Sweet Dreams: How To Wash Your Doona At Home

When did you last wash your doona? If your answer is, “I can’t remember”, you probably won’t like this next bit much: an unwashed doona can host an extremely unhygienic brew of bedmates including dust mites, allergens and sweat, making regular cleaning essential.

“Bedding is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and other types of germs due to the warm, moist environment. So ideally, you should wash your doona every three months or at the least, twice a year,” says health and wellness expert Dr Vincent Candrawinata.

Ready for the good news? The latest laundry appliances can restore your dirty doona to a perfect clean without a costly trip to the drycleaner! Think big-drum washing machine models with savvy programs to take great care of your quilt, and dryers to get your precious sleep pal dry again before lights out.

Here’s what you need to know about washing your doona at home – and the best machines for the job.

The Best Washing Machine For Your Doona

Whether you prefer a top loader or front loader washing machine, you’ll need a decently sized drum to comfortably fit your doona and the amount of water required, plus a dose of your favourite detergent. From king-sized quilts to the kids’ single-bed covers, large washing machines can handle it all.

“If you’re upgrading your machine and are keen to clean doonas, couch covers or curtains, a larger-capacity washing machine is a smart investment that will pay off over and over again. Not only will you be saving serious money by not having these essential items professionally cleaned, but you can also save time, water and energy on regular laundry days by washing more items at once,” says Peter Simic, The Good Guys Buyer – Refrigeration and Laundry.

Here’s how to choose the right drum size for your doona.

“Bedding is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and other types of germs due to the warm, moist environment. So ideally, you should wash your doona once every three months or at the least, twice a year.”

Which Size Washing Machine Is Right For You?

A 9-10kg washing machine will hold the main bedroom’s king doona, while a washer with an 8kg capacity can fit the guest bedroom’s queen doona with ease. When it’s time to wash the kids’ doonas, you’ll ideally need a minimum 7-8kg capacity for a double bed doona, or a 6kg capacity for a single doona. Got a super king doona on your hands? You’ll be wanting a no-nonsense 12-14kg drum to safely handle its wet weight.

Shop Big-Capacity Washing Machines

Solt 12kg Top Load WasherMiele 9kg Front Load WasherLG 14kg Front Load Washer

The Best Washing Machine Features For Washing Your Doona

“If you want to launder your doona at home, look for a washing machine with a bulk or heavy cycle, or even better, a brand with a dedicated duvet program, such as LG. All their washing machines have a pre-set duvet cycle just for the job,” says Peter Simic. “For wool doonas, you’ll want a dedicated wool program that won't stretch or shrink those delicate fibres.”

A delay wash feature is also ideal for busy households. “This means your doona won’t sit sopping wet in the machine all day – your wash can be perfectly timed to be ready to unload into the dryer or hang out when you’re back home,” says Peter.

Shop Feature-Packed Washing Machines

Miele 9kg Front Load WasherLG 10kg Front Load WasherFisher & Paykel 10kg Front Load Washer

How To Wash Your Doona

Now, let’s get that doona washed and back on the bed! Here’s what you need to know.

The Best Wash Cycle For Your Type Of Doona

Doonas come in wool, cotton, synthetic, feather and down types. Always check the care label first to ensure your doona is machine-fit, then send it to TLC town with your machine’s delicate washing program, which uses low temperatures and slow spin speeds to offer a gentle wash. 

Synthetic and wool doonas often require a cool wash, but feather doonas can handle the heat. (A handy hack to stop a feather doona clumping during the wash is to pop two tennis balls into the drum!)

How To Dry Your Doona

Now your doona is clean as a whistle! You can either air-dry or machine-dry it.

The most efficient way to air-dry a doona is to hang it evenly across three clothes lines or lay it flat on the ground in a sunny spot. Allow 24 hours for your doona to dry completely, depending on your quilt type and the weather. Or speed things up with a dryer! Your dryer should have the drum size to happily house your doona, plus a little extra.

“If you’re upgrading your laundry set-up, look for a dryer with a slightly larger capacity as your washing machine. That way, your doona (and regular laundry loads) can go straight from one appliance to the other without having to set aside any items,” says Peter Simic.

Always opt for the gentle drying program to avoid shrinkage, or upgrade to a heat pump dryer for extra loving care. Heat pump tech recycles and reheats air to save energy and keep temperatures consistent. And because air is recirculated, your laundry won’t become a sauna on doona washing day. Win-win!

Got a doona in desperate need of a clean? Ditch the dry-cleaning costs and do it from home with the latest washing machines and dryers. Visit The Good Guys in-store or online to upgrade your laundry!