How to Wash & Care for Your Quilt or Doona: The Right Method for Every Fill Type

The right way to wash a quilt or doona depends on its fill. Wool-filled doonas need a cool, gentle machine wash and should be dried flat. Most down-filled doonas need professional dry-cleaning or a very careful machine cycle. Microfibre can go through a machine without any fuss. This guide gives you the washing, drying and storage steps to take for each type of fill.

If you want to figure out how to wash a quilt without damaging it, start with the care label. The rest of the process is outlined below.

In this guide

●        How often to wash a quilt, doona and cover

●        Wool quilts and doonas

●        Down and feather quilts and doonas

●        Microfibre quilts and doonas

●        Drying and storing properly

●        Frequently asked questions

How Often Should You Wash a Quilt or Doona (and Its Cover)?

Wash the quilt or doona itself once a year, and wash its cover every one to three weeks. Since the cover is subjected to daily wear, the quilt inside can comfortably go longer between washes.

Once a year is the general rule for the quilt, but a second wash is warranted if you’ve been unwell, if you sweat at night, if a pet sleeps on your bed, or if you’ve been using the quilt during a humid summer.

For sheets in particular, washing them weekly is the standard and your quilt cover can go in the same load. If you sleep with a flat sheet, the cover can stretch to every second or third wash, since the sheet takes most of the contact. Whatever the fill, keeping the cover on is what lets the quilt itself go a full year between washes.

How to Wash a Wool Quilt or Doona

You can machine wash most wool quilts on a cool, gentle wool cycle at 30 degrees or below, using a wool-specific detergent. They must then be dried flat away from direct sun. Never tumble dry wool-filled doonas unless the care label specifically calls for it.

The fill from a wool quilt is most at risk of damage from the wrong cleaning approach because heat and agitation cause wool fibres to felt and shrink. Check the label first, as some are dry clean only. If it’s machine-safe, choose the wool or delicates cycle with a slow spin and keep the water at 30 degrees or cooler.

Most regular detergents are too alkaline, so use a detergent that’s made especially for wool. It’s advised to use a front-loader machine because it’s gentler than a top-loader with an agitator. Wash it separately, then carefully lift it out, supporting its full weight; otherwise, the wool stretches if it hangs from one end.

Air-drying is your only solution to dry a wool doona. Lay it flat on a drying rack or across two clothes horses placed together. Keep it away from direct sunlight, and turn it every few hours to help it dry evenly. Allow a full sunny day to dry, though in winter it may need a second day of drying, just to be sure it’s free from all moisture. All listings in the wool quilt range include care instructions.

How to Wash a Down or Feather Quilt or Doona

Although a majority of down and feather quilts can only be dry-cleaned, some are marked as machine-washable on a cold, gentle cycle. Either way, the drying step is vital to preserving the integrity of the quilt. Dry it on a low tumble with dryer balls to evenly redistribute the fill.

Following the care label is equally as vital. Take a dry-clean-only down quilt to a cleaner who specialises in bedding because the solvents used on suits and other clothing can strip the natural oils from the feathers. For a machine-safe down quilt, wash it by using a large-capacity front-loader. If yours is too small, go to a laundromat. Choose cold water and the gentlest possible cycle. Use only a small amount of mild detergent to prevent the down from clumping, and try running it through a second rinse cycle, too.

Using the wrong drying technique ruins most down quilts. Tumble-dry on low with two or three clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls to break up wet clumps and restore loft while turning. Stop the dryer every 30 minutes to shake the doona out and check for any damp patches. It’s normal for this process to take two to four hours. Any dampness inside the cover can quickly develop mildew, so keep drying until all corners feel dry and the fill moves freely.  

How to Wash a Microfibre Quilt or Doona

You can machine wash most microfibre quilts at home on a gentle cycle at 40 degrees or below, then tumble dry on low. Microfibre is one of the most common fills and the easiest to look after, drying in a fraction of the time natural fills take. 

Your everyday detergent is all you need, with no special wool wash or delicates formula. Stick to that 40-degree limit, because higher temperatures can flatten the synthetic fibres. Wash the doona on its own so it rinses evenly, then place it in the dryer on low. If you choose to dry it on the clothesline, it’s best to wash it in the morning so it has all day to dry through completely.

Since it dries quite quickly, microfibre is popular in households with kids or pets, where the quilt may need washing more than once a year. Microfibre quilts are also the lightest to handle when wet.

Drying and Storing Your Quilt or Doona Properly

A quilt must be completely dry before you store it, then kept in a breathable cotton bag in a cool, dry cupboard. Sealed plastic bags and plastic tubs trap residual moisture, and that trapped moisture is the biggest reason why your doona has that musty smell when it comes out of the cupboard.

Knowing how to clean a quilt only gets you halfway, and the other half is storing it so it smells fresh next season. Before it goes anywhere near the cupboard, check the thickest parts, like the corners and the centre, since that’s where moisture hides longest. If anything feels cool or damp, give it more drying time.

The specifics by each type of filling are:

When it comes out of storage in good shape, layering the bed for winter is a good next step. The full quilt collection includes every type of fill type mentioned in this article. But if the quilt has lost its loft even after you’ve done your best, it may be time to read up on when bedding should be replaced.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I wash my doona or quilt?

Wash the quilt itself about once a year and its cover every one to three weeks. Wash the quilt sooner after illness, night sweating, pets sleeping on it or a humid season.

Can you machine wash a wool quilt?

Usually, yes. Use a cool wool cycle at no more than 30 degrees with a wool-specific detergent and a slow spin. Be sure to check the label first because some wool quilts are dry clean only. Also, never tumble dry unless the label allows for it.

How do you dry a down quilt without ruining it?

Tumble dry on low with two or three clean tennis balls or dryer balls, stopping every 30 minutes or so to shake it out. Allow two to four hours for this process and keep going until every part of the quilt is fully dry and the fill moves freely.

Is it safe to wash a doona at home?

Yes, for microfibre and most wool doonas, and for any down quilts specifically labelled as being machine-washable. Dry-clean-only down or feather quilts should go to a cleaner who specialises in handling bedding. The instructions on individual care labels override general rules.

How do you store a quilt when it isn’t in use?

Fully dry it first, then keep it in a breathable cotton or linen bag in a cool, dry cupboard. Store wool and down loosely folded or flat without compression. Microfibre can go into a vacuum bag for a season without harm, as long as it’s completely dry.