“Can I Wash a Down Comforter in the Washing Machine?” has been asked thousands of times. It’s a very good question, deserving a very good answer, and the answer is generally no.

Now….IF you KNOW for a FACT that it’s cool to wash your comforter in the washer….as in you read the laundering instructions on that comforter…then you will be okay in doing this if your washer can handle it. If you have any doubts…why take a chance of either ruining your comforter OR your washer…? Be on the safe side and just take it to your local dry cleaner.

Why are there always questions and even arguments about this subject..?

First of all, down is a form of feather. It’s the fluffy feathers near the body of a bird, usually a goose when speaking of the down in comforters.

The weight of your comforter made of down is not light; you now this from picking up your dry folded comforter. Now, imagine adding water. The comforter may become extremely heavy.

Home washing machines are made to handle 12 to 15 pounds of dry laundry. Your down comforter probably weighs near this dry! Once you add water, which the down feathers absorb quickly, you have a comforter that is extremely heavy – probably somewhere near 75 pounds or more if it is a California king size. When your washing machine tries to move the comforter around in the machine when wet, it is incapable of doing so.

This would result in a less than thorough wash. But that’s not the worst part: your washing machine’s drive bearing and transmission, when attempting to spin dry a soaking wet down comforter will break, leaving you with a big wet mess!

The second reason not to use your washing machine at home for cleaning a down comforter is the fact that feathers, when wet, tend to mat together. The result of using the home washing machine to launder the down comforter would be a lumpy mess instead of a nice fluffy comforter you paid so dearly for.

When cleaning any type of bedding, whether sheets, comforter, or other bedding, it is crucial to read the label instructions. The care instructions are tested by the manufacturer and were found to be the right methods of maintaining a down comforter or other bedding in like-new condition for the longest period of time possible.

It’s almost certain that the label on your down comforter will say ‘dry clean only’ even if machine washable were listed, the comforter would still require a larger, more heavy-duty machine that any washing machine you would have at home.

Spend the extra money and have your down items, comforter included, cared for according to label directions. Not only will your down comforter and other down items last longer but you’ll save yourself the cost of a major washing machine repair or replacement.