How to wash a down comforter (because it’s probably time)

This story first appeared on Food52, an online community that gives you everything you need for a happier kitchen and home – that means tested recipes, a shop full of beautiful products, a cooking hotline, and everything in between! A quick note: We don't recommend putting your down comforter into a dryer, so if you don't have a spare one tucked away, we suggest washing it first thing in the morning to leave enough time for it to dry before you hit the sack. You'll need: Gentle laundry detergent Access to a commercial washing machine Tennis or wool laundry balls Space to air-dry your comforter Just to be clear, a comforter is a heavier blanket, typically stuffed with goose or duck feathers or shredded foam housed in some combination of a cotton-nylon-poly blend. Most front-loading machines aren't going to be big enough to properly clean a down comforter that's any bigger than twin-sized, according to the cleaning company Grove. Chose a warm water temperature In a large machine, your comforter is going to have room to move around and get thoroughly cleaned, but the settings on that machine are just as important.