Should I Dry Clean The Bedspread? 

Having a clean home is the dream of every homeowner. The bed linen in your house is one of the items that get used the most, perhaps more than the clothes we wear. They are also cleaned the most, as they get dirty easily. 

Bed linen, that is, bedspreads, bedsheets, pillowcases, quilts and blankets, require periodic cleaning. Clean bed linen not only looks beautiful, but it also keeps you free from dust mites and germs. This brings us to the question, ‘Should I dry clean the bed linen?’

In many homes, the bedspreads are different from the bed sheets that we use. The bed sheets are the comfortable, lightweight cotton sheets you like to sleep on, while bedspreads could be made of a fabric of higher thread counts. 

While bed sheets of 200-400TC can be regularly washed at home, bedspreads would be more difficult to maintain only through washing. Since bedspreads are thicker and heavier than bed sheets, they get heavy when washing, and could take a long time to dry. Therefore, it is a better option to dry-clean the bedspread. 

Usually, the bedspread adorns the bed during the day so that the bed sheets do not get dirty. They protect the bed sheets from dust, spills and other everyday problems. The bedspread is not just a protective layer above your bed sheet. It also serves as an ornamental piece and sometimes doubles as a comforter, especially during the day. The bedspreads are usually printed or patterned, making the room come alive. They add colour, verve and vibrance to the bedroom.

Here are some benefits of sending your bedspreads to the dry cleaners. 

1. Improves the life of your bedspreads

Bedspreads are usually of a higher thread count. This means that they are durable. They are also heavier than bed sheets. Dry cleaning is a process that does not wring out the fabric like a regular washing machine does. 

Moreover, when you wash your bed linens, the spin cycle could be detrimental to the fabric as it could stretch it out too often. If you use a separate dryer, the hot air or multiple spins could also wear out the fabric. 

When you take all these factors into account, dry-cleaning is a better way to ensure that your bedspreads retain their shape and colour for longer than when they are machine washed. Dry cleaning helps you to avoid any tears, rips or snags that could result from rigorous cleaning by hand or from multiple cycles in the washing machine. 

 2. Improves the look of bedspreads

A squeaky clean bedspread is definitely more appealing than one that has dirt and stains on it. Washing is a great way to maintain your bed linen, but the harsh detergents and chemicals that go into this cleaning could make the colours fade away easily. While organic cotton bed spreads are known for their comfort, using the wrong detergents could result in sheets that look worn out. 

Dry cleaning is a great way to ensure this does not happen. When you dry clean your bedspread, it does not come in contact with harsh detergents or chemicals, making it look clean and sparkly, as opposed to multiple washes. Another advantage is that after dry cleaning your bedspread, you would notice less or no wrinkles, while after washing, the bedspread could have numerous wrinkles owing to the spin cycle or wringing by hand. 

Another reason that your bedspread begins to look out of place is when there is shrinkage. Invariably, the wash cycle that you subject your bedspread to results in shrinkage of the fabric or sometimes even a change in shape. This could mean that your bedspread does not fall evenly around the edges of your bed. 

 3. Protect colours and patterns

When you choose a bedspread that is environmentally sustainable and made of organic cotton, you must remember that the dyes and prints on the bedspreads are also made using natural ingredients. 

This means that the prints could fade when they are constantly subjected to harsh chemicals and multiple washes and tumble-dries. Another factor is the temperature that you use for drying or even if you use warm or hot water for washing. Therefore, every time you wash your bedspread using water of a higher temperature than it is made for or dry it out in the sun for days together, the colours on the bedspread could fade.

When you choose to dry clean the bedspread, this issue does not arise, as the dry cleaner uses the right temperature and the best method to clean the bed linen. 

 4. Makes your bedspreads cleaner

Bedspreads are used throughout the day if they are used as protective covers for bed sheets. At the same time, some households like to use bedspreads as the only covering for their bed.

In either case, bedspreads contain dust, dust mites, dead skin cells, oil and sweat from the human body, fluff from pets, food particles from forays into the kitchen while working, sleeping or movie bingeing on the bed, and so on. The bedspread, in short, is quite full of microbes and allergens. When you throw your bedspread into the washing machine for a quick clean-up, there are chances that these dust particles and other irritants may not be washed away thoroughly. 

However, at the dry cleaners, there are many different types of cleaning solvents that ensure that every foreign particle that is on the bedspread is eliminated to give you a bedspread that is as clean as you would expect it to be. With more and more advancements in this area, bedspreads are also regularly sanitized so that every family can sleep peacefully after their bed linen comes back from the dry cleaners.

 5. Increases durability of your appliances

Most home appliances, such as washing machines and dryers, do not come with the same capacity for loads as industrial ones do. These appliances are meant for home use, that is, to clean everyday items such as clothing, bed sheets and other pieces of cloth that we use around the house, like towels and such. A bedspread could prove to be too heavy a load, especially after it has been soaked in water.

This results in two issues-

1. The appliance is too small to give your bed spread a thorough cleaning. The bedspread could get too bundled up inside the washing machine, making it difficult to clean some spots while the others are cleaned more times than necessary.

2. You could damage your appliance because of the heavy load. The drum of the washing machine could get damaged easily when you use a heavy bedspread or a comforter and run multiple cycles to clean it properly. In the same way, a washing machine made for domestic use would have a motor and internal mechanisms that would work only for certain weights, as indicated in the user’s manual. Using the same to wash a bedspread might lead to repairs in the motor or internal mechanism.

The dry cleaners usually have industrial-grade washers and dryers that would take care of both of these problems. They would ensure that your bedspreads are clean while helping you maintain your home appliances by literally taking the load.

6. Makes cleaning quicker

Dry cleaning is a method of cleaning by using a solvent instead of water. This process makes cleaning quicker because the solvent is able to penetrate the fibers of the fabric more effectively than water and detergent can. This results in more thorough and efficient removal of dirt, stains, and other contaminants.

Additionally, dry cleaning avoids the need to wait for the bedspread to dry after washing, which can take several hours or even a full day. Instead, the bedspread is usually ready to use within a few hours of being cleaned, making the process much quicker overall.

Furthermore, dry-cleaning can be more gentle on delicate fabrics, helping to extend their lifespan. This is because the process uses a gentler cleaning solution that is less likely to cause damage or shrinkage, compared to washing in water. Overall, dry cleaning bedspreads makes cleaning quicker.

Therefore, dry-cleaning your bedspreads could be a great way to ensure the longevity, comfort and look of your bedspread, if you do not have the right appliances or the time to clean at home