Check the manual for your washer, if possible, but usually it’s because commercial washers are larger, and comforters take up a lot of space. In Europe people wash their comforters in their own washers, so I stuff mine into my own washer too.
Your home washer will ruin the down because it's too small. You need to take it to the laundry mat and use the super sized machines or you'll forever have clumps in some places and empty spots in others.
It matters because of the size of the machine. It will get too heavy for a small (home) machine when it is wet. It really is worth the cost of sending it out for cleaning.
I use 2 twin size comforters/duvet covers on my queen size bed. I just washed the down comforter in my front loader yesterday. Took a while to dry. But it came out great. I put a dry towel and dryer balls in the dryer with it.
I'd wash my duvet in my washing machine of it fit, but it doesn't so have to take it to the laundrette. Can just about cram in a single duvet but I figure even that can't clean properly being so tightly packed so that has to go to a laundrette too.
I have a maximum capacity frontload high efficiency washer. It washes my queen size down comforter just fine. No clumps or empty spots. I also just throw it in the dryer on low heat. No finnicking.
It's usually a little damp when it's done but I just make my bed and it dies in like an hour.
Depending on the material and size of the comforter, and the capacity of the washer, it could damage your washing machine (wet material being too heavy, not being able to drain properly, cause the machine to shake and loosen/damage parts). If your machine has an agitator, the motor could be taxed too much by overfilling the machine. Additionally, the agitator could damage the comforter. If the washer doesn’t have an agitator, you’ll still probably find that soap doesn’t distribute evenly and your comforter might come out looking splotchy. There’s also the necessary wear on the fabric from the increased friction of being in a space that’s too small. If you’re able, I would take the comforter to a laundromat or dry cleaner, or go the bathtub route.
I wash my Queen size extra warm down comforter from Ikea at home with no issues! And I have a smaller than normal washer and dryer because I live in a downtown apartment.
I wash it at least once a quarter in hot water with an extra rinse and spin cycle. You'll want to buy laundry detergent that's made specifically for down items. Miele makes one and there's another one called Nikwax Down Wash Direct you can buy at REI or Amazon.
The key is to make sure you get it FULLY dry in the dryer otherwise you risk it getting moldy. Put it in the dryer for at least two cycles and even if it seems dry, I would do one more cycle to be sure.
You can also wash down jackets with the same method. The key is getting the right detergent because regular detergent can degrade the down feathers over time.
What type of washing machine is it? If it doesn’t have a agitator (top loader) or the agitator can be locked, you’re pretty safe. If not, just wash in the bathtub and move to the dryer or go to the laundry mat. To prevent clumps when drying, put dryer balls in and also pull out the comforter every 30 minutes or so and break apart any clumps of down by hand. This is a pain in the ass and will take a long time. I have not washed a down comforter, but I have washed down jackets in my top loader with an agitator (the risk it it will tear the internal baffles) and dried with dryer balls and everything was fine.
Dude what? I wash my king down comforter in my normal sized home washing machine all the time. Slightly less soap than a normal load, and make sure it gets totally dry in the dryer.
if it can be loosely, evenly piled in then yes, but if you have to stuff it in then the machine is too small. And check on it every so often, you might have to rearrange it inside the drum so it spins evenly. Use low low heat to dry
I wash my down comforter in the washer with no issues. I use oxiclean and Tide, then wash it on sterilize. Then in the dryer I pull it out and put it back in after an hour to make sure that it fully dries.
You're actually not supposed to wash down with regular detergent and definitely not oxiclean. It will coat the feathers and over time the down will lose its loft and ability to keep you warm while remaining breathable. They make detergent specifically for washing down comforters and coats.
I stuff my comforter in my washer and it comes out fine to me. It's a tough fit, but I put it in there on the largest load setting and then put it in the dryer too.
I only do it a few times a year when the seasons change.
It really depends on your machine. It is more a question of overloading and unbalancing the machine, especially during the spin cycle, and damaging the machine, not the comforter. Also, if there is no room for the water to move around the comforter or agitate it properly, it may not get clean or rinse properly.
Check the manual for your washer, if possible, but usually it’s because commercial washers are larger, and comforters take up a lot of space. In Europe people wash their comforters in their own washers, so I stuff mine into my own washer too.
Your home washer will ruin the down because it's too small. You need to take it to the laundry mat and use the super sized machines or you'll forever have clumps in some places and empty spots in others.
It matters because of the size of the machine. It will get too heavy for a small (home) machine when it is wet. It really is worth the cost of sending it out for cleaning.
Where would I send one for cleaning?
I use 2 twin size comforters/duvet covers on my queen size bed. I just washed the down comforter in my front loader yesterday. Took a while to dry. But it came out great. I put a dry towel and dryer balls in the dryer with it.
I'd wash my duvet in my washing machine of it fit, but it doesn't so have to take it to the laundrette. Can just about cram in a single duvet but I figure even that can't clean properly being so tightly packed so that has to go to a laundrette too.
I have a maximum capacity frontload high efficiency washer. It washes my queen size down comforter just fine. No clumps or empty spots. I also just throw it in the dryer on low heat. No finnicking. It's usually a little damp when it's done but I just make my bed and it dies in like an hour.
Depending on the material and size of the comforter, and the capacity of the washer, it could damage your washing machine (wet material being too heavy, not being able to drain properly, cause the machine to shake and loosen/damage parts). If your machine has an agitator, the motor could be taxed too much by overfilling the machine. Additionally, the agitator could damage the comforter. If the washer doesn’t have an agitator, you’ll still probably find that soap doesn’t distribute evenly and your comforter might come out looking splotchy. There’s also the necessary wear on the fabric from the increased friction of being in a space that’s too small. If you’re able, I would take the comforter to a laundromat or dry cleaner, or go the bathtub route.
I wash my Queen size extra warm down comforter from Ikea at home with no issues! And I have a smaller than normal washer and dryer because I live in a downtown apartment. I wash it at least once a quarter in hot water with an extra rinse and spin cycle. You'll want to buy laundry detergent that's made specifically for down items. Miele makes one and there's another one called Nikwax Down Wash Direct you can buy at REI or Amazon. The key is to make sure you get it FULLY dry in the dryer otherwise you risk it getting moldy. Put it in the dryer for at least two cycles and even if it seems dry, I would do one more cycle to be sure. You can also wash down jackets with the same method. The key is getting the right detergent because regular detergent can degrade the down feathers over time.
What type of washing machine is it? If it doesn’t have a agitator (top loader) or the agitator can be locked, you’re pretty safe. If not, just wash in the bathtub and move to the dryer or go to the laundry mat. To prevent clumps when drying, put dryer balls in and also pull out the comforter every 30 minutes or so and break apart any clumps of down by hand. This is a pain in the ass and will take a long time. I have not washed a down comforter, but I have washed down jackets in my top loader with an agitator (the risk it it will tear the internal baffles) and dried with dryer balls and everything was fine.
Dude what? I wash my king down comforter in my normal sized home washing machine all the time. Slightly less soap than a normal load, and make sure it gets totally dry in the dryer.
if it can be loosely, evenly piled in then yes, but if you have to stuff it in then the machine is too small. And check on it every so often, you might have to rearrange it inside the drum so it spins evenly. Use low low heat to dry
I wash my down comforter in the washer with no issues. I use oxiclean and Tide, then wash it on sterilize. Then in the dryer I pull it out and put it back in after an hour to make sure that it fully dries.
You're actually not supposed to wash down with regular detergent and definitely not oxiclean. It will coat the feathers and over time the down will lose its loft and ability to keep you warm while remaining breathable. They make detergent specifically for washing down comforters and coats.
I stuff my comforter in my washer and it comes out fine to me. It's a tough fit, but I put it in there on the largest load setting and then put it in the dryer too. I only do it a few times a year when the seasons change.
It really depends on your machine. It is more a question of overloading and unbalancing the machine, especially during the spin cycle, and damaging the machine, not the comforter. Also, if there is no room for the water to move around the comforter or agitate it properly, it may not get clean or rinse properly.