Goose Down Duvets

MaggieBaking

A lot of people commenting on them in the other thread... Why do they make such a good OS investment? I seem to be spending a lot of money at the minute but will put these on my long-term wishlist of things to look out for .

I wouldn't have thought you'd want a duvet to last for years?! :eek:

Are they a problem with allergy sufferers?

Do you have different ones in winter/summer? What Tog?

BitterAndTwisted

A decent-quality goose-down quilt will last a lifetime. My granny's quilt was a wedding-present when she married in about 1927 and it's still going strong. An allergy to bird feathers is unusual but not unknown. Most of the quilts I've seen are winter-weight and very,very warm. I've not seen any that would be suitable for summer.

3v3

MaggieBaking wrote: »

...
Do you have different ones in winter/summer? What Tog?

Mine is a winter weight, 13.5 tog.

When I invested in them for my sons, I found a 3-in-1: a 4.5tog (for summer) a 9 tog (for Spring/Autum) and they join together to make a winter duvet of 13.5 tog.

MaggieBaking

How do you wash them?

paddy's_mum

If you're worried about possible allergies or unwelcome little visitors, stick a duvet or pillow in a bin bag and shove it in the freezer for a week or so once a year.

Not many domestic bugs are equipped to live in the Arctic.

3v3

paddy's_mum wrote: »

If you're worried about possible allergies or unwelcome little visitors, stick a duvet or pillow in a bin bag and shove it in the freezer for a week or so once a year.

Not many domestic bugs are equipped to live in the Arctic.

And do it at the hottest time of year - feather quilts must be thoroughly dried or they go musty!

Personally, the smaller, lighter weight one's go through the washing machine. My own has to be dry cleaned because it is too large and too heavy.

Allegra

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

An allergy to bird feathers is unusual but not unknown.

When mine was diagnosed I was told it was the second most common non-food allergy in the world (that was quarter of a century ago though, and perhaps down is much less common now than it was then). I would certainly not recommend a down quilt to anyone with allergies, or asthma, especially if they already know that dust and dust mites are a trigger.

For anyone who does not have these problems though, I do envy you, cos the feel of them is absolutely brilliant - I still fondly remember sinking into down pillows, duvets and mattress toppers as a child, even as they were slowly killing me....

BTW, once it was found that feathers were triggering my asthma and my parents god rid of the lot, my asthma went never to re-appear.

BitterAndTwisted

MaggieBaking wrote: »

How do you wash them?

I take mine to the local launderette and wash it in one of their large machines every couple of years. I don't feel the need to do it more often as I use a 100% cotton duvet-protector on it as well as a normal duvet cover and it's properly aired every day in use. Mine is much too big to go in the washing-machine at home. Plus their huge dryers do a much better job than trying to get it completely dried at home before it goes into storage for the summer.

Slinky_Malinky

I have invested in a silk duvet and for me it was worth every penny. Feels like sleeping under the wings of a butterfly and helps to regulate my temperature (being a lady of a certain age) It does not require washing just a good airing a couple of times per year- also very good for allergy sufferers.

hotcookie101

I bought a 100% goose down all seasons duvet, and loved it. They are so light and you feel really wrapped in it, without the weight. Unfortunately bought it from ebay, and it leaked down EVERYWHERE, so my allergies got really bad, and so we got rid.
We then bought a microfibre all seasons duvet from John Lewis-its lovely, feels light and soft like down, and the best bit is that even the 9 tog king sized bit fits in the washing machine, so that saves me a tenner a year (at least-sometimes the old one got washed twice a year) JL one was 90 for king size.
I did buy a duck feather and down duvet first, from debenhams online, and it was HORRID-you could feel all the quills of the feathers, and it smelt a bit odd....

Sensemaya

Have to second Slinkly. Silk duvets are fabulous.