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Very simply stated: a duvet is a fabric bag filled with feathers, down, or artificial stuffing. The word 'Duvet' is French for down, as in down from birds. Similar to comforters, duvets are only different in that they have removable, washable covers. Because Duvet covers can be laundered like sheets or pillowcases, they prolong the life of comforters as water would ruin the stuffing. Duvet covers come in many colors, styles, and price ranges. They are made with buttons, zips or ties at the top to keep the cover secure.
Tips on caring for your Duvet:
When a decision is made to buy a duvet set, following the care instructions is very important. Here are a few points to remember in case the care instructions are incomplete:
The Duvet Cover:
A duvet cover is a wonderful way to keep the duvet inside fresh and clean! Experts suggest that a duvet cover should be cleaned every two months or three months, this is to ensure that the duvet remains free of dust mites or worse.
The Duvet:
After laundering, hang the duvet in the open air sunshine to dry. If you use a dryer, use AIR FLUFF ONLY and adjust the duvet from time to time so that the wet areas are exposed, then place the duvet into the dryer for another cycle. Never machine dry the duvet cover completely, but remove it when damp and hang it out to air dry for at least 24 hours, as an excess of heating might damage the down cluster resulting in a loss of insulating properties. It is essential not to leave any residue (soap) in the down duvet and to ensure that both the fabric and down is totally dry in order to avoid mildew. Extra large duvets may need be professionally washed or dry cleaned. If the duvet cover is cleaned regularly, duvets need only to be laundered every 2 to 3 years.
Some reshaping and re-fluffing is important to do with Duvets. An easy way to do this is to simply hang the duvet in the open air for a couple of hours, this enables the duvet to "even itself out". Duvet covers will also need to be re-shaped from time to time, this can be done by completely removing the cover and shaking it thoroughly. Industry experts recommend shaking and fluffing a duvet every morning in order to remove lint and dust. *When putting a duvet in storage, place the duvet in a breathable cover in order to allow any trapped moisture to dry.
Small spots:
* If a small part gets dirty, spot wash only the immediate area
* Always use mild soaps
* Rinse completely, leave no residue
About Comforters:
The #1 bedding in many family homes are comforters. These can range in price from the very high end to lowest quality. Taking the time to choose the right comforter will add touch of fineness to your bedroom and enhance the decor in whole house. Simply stated: A bed comforter is nothing more than a bag covering placed on the top of the bed. By and large in this day and age the comforter can be filled with either down or artificial fabric. Typically comforters are not large enough to cover the shams or box spring, but are used more as a 'final decorative touch' to the of bed. Because of the nature of bed comforters in that they do not provide excessive warmth, they are often used along with wool blankets or throws.
Fill power is a term that is used often, in the bedding world. This basically talks about the quality of a comforter. The higher the fill power the more superior the quality and the better chance that your comforter will last longer. 650 - 750 is average to good quality, anything 800 or above is considered top shelf. Thread count is also used when measuring the material quality of a comforter. Most often this method is used for sheets and simply refers to the number of threads that are in one square inch of fabric. Naturally, the higher the thread count, the better quality the comforter.
There are basically two types of comforters, down comforters and feather comforters. Down is often considered the best natural insulation material. Because it is made up of fluffy clusters of feathers. In a down comforter, small air pockets expand when in contact with body heat. The other option; feather comforters, are also very soft and comfortable and are great at trapping heat. However, people with allergic reactions should avoid these.Proper care of your comforter will maintain its nice look and feel for many years.