Winter, spring, summer or fall, crawling into bed and nestling beneath your fluffy down comforter is decadence, defined. The only problem, if it can be considered one, is expecting your comforter to envelop you in cushy goodness and instead realizing that it’s lost its touch. The harsh truth is that like all things, comforters, too, age. The key to keeping yours fluffy, rich and delightful throughout its lifespan, is regular maintenance; here’s how you can keep your comforter fluffy and clean for years to come.
Down comforters have an unbeatable comfort because they’re made of thousands of tiny, oh-so-soft feathers. Also because they’re composed this way, down comforters need regular “fluffing” to keep the feathers evenly distributed. We suggest making your bed each morning, and adding one extra step: hold your comforter at one end and shake with the same motion as you would a rug you’re cleaning. This will allow the down feathers to redistribute and settle more evenly than if they were left to their own devices.
Another step to add to your comforter maintenance for maximum fluffiness is to regularly wash the cover you use; more than anything, this will encourage you to re-orient your comforter, give it a little room to breathe and resettle as good as new.
One of our favorite fluffing suggestions is also the most luxurious during the winter months. Put your comforter in the dryer on low (or no) heat with something else to weigh it down and encourage the redistribution of feathers. Tennis balls in a clean sock or two dryer balls will help immensely. When you take it out, it’ll be warm, snuggly, and, like a puppy, as fluffy as it was the day you brought it home.
To keep your comforter as good as new, you’ll want to keep it clean. In most cases, we suggest having your comforter dry cleaned; this is the safest, surest way of getting it unsullied without risking damage. However, if you must clean it at home, we suggest, as you’ll read in our FAQ section, “putting it inside a duvet cover and washing the cover as needed. If you absolutely must clean your down comforter we do not recommend cleaning it more than once every few years.”
