What is a Duvet?

The word 'Duvet' is French for down, as in down from birds.  Very simply stated, a duvet is a fabric encasement filled with natural or synthetic fillers.  They differ from comforters in that their shell is usually white with no decorative features. It is important to do your research when purchasing a duvet.  They come in many weights, sizes, fills, and can be purchased for all seasons, winter, and summer.

Duvets are usually  enclosed in "duvet covers" for ease of cleaning.  Because duvet covers can be laundered like sheets and pillowcases they prolong the life of duvets, as water would ruin the the filler if it were down. Duvet cover sets come in many colors, styles, and price ranges. The covers are made with buttons, zippers or ties at the top to keep the cover secure.  Duvet cover sets usually do not include the duvets themselves and must be purchased separately, but often they will include shams, bedskirts, and on occasion, matching sheet sets.

Tips on caring for your Duvet:

When a decision is made to buy a duvet set, following the care instructions are very important.  Here are a few more helpful points to remember:

Duvet Covers:

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.  Check the care tag on your duvet cover for proper laundering methods.  Some are machine washable, while some need to be dry cleaned.

The Duvet:

If you are attempting to launder your duvet, 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 and 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.

Spot Treatment:

If a small section of your duvet gets dirty, spot wash only the immediate area (this is helpful if used for children's bedding). Always use mild soaps. Rinse completely, leave no residue.