Would You Tumble a Feather Duvet?

macgirl

Hello, lovely knowledgeable OS ladies!

I wonder if you could advise me please. My 7 year old DD was sick last night on her new feather and down duvet. The label says it "May" be dry cleaned, but not ironed, bleached or tumble dried. It didn't say anything about washing, so I bunged it in on a delicate 30o wash.

I've tried to line dry it, but it's so heavy, it's broken the blinkin' line :mad: so now it's indoors drying. I thought it was ok to tumble duvets with a couple of tennis balls - to fluff it up and make sure it's completely dry?

After reading the label I can't decide if they are just covering themselves, or whether I will be choking on feathers and down if I tumble it.....

Any thoughts gratefully received

valk_scot

I used to tumble dry my vintage feather quilts to make then fluff up properly. I would line dry them till damp then finish them in the TD. Don't put tennis balls in though as you break the feathers.

TBH though you're better off with a quick dry synthetic duvet for kids, cheap enough to get binned if it goes really rancid. The trouble with vomit and other organic deposits is that the duvet can start going mouldy inside and this goes triple for duvets with natural fillings, where the filling can also act as food for the mould once it takes hold.

BitterAndTwisted

You can tumble-dry them. I have done my duck down and feather one. But only the once, mind. I took it to the local launderette and dried it there as it was much too heavy and bulky for a domestic dryer even if I had one. The problem with washing feather duvets and quilts is that the feathers have a tendency to form damp clumps so I spent a fair bit of time unclumping them during the drying process.

As Valk-Scot says, feather duvets aren't really the best choice for young 'uns who can't be relied on never to pee or puke on them for the reasons she gave you.

peachyprice

Yes, I tumble dry mine everytime I wash them. I leave them over the bannisters most of the day to dry off as much as poss then pop them in the TD to finish them off. They come out all fluffy and feeling full again.

macgirl

Thanks very much for the replies! It's reassured me to take the plunge.
The reason we got her a feather one is that we have an old house with sash windows and her room gets freezing, so that was the only one to really keep her warm.

Thanks again

hilstep2000

I take mine to the launderette (too big for my machine) and they wash it and tumble dry it. It's always been fine.

lostinrates

I thought dry cleaning duvets was an absolute. No-no because of something to do with the chemical staying in the feathers and being inhaled over time?

meritaten

macgirl wrote: »

Thanks very much for the replies! It's reassured me to take the plunge.
The reason we got her a feather one is that we have an old house with sash windows and her room gets freezing, so that was the only one to really keep her warm.

Thanks again

If you use TWO synthetic duvets in the same cover - you will more than double the combined TOG. or do what we did in the olden days - use the heaviest curtains you can get to minimise draughts - dad even used to scrunch up bits of newspaper to push into the draughty parts!
Mum used to pile every available blanket and quilt (not duvet but the old fashioned 'eiderdowns') then more blankets on top! I do miss the sheer wieght of all that on cold nights!

meritaten

lostinrates wrote: »

I thought dry cleaning duvets was an absolute. No-no because of something to do with the chemical staying in the feathers and being inhaled over time?

Quite right Lostinrates - for asthmatics anyway! I always bought synthetic and washed and dried them at home.

valk_scot

macgirl wrote: »

.
The reason we got her a feather one is that we have an old house with sash windows and her room gets freezing, so that was the only one to really keep her warm.

Thanks again

Get her a sleeping bag. They're much warmer than duvets even for the same tog count as they don't get draughty bits and there's less dead air space for a small body to warm up. And you can put a thin duvet on top of the sleeping bag too.

peachyprice

meritaten wrote: »

Mum used to pile every available blanket and quilt (not duvet but the old fashioned 'eiderdowns') then more blankets on top! I do miss the sheer wieght of all that on cold nights!

I put a thick bedspread on top of my duvet when it's really cold and when my OH is away, I love the weight!