils, or weakened from age. After washing, while the down is wet, you may notice a pungent odor. This is natural with all down products, and will disappear when the down is completely dry.
Washing: Use a front loading commercial
style washer, large enough for your comforter to move freely. Use warm water & the gentle cycle, with a gentle non-bleach detergent. We recommend a cleanser that is specially formulated to clean down, such as Le Blanc Downwash. Please do not use Woolite® as it will strip the natural oils from the down clusters, or detergents with bleach.
When the wash cycle is complete, wash the comforter again (gentle cycle) with no soap. This 2nd cycle with no soap will help assure that all soap residue is rinsed from the down clusters.
- Check comforter fabric for damage and deterioration from age
- Do not wash if damaged
- Use a Front Loading washer (no agitators), with enough room for your comforter to move freely
- Use Gentle cycle
- Warm Water
- Use a gentle non-bleach detergent, such as Le Blanc Downwash or Tide PureClean Liquid (unscented).
- Do NOT use Woolite® - this will remove the natural oils from your down, which will make the down clusters brittle and easy to break.
- Do NOT use bleach. This will also make the down clusters brittle and prone to break into small pieces.
- Repeat with NO SOAP - important step to make sure all soap is rinsed
How To Dry Your Down Comforter
Be certain to dry your comforter completely to avoid mold and mildew.
Drying is a very important step! It may take several (2-3) hours or more, depending on the size of your comforter, to completely dry your comforter when using a large commercial dryer on low heat.
Commercial dryers can get very hot and burn the comforter fabric or even the down clusters, so take your comforter out and fluff regularly (every 20 minutes or so) when drying and check for fabric overheating and hot spots. It is important that you do not over dry the down clusters, as that will make them brittle and prone to breaking.
If the fabric does feel hot to the touch, you may want to adjust the dyer heat so that it is cooler. Make sure the comforter has plenty of room to toss and fluff as it dries.
If you like, you can put a tennis ball or two, in a clean white sock, in with your comforter to help separate and fluff the down clusters as they dry.
- Make sure there is plenty of room for your comforter to move around in the dryer
- Use LOW heat
- Check every 20 minutes or so to make sure the fabric is not overheating
- You can use a tennis ball or two in a clean white sock to help fluff the comforter as it dries
- It can take several hours, be patient
- Make sure the comforter is completely dry, or it may get mold/mildew
Storing Your Down Comforter
Storage: The cotton bag your Plumeria Bay® down comforter comes in is breathable and is perfect for seasonal storage.
Do make sure your comforter is kept in a dry place when storing. Mildew and mold can ruin a down comforter (and your day), so please make sure your comforter is completely dry before storing.
Don't store your comforter in plastic. If you do not have your storage bag, wrap your comforter in a cotton sheet (or a duvet cover) so it can breath. When cooler temperatures arrive, your comforter will be cozy and fluffy with just a shake or two!