Beginner Tips on How Weighted Blankets Should Be Washed
Weighted blankets are so popular these days, and a lot of people buy them for their health benefits, such as helping you sleep better, reducing anxiety, extra comfort, and more.
These blankets get their weight from different kinds of fillers. The most common weighted blanket fillers are cotton, down, and glass bead fillers.
This extra weight subtly adds pressure to every part of your body thanks to the even distribution of the weight, and this gentle pressure is what gives rise to most of the benefits you get from using this kind of blanket.
That said, you can’t keep using your weighted blanket for eternity – there will come a time when you’ll need to wash and freshen it up, and this is a task that is easier said than done because these blankets are heavier and harder to wash than regular blankets.
Therefore, you’ll need specific instructions on how best to wash them to make the job easier for you if it’s your first time. Portable Washing Space explains the process in detail, but if you want a quick guide, then keep reading...
How to Wash a Weighted Blanket
Before you begin to think about washing your weighted blanket, you first have to figure out whether it can be washed or not. This information is available on the care label. Your blanket is probably one of three types:
- Completely machine-washable
- Blanket’s cover is machine-washable, but the actual blanket is not
- Blanket is not washable and should only be spot-cleaned
Washing Machine-Washable Weighted Blankets
If yours is machine-washable, then you can wash it in your washer, but it has to be the right size or capacity because these blankets are heavy. Some of them weigh as much as 30 pounds, so not all washers can handle them.
The right washer to use depends on the weight of your blanket. If your machine can handle 20 pounds worth of load, don’t think you can throw in your 20-pound weighted blanket and sit back and relax.
Using the maximum capacity or close to the maximum capacity of your washer will cause it to work harder than it’s supposed to. Overworking your machine like this can, over time, decrease its life span.
For a machine that can handle a 20-pound load, wash only blankets that weight 15 pounds or less in it. Use this as a rule of thumb for your own specific situation (weight of blanket compared to capacity of washer). If your washer turns out to be too small for this task, then visit a laundromat.
As for the washer settings, always choose the lowest spin speed and pause the cycle intermittently to redistribute the weight of the blanket evenly across the drum or wash basket.
The size of your blanket determines how freely it moves inside your washer, which in turn determines how much dirt your washer removes from it. This is another reason to only use a washer that is large enough to handle the load.
Washing Covers
Weighted blanket covers are easy to wash. Just wash yours like you would a duvet cover while adhering to the specific care instructions it comes with (as regards washer cycle and temperature setting).
Spot Cleaning Weighted Blankets
Have a blanket that can only be spot-cleaned? You should be happy. You won’t have to go to a lot of trouble to clean it like the rest of us.
For spot-cleaning, make a cleaning solution consisting of water and light dish soap, and use a clean cloth to blot the stained area with the solution. After getting the dirt or stains out, soak another clean cloth in clean water and use it to rinse the area.
Over to You
I almost damaged my washer the first time I washed my weighted blanket, so you’re lucky to have come across this article before cleaning yours.
A common question I often hear new owners ask regarding weighted blankets is how often to wash them. I recommend washing 2 or 3 times per year. Also, if you’re not going to use them for a while, wash them again before storing in a bin or basket.
