Maintaining a super clean white duvet cover is no joke. We all get those accidental spins, pet hairs and many types of stains and dirt that appear randomly from strange places, like saliva in mouth.
To get stains out of your white duvet cover, separate the white duvet from other bedding, pre-treat using OxiClean by soaking the duvet overnight, perform the regular washing at normal load (temperatures below 40 degrees), and dry using non-harsh method.
It’s not a good idea harboring millions of nasty bacteria or parasites in our duvets because they pose long-term health risks.
A good reason to have a sparkling white duvet is to know when the dirt is getting out of hand in the bedroom. But despite that, we do not want to over-wash white bedding and ruin their delicate fibers.
Fortunately, experts have found better ways to clean white duvet covers. Creative and safe washing tips for bedding should leave them bright and in their original colors for several years.
What are the steps to get stains out of white duvet?
How to Get Stains Out of White Duvet Cover
1. Separate white duvets from other bedding
This sounds like commonsense but many people still ignore it until they learn the hard way.
Your red shirt that gets mixed in and soon, all the whites will be a different color. Always remember to keep whites with whites.
2. Pre-treat the duvet using OxiClean
WARNING: Never use conventional bleach such as Clorox when whitening your duvet covers. Not for stains and not for whitening.
Take a large bucket that fits the duvet and drop in OxiClean pellets. Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda. You can use as much as you want. Just measure how much you think fits for the duvet.
Top up with enough water. Dip the duvet into the bucket containing the mixture and pre-soak it overnight.
In many cases, soak the duvet in water as per the manufacturers’ guideline.
3. Perform regular washing at low temperature
After soaking for about 24 hours, you will notice the stains float out into the liquid. Proceed to perform the washing as a normal load.
For best result, use OxiClean detergent, but there is no harm in using a different type of detergent.
You only need to stay away from strong detergents since they may damage the delicate texture of your duvet.
A mild detergent optimized for white linen and cool temperatures, preferably below 40 degrees.
At this stage, you can add some half a cup of either lemon juice or baking soda. These two are known powerful whiteners.
4. Bluing
This fourth step is not always necessary, but for some people, it matters.
Liquid bluing is also a good way to counteract yellowing on white duvet covers. Many manufacturers apply some bluing in the finishing process of their white fabrics. As one continues to wash the bedding, this bluing wears off.
To restore the effect, apply liquid bluing solution mixed in cold water. Ensure you dilute the bluing solution as recommended in the brand’s bottle.
Do not use liquid bluing with bleach, fabric softener or other laundry products. Keep it strictly laundry detergent.
5. Dry using non-harsh method
The last step is drying. The least harsh method to dry the duvet cover is to do it naturally.
Use line drying as the preferred choice.
Always remember to check the original instructions in the label of your duvet cover. Not all of them are made for washing at same temperature and drying in same conditions.
There you go! You now have a squeaky clean duvet cover free from all stains.
We also found a really helpful video “How to make bed sheets white again” by Almond Summers demonstrating how to whiten your bedding at home using OxiClean. Check it out on Youtube
If it is a single stain spot on duvet
Man is bound to encounter some stain in the bedroom. Whether it is an interaction with a toddler or a pet, an accidental food spill, or some sexual fluids, stain in a duvet is almost inevitable.
Sometimes, the stain has not spread all over the duvet. It was just an accidental drop of pizza slice and now you’re worried about the next cleaning session to wash the whole bedding.
A single spot is much easier to clean. All one needs is just some basic chemistry of how stains works.
Let’s look at the simple dry cleaning home remedy that you can do so that you can avoid going back to the dry cleaning shop.
To give you a good understanding of what to do, let us understand the four types of stains.
- Organic
- Inorganic
- Oily organic
- Oily inorganic
Stains from living organism such as man or pets, grass and nuts are called organic. Grass stains, blood, and red wine are some of the common stains in this category.
Ink, solvents, machine dust, grease, and much more are stains from man-made materials and are called inorganic.
Examples of oily organic stains are sweat stains, barbeque source, cooking oils, and peanut butter stains.
Cosmetics such as lipsticks are considered oily inorganics.
Wondering where coffee and tea belong? These beverages are treated as inorganics, making them exceptions.
Protein based stains
Before undertaking this procedure, always make sure that you test the solution in an inconspicuous area of the duvet to ensure the color does not bleed.
Assume the source of your stain is the body such as sweat, blood, poop, or breast milk, here are the steps to make a whitening solution at home.
- Have a glass mixing bowl and add 2 table spoons of water.
- Onto the water, add a teaspoon of ammonia.
- Add a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide.
- Lastly, add a teaspoon of detergent.
- If there is excess stain in the spot, scrape some of it manually until no physical solid is left.
- Scoop a spoonful of the mixture and pour it over the stain.
- Take a clean towel or sponge and use it to rub the stain until it disappears.
- Perform the same procedure for the other side of the duvet if the stain seeped into the opposite side.
Should you bleach the duvet covers or not?
For most people, when white is mentioned, they immediately think bleach. What if I told you that it is the wrong approach?
While bleaching the duvet cover may certainly work, in many cases in will, the approach may not be the best at preserving the fabric.
Bleach comprises of harsher chemicals that can damage the duvet cover or white bed sheet.
Did you notice hotels bleaching in large quantities? Yes, hotels keep their bed sheets so white by bleaching them but it is important to remember one thing – they switch them out and completely replace them many times in a year. For a regular person, frequent replacement of duvet covers might prove quiet expensive.
You may be worried about damaging the duvet but hotels make money by maintaining clean, white duvet that attract clients, but that is not for the common person like me. There are not replacements on standby.
Here is how hotels do it:
- Wash duvet with a great laundry detergent.
- Perform the second washing with a softener.
- Make the final wash with no other thing but bleach.
Will the steps work for you? Yes! And it is a great duvet cleaning option but there is a trap.
For a regular home, following the three steps above should be intimidating, unless you’re a billionaire with a bunch of closets full of new duvets.
Also, bleach contains chlorine, a chemical which reacts with protein stains such as body oils, sweat, vomit, and sexual fluids to release a yellow and dingy stain.
Don’t be scared though. There is an alternative way to whiten the duvet without necessarily bleaching.
To prevent your white duvet covers from yellowing, it is recommended that you wash them every 6-8 weeks if you use them consistently. Improper use, washing, storage may result in damage and yellowing duvet.
White duvet covers get dirty really first. Without proper care, they can get yellow and become ugly and undesirable. Your bedroom might start looking like an animal cage.
When not in use, it is a good practice to store the duvet in a vacuum storage bag. This step will ensure that you have enough storage space and the duvet remains clean.