Weighted blankets may not be the greatest invention of all time. Still, they have indeed made people’s lives a thousand times easier by reducing anxiety, improving the quality of your sleep, and providing you the warmth you need to make your sleep experience a different level of cozy. But, as owners of these weighted blankets, it is inevitable for you to question how to take care of them.
Knowing how to wash a weighted blanket is an essential part of owning one. You might be tempted to throw your weighted blanket directly into your washing machine — don’t. Washing a weighted blanket is not like washing your regular throws. It is made of a different material and comes with more specific care instructions. Moreover, some weighted blankets contain glass beads or plastic poly pellets.
That being said, there is a way to clean your weighted blankets at home without posing a risk on your washing machine’s overall function. To prevent exposing your device and clothing to early wear and tear, you should follow the proper steps.
A Step by Step Guide on How to Wash a Weighted Blanket
Before you wash and dry a weighted blanket, you must first read the care tag attached to it. Failure in reading this can result in damage to your weighted blanket or any of the cleaning equipment that will be involved in the process.
Next, you must check how heavy your weighted blanket is. Any weighted blanket that is over 12 pounds must be brought to a laundromat so you can wash it in a machine that can handle heavy loads.
If you can hand wash or machine wash your weighted blanket at home, you must have laundry detergent, a stain remover, and dish soap.
Pretreatment
The term itself will already tell you what this step is. You must pretreat your weighted blanket to remove stains by using a stain remover. A mixture of a few drops of dish soap and water will close the deal if you happen to deal with grease or oil-based stains. It would be best if you gently scrubbed the stains until the appearance improves. However, if you can no longer see any stains on your weighted blanket, you can proceed to the next step.
How to Machine Wash a Weighted Blanket
The dilemma in washing a weighted blanket in either warm or cold water can be solved by considering which fabrics contribute to its heaviness. The best move will be to check for your weighted blanket’s care tag. For a cotton-based weighted blanket with poly pellets, here are the steps:
- Insert your chosen laundry detergent into the detergent
compartment of your machine. - Place your pretreated weighted blanket inside the machine.
- Start washing your weighted blanket on the gentle cycle.
- After the washing cycle, immediately remove your weighted blanket.
How to Hand Wash a Weighted Blanket
If you happen to own a weighted blanket that is not compatible with your washing machine, the best way to wash it by using your hands. It’s the oldest and most tried and true way to launder virtually anything. Follow the steps below to enjoy the benefits of handwashing:
- Fill your bathtub (or any water container) with cold or lukewarm water.
- Next, pour in your laundry detergent and make sure to distribute it evenly.
- Place your pretreated weighted blanket into the mixture of water and laundry detergent.
- Start kneading your weighted blanket using your hands.
- After several minutes of kneading, replace the water with fresh water.
- Remove the weighted blanket from the water container to drain it.
- Lastly, take some time to carefully wring any excess water out of your blanket.
Drying a Weighted Blanket
The process of drying a weighted blanket all boils down to how (and whether) it can withstand heat. First, check the care tag for any drying instructions that might be helpful. As a general rule of thumb, it is acceptable to air dry or dry weighted blankets on low heat settings.
For air-drying a weighted blanket, you can hang it over a well-ventilated structure. To ensure that your weighted blanket’s weight is evenly distributed, remember to dry it horizontally and occasionally shake or flip it.
How do you wash and dry a weighted blanket? There are plenty of methods. The choice is up to you! However, if you need professional assistance, you may always contact our Pagosa Springs, CO Dry Cleaning shop! At Kelly’s, we’ll be more than happy to help!
