How to Wash Comforters

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I don’t know if you have any advice that you can give me for this, but I went to go wash my daughters comforter and the washing instructions start out with “Front Load Washer only” – I’ve never seen this before, and I only have a top load washer. I don’t want to ruin the comforter, but I really need to wash it…do you (or any of your followers perhaps) have any advice? Can I wash it in my top load washer without ruining it? Thank you SO much!

Signed,
In Need of CLEAN Comfort

Heather says:

The warning to wash in a front load washer is more about protecting your machine than actually protecting the comforter. A comforter can hold a LOT of water which can cause excess strain on the motor and either shorten or end the life span of your top-loading washer. Naturally this won’t be true for all top loading washers, it’s going to be based on the capacity and the strength of the motor. However a washing machine is a significant investment and I’m not about to tell you to load test your appliance to save 5 or 6 dollars.

Your best bet is to head to the laundromat and wash your comforter -according to the manufacturer’s directions, naturally- in a large-capacity front loading washing machine. Yes, it will take you a little bit of time and cost you a few bucks, but it’s still significantly cheaper than a washing machine repair bill.

As a bonus many laundromats have water extractors. You can toss your comforter in there where it will be spun at a higher rpm than even the front loading washer, removing a significant amount of water and reducing the amount of time needed in the dryer (dryers are typically the appliance that cause the most damage to fabric).

Don’t forget to check the drum of the dryer before drying your daughter’s clean comforter. It would really stink to end up with lipstick or chapstick stains all over your clean blanket.

Best of luck!

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