How to wash a quilt?
Release Time:
2013-12-03 16:49
Source:
Kelaian Washing Co., Ltd.
Recently, a customer sought help, saying she had a quilt that needed cleaning because it was dirty. Before washing, she glanced at the label and got confused. The label stated: Do not wash with water, do not bleach, do not iron, do not dry clean.
Is this quilt disposable? The customer didn't know what to do. By observing, it was noticed that the filling of this quilt is 100% polyester fiber, as shown in the label picture. So, is this kind of quilt really unwashable? How should we wash quilts at home? Experts will help you figure it out.
Verification Step One: What types of filling does the quilt have?
To wash a quilt, you first need to understand what the filling inside is. Currently, quilt fillings can be roughly divided into three categories: the older style cotton quilts; synthetic fiber quilts, such as the four-hole and seven-hole cotton quilts on the market, which are polyester products; and the more popular ones recently, like silk quilts, goose down quilts, duck down quilts, camel down quilts, and cashmere quilts.
The filling in the netizen's quilt is polyester fiber. What is polyester fiber? It has a more common name in China, called "dilun" (polyester), which belongs to synthetic fibers.
Verification Step Two: How exactly should different quilts be washed?
Washing quilts is somewhat difficult because quilts are large and washing them is laborious. It is recommended to take them to a professional dry cleaner. However, because the filling varies, before washing—whether doing it yourself or sending it to a dry cleaner—you must carefully check the quilt's instructions to see what the filling is. Otherwise, improper handling could easily ruin the quilt.
Cotton Quilt: Cotton can be sun-dried but not washed.
"Absolutely cannot wash the cotton inside a cotton quilt." Old-fashioned cotton quilts usually have multiple layers including the inner quilt and cover because they cannot be washed. Due to the special nature of cotton, it cannot be washed with water or dry cleaned. Washing cotton with water causes it to lose its original warmth and clump into hard cotton lumps; dry cleaning is worse, leaving odors and shrinking the cotton into a ball. Cleaning a cotton quilt only involves washing the removable cover, while the cotton inside should be slowly sun-dried and gently beaten with a small wooden stick to fluff it up. Once the cover is dry, put it back on.
Cashmere Quilt: Can be dry cleaned but not washed with water.
Cashmere quilts are generally made from precious mountain goat cashmere and usually do not require washing. If stained and cleaning is necessary, dry cleaning must be chosen, and water washing is absolutely forbidden. Cashmere quilts are similar to cashmere sweaters; washing with water easily causes deformation and shrinkage.
Silk Quilt: Neither water washing nor dry cleaning is suitable.
Because mulberry silk quilts (silk cotton quilts) have special materials, washing methods like water washing, dry cleaning, chlorine bleaching, and ironing cannot be used to remove stains. Water washing causes silk to clump, shrink, and harden; dry cleaning is also not recommended because stains are hard to remove and it may cause secondary pollution. The correct washing method is to use a neutral detergent to wipe the stained area and then air dry naturally in a well-ventilated, shaded place.
Synthetic Fiber Quilt: Both water washing and dry cleaning are acceptable.
Synthetic fiber quilt fillings come in many types, but most can be washed directly in a washing machine. However, do not vigorously rub with detergent; only wash gently. Washed fiber quilts generally do not deform, but when drying, they must be supported and laid flat to dry completely, not hung, to avoid deformation and to prolong their lifespan. Polyester fiber quilts can be washed normally, but if the fabric has adhesive or bonding agents that dissolve in water, washing will cause separation and irreversible wrinkling of the fabric.
Down Quilt: Can be washed with water but not dry cleaned.
Down quilts are generally not recommended for washing. If necessary, hand washing with water is advised, and dry cleaning is strictly forbidden because the chemicals used in dry cleaning can affect the quilt's warmth and cause fabric aging. Some people machine wash and spin dry directly, which causes uneven filling thickness, affecting appearance and warmth. The best method is hand washing with a neutral detergent, which causes the least damage to fabric and down. Using alkaline detergents can harm the quilt if not rinsed thoroughly, leaving white marks and affecting appearance. After washing, do not wring the quilt; squeeze out water gently, lay flat or hang to dry, avoid direct sunlight, and do not iron. After drying, gently pat the quilt to restore fluffiness and softness.
Related
How to choose a quilt?
On the market, down quilts are easier to identify, mainly by the down content; synthetic fiber and cashmere quilts are also easy to recognize. The key is silk quilts, as some merchants may mix other materials like synthetic fibers into silk quilts, making them harder to identify.
How to select authentic silk quilts? It is said that the higher the mulberry silk content in the filling, the better the quality of the silk quilt. Also, silk quilts with the unique fresh fragrance of silk are premium, while those with oily or musty smells are inferior. Besides checking product labels and smelling, you can burn a small piece: silk does not continue burning when removed from flame, emits white smoke with a burnt hair smell, and the ash is brittle and easily crushed into powder. Ordinary synthetic fibers continue burning after leaving the flame, smell like burning plastic, and leave hard black bead-like residues that are difficult to crush.
Additionally, pure silk does not generate static electricity. When buying a silk quilt, rub the exposed silk filling vigorously for about a minute, then see if it can attract paper scraps or hair. If it does, it indicates the quilt is not pure silk or is mixed with synthetic fibers.
How to sun quilts?
Sun-drying quilts is common, but few people know how long is appropriate to sun them.
Regular cotton quilt: Sun-drying for three to four hours will achieve good drying results. However, excessive drying time or frequency can cause the quilt to deform due to hanging, significantly reducing its warmth retention.
Down and cashmere quilts: Do not expose them to the sun because their materials contain oils that undergo chemical changes and emit odors when sun-exposed. Additionally, down quilts should not be beaten during drying, as this can break the down into fine dust, affecting warmth.
Silk quilts: Also should not be sun-exposed. Simply place them in a ventilated area to air out for one to two hours. Sun exposure can damage the protein components in the material.
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