How to Wash a Weighted Blanket

A weighted blanket is a heavy blanket that employs deep pressure therapy to increase serotonin and melatonin and decrease cortisol levels in the brain. Initially employed by occupational therapists, weighted comforters have become a popular gift item. Many people use them to sleep with, but they’re also great for cuddling on the couch or covering up with while working on the computer. With so many ways to use a weighted blanket, there’s a good chance it will get dirty and need to be cleaned. So how do you clean a weighted blanket? The answer depends on the fabric of the comforter and the material used to give the duvet its weight.

Most weighted blankets come in two parts, a weighted interior and a removable fabric duvet cover. If the duvet cover isn’t detachable, how you wash your comforter will depend on what the weighted material is made from. If the duvet cover is removable, then you will wash it and the inner weighted piece separately.

How to Wash Weighted Blankets Based on Their Duvet Cover Fabric

• Cotton

Weighted duvets made of cotton are the easiest to wash. Just as a cotton t-shirt is simple to clean, so too can your cotton comforter be washed several times before it will show any wear and tear. To clean a weighted cotton blanket, simply soak in cold water and rinse in warm water. Additionally, you may want to add a cup of salt or vinegar on the first wash. This will lock in the fabric’s colors and prevent the dye from bleeding. You should wash the blanket in a small load or by itself to prevent the material from being agitated.

• Fleece

Fleece is relatively low maintenance. Fleece should be washed on the gentle cycle in cold water. Don’t use fabric softener as this will gel the short, soft fibers.

• Minky

Minky fabric is soft and luxurious and may appear intimidating to wash, when in fact, it’s quite easy. Minky fabric can be washed on a cold or warm, gentle cycle using non-chlorine bleach. However, if you’re scrubbing to remove a stain, it’s essential to be gentle so as not to ruin the material’s soft finish.

• Linen Blend

Depending on the linen blend, you may need to have your blanket dry cleaned. For instance, a linen-rayon blend should only be dry cleaned. However, other linen blends like cotton-linen blend can be washed on a cold cycle using a diluted bleach for stain removal.

How to Dry Your Weighted Blanket Based on Their Duvet Cover Fabric

• Cotton

You have to be very careful when drying cotton as you don’t want to bake or break the fibers. The best thing to do is to tumble dry on a delicate setting, using medium to high heat, then remove the blanket while it’s still damp and air dry.

• Fleece

The best way to dry a fleece blanket is to tumble dry on the gentle cycle with low heat. Avoid using a high heat setting at all costs as it will damage the material. Remove the blanket from the dryer immediately after it stops to prevent it from wrinkling.

• Minky

You can dry your Minky blanket in the dryer on the tumble dry setting with no heat. Always add dryer sheets without fabric softeners in them, or wool balls in order to minimize static.

• Linen blend

To decrease the appearance of wrinkles, lay your duvet cover flat to dry or machine tumble dry on a low-temperature setting. Be sure to remove and fold the sheets as soon as the machine stops.

How to Wash and Dry Weighted Blanket Based on Their Weighted Filling

If your weighted blanket weighs more than 12 pounds, it needs to be washed in a commercial washer that has the capacity for large loads. Washing and drying the weighted inner piece depends on what the weighted material is made of. The three most popular fillings for weighted blankets are poly pellets, glass beads, metallic pellets, and grains.

• Poly pellets

Wash poly-pellet filled inner blankets in warm water, but avoid hot water. Dry on low or medium heat.

• Glass Beads

Glass beads don’t melt. Therefore it’s safe to wash them in warm water but avoid hot water. Dry on low heat or spread on a large clean surface to air dry.

• Metallic pellets

Wash on a gentle cycle in cool or warm temperatures. Hang to air dry.

• Grains

Blankets with grains as a filler are challenging to wash because grains will absorb water, altering the shape and feel of the comforter. For this reason, a weighted filling with grains can only be spot cleaned and not washed either by hand or in a machine.

How to Handle Stains

Sometimes stains happen. No matter how careful you are, you’re likely to get a stain on your blanket at some point during its life. If your duvet is washable, there are a few steps you can take to ensure the stain is cleaned correctly.

Pre-soak

Soak your blanket in gentle detergent and clean, warm water for about 45 minutes. This will help loosen the stain.

Bleach

Use a non-chlorine bleach (one that’s safe for colors) so that your blanket will come out completely spotless.

Spot Cleaning

If the stain isn’t large, you may be able to get away with spot cleaning. Using a gentle detergent and cold water, take a soft bristle toothbrush or soft rag and rub the stain in a circular motion. This should loosen the stain, allowing it to come out entirely in the wash.

Extra Tips

• Never Iron a weighted piece

Ironing will ruin the weighted filling. You can iron the duvet cover only if its removable and separate from the inner weighted piece.

• Always read the washing instructions of your blanket.

Some blankets have specific care instructions. If you don’t want to ruin your comforter always heed these directions

• Never hang your blanket to dry.

The weight of the blanket will be pulled to one side, which stretches the material and can ruin the blanket. Instead, lay it out on an open, ventilated surface such as a banister.