Tips and Tricks to Care for Your Comforters and Pillows

As the months turn chilly we begin to change up the bed, bringing out our velvet matelassés and duvets! What we often forget to refresh around this same time are our comforters, mattress covers, and pillows. Over time these items can wear and need to be replaced. We love, love, love our Downright down! Here are some tips on when to refresh your comforters, pillows, etc., how to keep them lasting longer, and some of the benefits of buying down.

When to Refresh Your Comforters, Pillows, Etc.

Comforters/Duvets. Most of us don’t wash our comforters nearly as often as we should. When juggling a job, kids, yard work, large laundry loads and everything in between, it’s hard to find the time. Duvets experience the same kind of wear and tear as your sheets do. Over time sweat and dead skin cells can discolor your comforter and the fullness will decrease. Because of this many comforters need to be replaced every five years. Having your duvet on your bed during cold months and keeping a matelassé and flat sheet between you and the duvet can increase the lifespan of your comforter.

Unless you have Downright down this increases the lifespan of your duvet because of the way the down is treated and the duvet is filled. This increases your comforter lifespan to about 20 years. Eider down, by the way, can last a lifetime!

Pillows. Because pillows are right up against your face, they need to be replaced every year. Your face oils, your body sweat and decrease in fill are some of the reasons pillows need to be refreshed so frequently. Keeping your pillows refreshed and clean keeps your skin healthy. Their ability to adequately support your neck and spine can greatly affect your sleep which is another reason to make sure they stay nice and full.

Pillow protectors are a great way to ensure longevity in your pillows, extending their life by a couple of years. Downright pillow protectors are made from organic cotton with double-stitched reinforced seams to prevent tearing. Our pillow protectors can last up to 10 years and should be washed every couple of weeks when you wash your sheets.

Downright down pillows can last (with a pillow protector) up to 10 years. The length to which they last depends on the softness/firmness of the pillow, with the firmer pillows lasting longer. The best test to see if both down and alternative down are still in good condition is to fold the pillow in half and see how long it takes to bounce back into shape.

Mattress Covers are key to not only protecting your mattress from unwanted stains and spills, but also help reduce the number of allergens and dust mites that can embed themselves into your mattress over time. Because the mattress protector is directly under your fitted sheet, they can wear more quickly than your duvet. We recommend replacing your mattress cover every five years. This may need to be sooner depending on the amount of staining or tearing of your mattress pad.

Again Downright mattress protectors have a longer lifespan. They have two protectors that we really love: cotton and merino wool. The cotton mattress protector is 100% cotton which increases the longevity to 10 years because of the quality. The merino wool mattress pad is unique in the way it keeps you both warm in the winter and cool in the summer by wicking away moisture. Wool is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust and mites. The wool mattress pad has a lifespan of 25 years.

Pros of buying Downright down.

Down is green-natural, renewable, biodegradable, and leaves less carbon footprints than any other
fill material. Downright makes a conscientious effort to respect nature with their responsible down sourcing. With Downright there is no live plucking, no force feeding, and birds are cared for from birth. Downright is also RDS (Responsible Down Standard) Certified: meaning each step of the way – from the farm to the bedroom – everything is approved by a third-party certification body (made up of an inspector and certifier).

Downright’s safe-sterilization process makes it safe from all harmful bacteria and dust. Because of the process in which Downright treats their down, their product is hypoallergenic and mite resistant. To accomplish this Downright washes the down twice and rinses four times in a machine with water, soap, deodorizers, and sterilizers. The washing is adjusted as necessary to ensure Downright exceeds the hypo-allergenic standards. The down is then dried at a temperature of over 200 degrees. Dedusting is the final step of the process which removes excess fibers and dust.

Taking Care of Your Down.

The best way to get your down pillows clean is to throw them in a hot dryer for ten minutes. The heat wicks away moisture, and it will come out looking brand new.

We recommend not to dry clean! The chemicals used will break down the down feathers and the wool should you opt for the wool mattress pad.

All of Downright’s products are machine washable. We recommend using our Le Blanc Downwash and washing on a gentle cycle. You don’t want to jam pack the washer or the comforter won’t clean well. If you have a king or queen comforter that doesn’t fit, we recommend going to Mr. Suds on Southland Drive. They have industrial washing machines that will fit any size comforter and their rates are affordable.