Important Tips for Properly Washing Blankets

Washing blankets at home is not an easy task. The best way to minimize damage to blankets is to send them to the dry cleaner, where they use industrial washing machines.

However, some people prefer to wash their blankets at home using their household washing machines, for personal reasons, and for that, they need to follow some detailed tips to do it properly...

Always Check the Blanket’s Care Label:

Knowing the washing symbols on the care label helps you make better decisions when washing your blanket. These labels indicate how you should wash the blanket, whether it needs to be hand-washed, or if it should be sent to a dry cleaner. Therefore, paying attention to this detail is very important.

Consider the Weight of the Blanket and Washing Machine Conditions:

The first thing you should consider when washing a blanket at home is its weight. Sometimes, washing a heavy blanket, like a double-sized blanket that gets even heavier when wet, might not be possible in a regular washing machine. You should know the weight limit of your washing machine. Even though you might not know how much weight a wet blanket adds, you need to understand that a soaked blanket can weigh around 7 kg.

Once you're sure that your blanket can be washed at home and your washing machine can handle it, follow these steps for washing the blanket:

1. Shake the blanket outside to remove dust.

2. Avoid washing the blanket at very high temperatures. (The minimum temperature should be 30°C)

3. Use the smallest amount of washing powder and fabric softener.

4. Avoid drying the blanket using high heat in the washing machine. It should only be spun to remove excess water. For the final drying, place the blanket between towels and let it dry.

Hand-Washing a Blanket:

• If the care label indicates that the blanket should be hand-washed, follow these steps:

• Do not use very hot water to wash the blanket.

• Gently press the blanket in the water to allow the detergent and water to absorb into the fabric.

• Just like when washing with a machine, you should first shake out the blanket to remove any dust.

• Drain the water and rinse the blanket with cold water to remove any remaining detergent.

• Add a mild laundry detergent to the water and let the blanket soak for about 30 minutes.

• You need to place the blanket somewhere where the excess water can drain out. You can either press the blanket gently or spread it out in the open air to dry and allow the remaining water to escape.