Autumn has arrived, but the weather doesn’t seem to notice. The days remain warm, the sun is high, and during the day it is still close to twenty degrees, indeed in some cities it even exceeds it. A perfect climate to do something that almost everyone puts off: washing the duvet. A gesture that seems banal, but which can turn into a small disaster if done at the wrong time.
Many wait for November, when the nights get cold and the heaviest blanket is pulled out, but by then it is already too late. The air is more humid, the hours of light are few and the duvet ends up staying wet for too long. What would now dry in a day, between sun and breeze, would take almost a week in November — with the risk of a damp smell or stains that never go away.
Dry autumn is the perfect window
There are few moments of the year when washing the duvet is truly simple, natural, sustainable. The current balance between daytime heat and evening coolness is one of those. The sun dries without stressing the fibres, the humidity is low and the light wind helps the fabric breath.
Whoever washes it now, hangs it out in the morning and picks it up in the evening completely dry. You don’t need a dryer, you don’t need hours of electricity or artificial deodorants to cover the damp smell. It is an apparently domestic gesture, but in reality profoundly ecological: exploiting natural conditions to save energy and make what we already have last longer.
How to wash it
Many people complicate their lives, but there’s no need. The perfect wash begins by choosing the right temperature — warm water, never hot. A neutral detergent is enough, and a glass of white vinegar when rinsing works wonders: it eliminates residues, sanitizes and leaves the fabric soft.
Those who have a synthetic duvet can easily do it in the washing machine, setting a delicate cycle and a light spin. To better distribute the filling, the old trick of clean tennis balls really works: they prevent the duvet from crumpling.
Drying is the crucial point, it’s not enough that it looks dry. It must also be so at the center, and to understand it you don’t need to touch it but weigh its lightness. If it is still heavy or there is moisture inside, lay it out outside, horizontally, and turn it several times. Two sunny days like these are more effective than any dryer.
The risk of those who wait too long
Washing the duvet when it’s cold outside means forcing it to stay wet for a long time, often indoors. Down or synthetic fill retains moisture more than you might think, and even if it feels dry to the touch, it can stay damp inside for days. It is from there that bad smells arise and, in the worst cases, the invisible mold that ruins it permanently.
Many people only notice it when, in December, they open the wardrobe and smell that typical stale smell. But at that point there is no remedy: the next wash no longer completely eliminates the problem.
How to tell if it’s really dry
The trick of the professionals is simple: don’t trust the touch, but the weight. A dry duvet weighs less than a still damp one, even if it looks perfect on the outside. When you lay it out, the wind must be able to pass through the middle, and it must be turned several times to prevent the water from stagnating in the center. It’s an operation that requires a little patience, but on days like these time works in your favor.
Cleanliness and durability: the right time makes the difference
A duvet that is washed and dried well can last more than ten years, especially if it is not washed frequently. Washing it in the right period also means protecting it from the thermal variations and humidity of winter.
Those who do it now avoid stressing the fabric, keep its softness intact and reduce the need for strong detergents or fabric softeners. It is a choice that combines practicality and common sense: bringing the wash forward by a few weeks allows you to save time, energy and money, without compromising the comfort of the cold months.
A small gesture of common sense
In a time when there is a lot of talk about energy efficiency and domestic sustainability, even a simple gesture like washing the duvet at the right time tells something about the way we live at home.
There is no need to do more, just do it at the right time. Taking advantage of a still mild October is the smartest way to enter winter without waste and without bad smells.
