Duvet hygiene plays a critical role in care home infection control. However, many care homes still underestimate the risks that poor duvet washing practices create. While sheets and pillowcases often receive close attention, duvets frequently slip through the cracks. As a result, avoidable mistakes continue to undermine hygiene standards, damage laundry equipment, and increase inspection risk.
Fortunately, care homes can correct these issues with better processes, clearer responsibilities, and more suitable bedding choices. Below, we break down the most common duvet washing mistakes care homes make and explain how to avoid them effectively.
Treating Duvets Like Standard Bed Linen
One of the most common duvet washing mistakes care homes make involves treating duvets exactly like sheets or pillowcases. While this approach feels convenient, it causes serious problems.
Duvets hold significantly more bulk, weight, and moisture than standard linen. Consequently, incorrect wash cycles often fail to clean them thoroughly. Even worse, poor washing techniques trap moisture inside the filling, which encourages bacterial growth and unpleasant odours.
Instead, care homes should follow clear duvet-specific procedures. For example, staff should assess tog rating, filling type, and machine capacity before starting any wash. In addition, homes should refer to established guidance on correct duvet handling, such as our detailed overview of proper duvet washing procedures in care homes.
Overloading Washing Machines
Another frequent issue involves machine overloading. Staff often attempt to wash large duvets in machines designed for lighter loads. Although this shortcut saves time in the short term, it leads to poor wash results and increased equipment wear.
When a duvet fills most of the drum, water and detergent cannot circulate properly. As a result, soil remains trapped inside the filling. Over time, this mistake leads to hygiene failures and premature machine breakdowns.
To avoid this problem, care homes should match duvet size and weight to machine capacity. When in doubt, staff should wash duvets individually or use commercial-grade machines designed for bulky items. Equally important, homes should review whether their current bedding choices suit their laundry setup. Switching to purpose-designed options, such as machine washable bedding for care homes, often reduces these risks.
Washing at the Wrong Temperature
Temperature errors rank among the most damaging duvet washing mistakes care homes encounter. Some teams wash duvets at low temperatures to protect fabrics. Others use excessively high temperatures in an attempt to guarantee hygiene. Unfortunately, both approaches cause problems.
Low temperatures fail to remove bacteria effectively, especially in care environments. Meanwhile, excessive heat damages fillings, causes clumping, and shortens duvet lifespan.
Instead, care homes should match wash temperatures to duvet materials while still meeting infection control expectations. Synthetic duvets usually tolerate higher temperatures and suit care environments better. Feather and down options require more careful handling and often fail to meet operational demands. Choosing the right duvet from the outset dramatically reduces temperature-related mistakes. Our guide to choosing the right care home linen explains how material selection impacts laundry performance.
Ignoring Contaminated Laundry Protocols
Care homes frequently underestimate how contamination affects duvet washing. When duvets come into contact with bodily fluids, standard wash cycles no longer suffice. However, many homes still process contaminated duvets alongside routine laundry.
This approach creates serious infection control risks. Cross-contamination spreads easily when staff skip segregation or rush laundry handling.
To prevent this mistake, care homes should clearly define what constitutes contaminated laundry and train staff accordingly. In addition, homes should enforce separate handling, storage, and wash processes for contaminated duvets. Clear signage and written procedures help reinforce correct behaviour during busy shifts.
Using Unsuitable Detergents
Detergent choice often receives little attention, yet it significantly affects duvet hygiene. Standard domestic detergents frequently fail to clean bulky bedding properly. At the same time, overly aggressive chemicals damage fibres and reduce duvet lifespan.
Care homes should instead use detergents formulated for healthcare or commercial laundry environments. These products balance effective cleaning with fabric care. Furthermore, correct dosing matters just as much as detergent selection. Overdosing leaves residues behind, while underdosing reduces cleaning effectiveness.
Where possible, homes should align detergent choice with bedding design. Many suppliers now offer machine-washable duvets designed specifically for frequent care-home laundering. For example, commercial-grade machine washable bedding options help reduce detergent-related risks while supporting hygiene goals.
Failing to Dry Duvets Thoroughly
Even when washing goes well, drying mistakes still undermine hygiene. Duvets retain moisture deep within their filling, which makes incomplete drying a major risk.
When care homes rush drying cycles or overload dryers, duvets often feel dry on the surface but remain damp inside. As a result, bacteria and mould thrive, and odours develop quickly.
To avoid this issue, staff should dry duvets fully before reuse or storage. Additionally, teams should check internal dryness, not just surface feel. Where drying capacity remains limited, care homes should reassess duvet size, filling type, or bedding strategy altogether.
Storing Duvets Incorrectly After Washing
Storage mistakes often undo otherwise good laundry work. Some care homes place freshly cleaned duvets into cramped cupboards or poorly ventilated areas. Others stack duvets while still warm, trapping moisture inside.
Over time, these habits lead to musty smells and hygiene failures. Therefore, care homes should store duvets in clean, dry, well-ventilated areas. Staff should also allow duvets to cool fully before stacking or covering them.
Clear storage protocols reduce re-contamination risks and extend duvet lifespan significantly.
Washing Duvets Too Infrequently
Another common duvet washing mistake care homes make involves washing frequency. Some homes rely on visible soiling alone, which ignores invisible contamination. Others delay washing due to capacity pressures or staffing shortages.
However, duvets accumulate sweat, skin cells, and microorganisms even when they appear clean. Consequently, infrequent washing undermines infection control efforts and increases inspection risk.
Care homes should set clear duvet washing schedules based on risk, resident needs, and bedding type. Consistency matters more than convenience. In addition, selecting duvets designed for frequent washing helps teams maintain these schedules without increasing workload.
Choosing the Wrong Duvets in the First Place
Many duvet washing mistakes begin long before laundry staff get involved. When care homes choose domestic-grade duvets, they introduce unnecessary challenges into their laundry process.
Domestic duvets often fail under frequent washing, high temperatures, and commercial detergents. Over time, they lose shape, trap moisture, and increase infection risks.
By contrast, care-home-appropriate duvets support safe laundering, dry more efficiently, and maintain performance across repeated cycles. As a result, selecting the right duvet reduces nearly every other mistake discussed in this article.
How Care Homes Can Avoid These Mistakes
Avoiding duvet washing mistakes care homes face does not require radical change. Instead, small, consistent improvements deliver meaningful results. Care homes should:
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Match duvets to machine capacity
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Follow duvet-specific wash and dry processes
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Use appropriate detergents and temperatures
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Segregate contaminated laundry correctly
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Store duvets in dry, ventilated conditions
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Choose machine-washable bedding designed for care environments
Most importantly, teams should view duvet washing as part of infection control, not just housekeeping.
Final Thoughts
Duvet hygiene directly affects resident safety, staff workload, and inspection outcomes. When care homes overlook duvet washing mistakes, problems build quietly until audits, odours, or infections force action. However, when homes address these risks proactively, they create safer environments and more efficient laundry operations.
By understanding where duvet washing commonly goes wrong and taking practical steps to correct those issues, care homes can protect residents, support staff, and maintain compliance with confidence.
If you need support with your laundry processes, chemicals, or equipment set up, complete the form below to enlist our support!
Duvet Washing Mistakes FAQs
What is the biggest duvet washing mistake care homes make?
The most common mistake involves overloading washing machines with large duvets. When staff overload machines, water and detergent cannot circulate properly. As a result, duvets do not clean or rinse thoroughly, which compromises hygiene and shortens duvet lifespan.
Should care homes wash duvets at 40°C or 60°C?
Care homes should always follow manufacturer guidance. However, many care environments favour synthetic duvets because they tolerate higher temperatures. In contrast, washing duvets at temperatures that are too low often fails to meet infection control expectations.
Can a duvet be too heavy for a washing machine?
Yes. When a wet duvet exceeds the machine’s load capacity, it strains the drum, bearings, and motor. Over time, this mistake increases breakdowns and leads to poor wash results. Care homes should always match duvet size and tog rating to machine capacity.
What happens if duvets are not dried properly?
Poor drying traps moisture inside the duvet filling. Consequently, bacteria and mould can develop even after a successful wash. Care homes should always confirm that duvets feel dry throughout, not just on the surface, before reuse or storage.
Are domestic duvets suitable for care homes?
Domestic duvets often struggle with frequent washing, higher temperatures, and commercial detergents. As a result, they break down faster and increase laundry risks. Care homes usually benefit from duvets designed specifically for repeated commercial laundering.
How should care homes handle contaminated duvets?
Care homes should treat contaminated duvets separately from routine laundry. Staff should follow clear segregation, handling, and wash procedures to prevent cross-contamination. Clear protocols and training reduce errors during busy shifts.
Why do duvets smell even after washing?
Lingering odours usually indicate incomplete washing or drying. Overloaded machines, low temperatures, and rushed drying cycles all contribute to this problem. Correct loading and full drying eliminate most odour issues.
Can incorrect detergent use affect duvet hygiene?
Yes. Using the wrong detergent or incorrect dosing reduces cleaning effectiveness and leaves residues behind. Care homes should use detergents suited to commercial laundry and bulky bedding to achieve consistent hygiene results.
How can care homes reduce duvet washing problems long term?
Care homes reduce duvet washing issues by choosing machine-washable bedding, matching duvets to equipment capacity, and training staff on duvet-specific laundry procedures. Over time, these steps improve hygiene outcomes and reduce operational strain.
