New Comforter

Parent Cafe
1

<p>So, some of you may remember my thread about buying a new mattress a few weeks ago. After much deliberation I decided on a spring mattress with a memory foam pillowtop, which surprised me as I thought I preferred a firmer mattress and in the end I chose the softest one in the store. But now I am coming to realize that the mattress was the easy part, and the bedding is REALLY the challenge.</p>

<p>Nobody in my immediate family has ever owned a comforter that we couldn’t just wash in our own washer at home. Now that I am shopping for my own, EVERYTHING I am finding that I like is either dry clean only or needs to be washed in an oversized washer. I’m kind of hesitant about this and am looking for more info. I really want a navy color scheme, maybe purple, and pickings are slim for those colors at this time of year and limiting myself to things that can be washed at home like I’m used to is not practical-- there’s really nothing.</p>

<p>I wash my current comforter AT LEAST four or five times a year-- and I’m embarrassed to admit that because I really feel like it needs washing more often than that. But I read online that you’re actually only supposed to wash a comforter once every few years-- can that possibly be true!? Are these fancy oversized and/or dryclean only comforters in some way different than the ones I’ve been using such that they need to be washed less?</p>

<p>Then there’s the cleaning issue itself. As some of you might have read in the laundry thread, I /loathe/ communal laundry. My mom claims there are laundromats where you can take your bedding and drop it off and pick it up all clean later (she’s seen it where she drops off our horse blankets)-- that would be okay, but if I have to sit and babysit it I am afraid I would just never wash it and I’m not sure how common that kind of service is, the laundromat my mom uses for the horse blankets is 40 minutes away. In that case, I may just opt for the dry clean only comforters even if it is more expensive just for the convenience. But if it’s true that you only need to wash them once in a greaaaaat while, then I could probably handle either washing method. But I’m just not sure about that.</p>

<p>What’s the scoop on this, any thoughts? How often do comforters REALLY need to be washed, and cost aside what’s the least obnoxious way to take care of it when they do need cleaning? </p>

<p>And, just for fun, at the moment these are the two comforters I’m considering:</p>

<p>[DKNY</a> Lexington Mini Comforter Set - Amethyst - Bed Bath & Beyond](<a href=“Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree”>Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree)
[Jill</a> Zarin Allyson 4-Piece Comforter Set - Bed Bath & Beyond](<a href=“Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree”>Bed Bath & Beyond | The Best Deals Online: Furniture, Bedding, Rugs, Kitchen Essentials & Moree)</p>

<p>Pretty much given up on finding any selection in dark blue until maybe winter.</p>

2

<p>In our household, dry cleaning is a very BAD thing because it makes H’s chest tighten and that can only be bad. We only have washable things and things that we can throw into our OWN washing machine at home. We have a double/full bed, so it has never been difficult for me to find comforters that are washable and fit in our home washer/dryer. I have seen washable comforters for all size beds around town, depending on how particular the individual is.</p>

<p>If you don’t like washing the comforter too often, one option is to get a cover for it (sort of like a pillow case). We cause we have allergies to dust and dust mites in our home, we’re SUPPOSED to wash ALL bedding at least weekly in hot water AND use allergy control barriers on all bedding. We don’t like washing the comforters that often, so instead, we have purchased an allergy control barrier/encasing with a zipper for the comforter, as well as duvet covers that go over it. The duvet cover is like a pillow case for the comforter and it easily gets washed in our home washer & dryer. It’s like washing two sheets that are sewn together. It even allows you to change the look of your comforter easily and sometimes less expensively than buying a new comforter.</p>

<p>Also, personally, I only like 100% cotton bedding. I find other things uncomfortable because they don’t “breathe” nearly as well. I like to get my bedding from Ross or other discount outlets. That way I don’t feel bad about swapping it out if and when we tire of it.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>If you prefer to wash your own, you might want to consider a duvet cover and comforter. With a Duvet, you don’t have to have a large machine; if your machine holds sheets, you will have room for a duvet cover.</p>

4

<p>I have always wanted a big, enveloping duvet. I once slept over at someone’s house that had one and it was heavenly. When it was colder it kept you warm and when it was warmer you didn’t get overly hot. It was huge and thick.</p>

<p>It was probably really expensive as the family was pretty wealthy but that’s what I would get if I was outfitting a new bed. For upkeep you just wash the cover. </p>

<p>As for regular comforters I’m pretty sure you can just bring em to the dry cleaner. Also I used to do laundry at this laundromat that had drop off service. If it’s washable you could just drop it off and then pick it up later clean and ready to go.</p>

5

<p>Ikea has many different kinds of cheap duvet covers and duvets. Easy to wash!
You might be able to order online if you are not near a store…</p>

6

<p>This is just me, but no, I would not wash my comforter as often as you do. How often do you have your winter coat cleaned? You have sheets in between you and the comforter, so you are not getting body oils on it. So, unless you spill something on it, or regularly eat in bed or something, I would say you are washing it more than I would. Just my two cents.</p>

7

<p>I do wash comforters and bedspreads several times a year. I only buy machine washable bedding. We have a front-loader with a huge capacity, but if we didn’t I’d use duvet covers that could be washed in a regular machine. I would not feel that I needed to wash the comforter itself very often if it were encased.</p>

<p>The idea of dry-cleaning bedding makes me sick. Who wants to sleep with chemical fumes?</p>

8

<p>You need to buy a comforter (down or synthetic or even wool) and a duvet cover. Then you can wash the cover as often as you want and just air out the comforter in the sun a few times a year. </p>

<p>I have all cottton bedding and can wash everything except one extra-large king quilt and the king mattress pads. Those have to go to a laundromat a couple times a year. </p>

<p>I think you could find a navy or dark blue duvet cover in a catalog. I like Garnet Hill, Company Store, and Cuddledown.</p>

9

<p>Company Store has midnight blue and royal purple comforter covers:
[Classic</a> Percale Solid Duvet Cover / Comforter Cover | The Company Store](<a href=“http://www.thecompanystore.com/Classic-Percale-Solid-Duvet-Cover-/-Comforter-Cover/dt30-r11-ps,default,pd.html?start=2&cgid=cs-duvet-covers-solid]Classic”>http://www.thecompanystore.com/Classic-Percale-Solid-Duvet-Cover-/-Comforter-Cover/dt30-r11-ps,default,pd.html?start=2&cgid=cs-duvet-covers-solid)</p>

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<p>There are many on-line places you can get comforter covers, including one of my favorites, llbean.</p>

<p>[Wrinkle-Resistant</a> Comforter Cover: Comforter Covers at L.L.Bean](<a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available)</p>

<p>Here is a midnight blue at Sears.</p>

<p>[Sears:</a> Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more](<a href=“http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_09666503000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2]Sears:”>http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_09666503000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2)</p>

<p>Like I wrote above, you can buy more than one cover if you like & change the look of your bed whenever you like with a new cover over your comforter/duvet. We have had up to about 6 at a time that we were rotating through. We have started to discard some of them as they age and are now down to about 2 (it’s been too hot much of the year to use ANY comforter or duvet in Hawaii these days). The duvets, covers and comforters seem to last a very long time in our household–literally decades, with regular washing.</p>

11

<p>I have a handmade quilt on my bed (which I made myself). I wash it regularly, whenever it starts to look grubby. I wash it carefully, yes, but I wash it probably 8 or 9 times a year. I’ve made a lot of quilts over the years, and I notice that keeping them clean also makes them last longer, not less long, if they’re washed gently and thoroughly using warm water. Dirt particles are abrasive. (I also let my dogs sleep on the bed.)</p>

<p>If I was looking for a comforter, my preference would be for a thin comforter and maybe two of them, so that I could choose my degree of warmth depending on the need. I sleep with the bedroom window open year round, so I find that the bed coverings vary.</p>

<p>Some ways to reduce the need for washing: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>put a cover over the bed, like a nice sheet, that can be removed and washed easily. I notice hotels are doing this more and more. Instead of a heavy bedspread or comforter, there’s a sandwich of sheet-blanket-sheet sandwich tucked in all the way around and a nice bedskirt covering the boxspring. It’s a very clean look.</p></li>
<li><p>use the duvet and duvet cover suggested above. I tried that, years ago, and absolutely hated trying to keep the layers smooth. It just never worked for me.</p></li>
</ol>

12

<p>We don’t wash our comforters as often as the OP…but we will hang them outside every so often just to air freshen. </p>

<p>I agree with everyone…there is NO WAY I would sleep with something that has been to the dry cleaners.</p>

<p>Re: Ikea…just make sure you measure before you go…some of the bedding is “oddly” sized. We had a “twin sized” duvet cover given to us for our daughter that was some other country’s version of twin size.</p>

13

<p>I like that comforter cover from LLBean suggested by HImom. It has a clever seam around the edge of the top mattress line that would help it stay in the proper position. There is a nice shade of medium blue and a pretty muted purple. </p>

<p>I have some LLBean bedding and it’s very good quality for the money.</p>

14

<p>My D has dust-mite allergies and uses this and likes it. She throws it in the washer and dryer!! Much easier to deal with than encasing or duvet covers:
<a href=“https://www.pacificcoast.com/comforters/all-comforters/allerrest-comforter/?&9gtype=search&9gkw=allergy%20comforters&9gad=7573036328&gclid=CJmUg_qImKsCFSg1gwodYGsweQ[/url]”>https://www.pacificcoast.com/comforters/all-comforters/allerrest-comforter/?&9gtype=search&9gkw=allergy%20comforters&9gad=7573036328&gclid=CJmUg_qImKsCFSg1gwodYGsweQ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>We use duvet covers and down comforters. Pottery Barn has some nice duvet covers that are nice. They are a step up in detail level from a regular duvet that is more sheet like. Many have embroidery.
Company Store is a great place to buy down comforters or if you have allergies you might look into the down alternative. If you wanted a bright color you can get them in colors.
The nice thing about a duvet and comforter is that the underlying comforter will last for years. As your decor taste changes you just have to update your duvet cover and sheets.</p>

16

<p>Our LLBean bedding has lasted 20+ years, so unless they’ve changed suppliers, I can vouch that it is high quality. We do wash it regularly & have purchased sheets and duvet covers that are flannel. We have finally discarded them after 2 decades.</p>

17

<p>Hmm. I’ve given some thought to duvet covers but haven’t really given them a fair chance. I’d never even heard of those until a few weeks ago. How do I find all the fancy coordinating accent pillows if I don’t buy a whole bed set? What are the key differences between these duvet thingies and comforters? I’ve never NOT had a regular comforter so the idea makes me a bit squeamish, but that may be my best bet.</p>

<p>My current comforter is that jersey-ish fabric, don’t know what it actually is and I’ve ripped the tags off, but it starts feeling pretty scuzzy after a few weeks without being washed. I shower right before I go to bed, too, so it’s not like I’m all dirty when I go to sleep. Right now I think it was last washed in April and it feels and smells like a dirty tshirt.</p>

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<p>First of all, you don’t need to be matchy matchy with your accent pillows and such. Just check BB&B, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, or your local department store for accent pillows and such. That said, many duvet covers will have the same coordinating pillow as a comforter. Actually, many comforter patterns also have a duvet in the same pattern.</p>

<p>When we last changed my daughter’s room during college, we got a white duvet cover and shams with red trim at the Pottery Barn outlet. We found red silk throw pillows at TJ Maxx and a red and white striped shower curtain at BB&B. We spent next to nothing on everything which means when we want to redo again, we haven’t lost much.</p>

<p>With a duvet you could wash it every week if you wanted, although it might not hold up forever if you do!</p>

19

<p>The jerseyish fabric starts to pill & doesn’t hold up as nicely as other types of fabrics, in my experience. I prefer good quality cotton bedding that looks & feels like traditional sheets. Those tend to hold up to years and years of washing without showing wear. We use duvet covers on our regular thin cotton quilts and also on our down comforters and wash the covers at least monthly if not weekly. They have lasted very well. We have a few flannel sheets and duvet covers as well, which just keep getting softer as they age (until they finally wear through after many, many years, like an old flannel shirt).</p>

<p>There are a lot of nice throw/accent pillows at Ross, Costco, Sears, WalMart, Bed Bath & Beyond & many other stores. As was said, it can be more interesting if they’re not all identical fabric but pick up or complement colors from your room/bed.</p>

<p>Warning: if you have allergies to dust or dust mites, try to limit bedding and pillows & encase to minimize allergies. Also, try to wash all unencased bedding at least weekly in water of 140 degrees & tumble dry.</p>

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<p>I bought a few down blankets from Garnet Hill a few years ago to use instead of comforters. They are lightweight, but actually quite warm. I have washed and dried them in the machine with excellent results - they fit nicely into the top loading washer and front loading dryer. I ended up buying more for the other bedrooms because they are so nice.</p>

<p>[Garnet</a> Hill Essential Down or Primaloft® Blanket](<a href=“http://www.garnethill.com/garnet-hill-essential-down-or-primaloft-26-23174-3b-blanket/117851]Garnet”>http://www.garnethill.com/garnet-hill-essential-down-or-primaloft-26-23174-3b-blanket/117851)</p>