What Kinds of Comforters Are Machine Washable?

Poly-Filled Comforters

• The puff of most workaday comforters is provided by polyester or other synthetic batting. So long as there are no cautions about dry-cleaning the outer covering on the care-tag, your comforter should be fully washable and ready for machine drying as well. Large quilts benefit from large washing machines. Take your king- and queen-sized comforters to the local laundry or laundromat. Twin comforters will probably do fine in your large-capacity washer and dryer at home. Having more space helps detergent and water circulate and clean more thoroughly and lets you dry your comforter without leaving any damp spots.

Down Comforters

• Bedding designers may quibble over what exactly distinguishes a down quilt from a duvet, but what interests you is getting either or both clean. Down is washable, so long as the outer covering of the quilt is also washable; this means the fabric integral to the structure of the quilt, not a removable duvet cover. Again, large-capacity machines make a difference in getting your comforter clean. Drying, even by machine, may take extra time because high heat can damage and even singe down filling, producing a lasting and unpleasant odor. Drying also needs to be stopped at regular intervals to check for clotting and separation of wet down. Down requires more participation in the washing process than acrylics and polyesters, but washing results are good.

Wool Comforters

• Concerns about allergies and a return to natural fibers has produced several retail lines of washable wool comforters. Filling is curly and puffy, just as though wool were still on the sheep, and coverings, most often cotton, are washable as well. Thorough drying is important.

Cotton Comforters

• Cotton comforters, or quilt blankets, lack the loft of other filling. For cotton batting to be effective and keep its shape, quilt blankets must be stitched in small grids or other patterns. Cotton comforters often function in the place of blankets or bedspreads and may be tucked in for additional warmth. Once made at home, cotton quilt blankets give an old-fashioned look and comfort to bedding.