Drying a Comforter in the Dryer

Care Instructions

• Not all comforters can be washed and dried in home appliances. Some comforters are made from materials that last longest when they are dry cleaned. Before washing and drying your comforter, check the tag and see what the care instructions recommend. If you don't follow these instructions, you could damage the comforter or cause it to develop unpleasant odors. For example, some comforters should be hung up to dry rather than going through a heated dry cycle.

Dryer Size

• Before washing your comforter, check to make sure it fits in your washer and dryer. Your dryer should not be more than 2/3 of the way full to leave room for it to tumble and be thoroughly dried. If you have a heavy queen or king-sized comforter, it might not fit in your dryer at home. In this case, rather than paying to have it dry cleaned, just take it to the laundromat -- they usually have a few extra-large machines designed for washing and drying large items, such as comforters. If the comforter fits in your washer but not your dryer, just put the wet comforter in a laundry basket and drive it to the laundromat to dry it.

Dryer Settings

• Use a low temperature to dry your comforter. A high temperature could damage the fabric or the filling, even potentially melting some synthetic fabrics or fillings. The temperature setting might read "delicate" or "low" depending on your dryer. You will need to dry the comforter at least an hour, maybe closer to two or three, depending on how large it is.

Procedure

• Put a few clean tennis balls or store-bought dryer balls in with your comforter to help fluff it throughout the drying process. Attend to your comforter regularly as you dry it. The comforter can get bunched up in itself, so every 15 minutes, open the dryer and untangle any parts of the comforter that seem wetter than the others from being trapped in the middle of the wet comforter. Continue the process until the comforter is completely dry. Residual moisture can lead to mildew problems, especially if you put your comforter in a heavy duvet cover before the comforter is completely dry.