With fall nearly here, it’s time to launder your cozy essentials.
Learn from laundry experts about how to wash all types of throw blankets.
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How often should you wash your blankets?
So, its less risky for those bacteria to stay alive for a while on a throw blanket.
As a general rule of thumb, Richardson recommends aiming to wash your blankets at least once a season.
cleaning expert with more than 30 years of experience and founder of house cleaning consultancyAsk Cindy How
The key to keeping this collection healthy and happy year after year?
Washing them in accordance with the materials with which theyre made (more on this below).
No matter the material, Inman recommends using just the minimal amount of detergent suggested on the bottle.
It can stick to the [fabrics] fibers and make it less soft, she says.
These blends can be washed in the washing machine and dried in the dryer without worry because theyre resilient.
However, theres a trick to keeping these blankets especially clean and freshusing oxygen bleach alongside your detergent.
Where things typically go downhill is in the dryer because polyester is extremely prone to static.
A wool dryer ball wont work [alone] because it wont help with static, Richardson says.
One tin ball will do the trick, though, and will last you for about 60 washes.
cleaning expert with more than 30 years of experience and founder of house cleaning consultancyAsk Cindy How
Most importantly, be sure to turn the temperature down to avoid baking the fur.
The same rule applies in the dryer.
Whenwashing wool, its important not to agitate it too much because this can cause it to felt.
After youre finished, gently squeeze water from the blanket without twisting or wringing excessively, says Hanley.
Protect loosely woven cotton blankets by putting them in a mesh bag before laundering.
Because of its delicate woven texture, it cant take much friction without unraveling.
Then, lay it in the bathtub to drain dry overnight.
Weighted blankets
The main obstacle with washing aweighted blanketis, well, the weight.
In terms of the dryer?
As such, air-drying is a much safer bet.
Plan to hang or hand-dry wool, velvet, electric, and weighted blankets.
A quick tumble in a low-heat dryer generally works to impart some fluffiness, too.
Plus, who doesnt love bundling up in a still-warm blanket?
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