The word «plaid» is involuntarily associated with coziness and comfort. This is both an item that enlivens and decorates the interior, and a faithful warm friend that warms in the cool. Like any other item, a blanket, especially a textile one, tends to get dirty over time. And even if it is not always noticeable, it is worth washing it at least once a quarter, otherwise dust will accumulate in it, and pathogenic microorganisms can also start. How to do it?

Can the blanket be washed in the washing machine?

The best way out is machine wash, but this is not feasible with every type of blanket. After all, the material of manufacture can be different:

• acrylic,
• cashmere,
• fur,
• fleece,
• cotton,
• wool.

So, «machine intervention» is able to survive not every «plaid» product. To suggest what to do in this particular case, the signs are called — symbols on the label of the thing indicating recommendations that should be carefully studied.

• Machine wash is allowed by the «picture» with a basin filled with water.
• If such an image is crossed out crosswise, you need to choose another method.
• The numbers on the container are the recommended temperature.
• The image of a hand in a basin indicates hand washing.
• The sign in the form of a circle informs about dry cleaning.

On a note! «Delicate» blankets made of cashmere, silk or wool can also be washed in the machine if it has a special mode called «hand wash» or «gentle / delicate».

How to wash a blanket in a washing machine? The main thing is to follow a simple rule: the softer the fabric from which the blanket is made, the more gentle the washing should be.

What should be the temperature of the water when washing the product

The ideal temperature for most blankets is 30 degrees. But, again, each species has its own “preferences”.

So, acrylic blankets are quite unpretentious when washing, but it is better to do it at a temperature not exceeding 40^about. The same mode is suitable for fur blankets. Polyester products can be allowed to «bathe» at 60 degrees.

Features of washing different bedspreads

fleece

A synthetic product, which is a fleece blanket, dictates its own washing rules. He is categorically contraindicated in detergents containing chlorine. A mild washing gel is recommended for washing delicate fabrics.

A heavily soiled “blanket” should be soaked for half an hour in a warm solution of a weak concentration of detergent before being loaded into the machine. Often this is enough. The water temperature should not be higher than 35 degrees.

Fleece blankets are more suitable for hand washing. When choosing a machine, you should use the most gentle mode and add air conditioning when rinsing. It is not recommended to wring out such a product after any type of washing. Putting the blanket on the grate, allow the water to drain.

Important! The rules for drying blankets are the same for almost all types. They are laid out on a horizontal plane, protected from direct sunlight and away from heating appliances, carefully straightening all creases and folds.

Plush

Before you put the plush blanket in the wash, you need to shake it out well to remove all the small specks from the pile. Detergents are recommended liquid or gel-like consistency.

Before loading into the machine, the blanket should be rolled into a loose roll so that the pile is inside, then the piles after the procedure will retain their uniformity and direction.

In no case should you wring out in a centrifuge, and even more so, unscrew the plush cloth in order to avoid deformation. Let the water drain naturally, and then the blanket can be wrapped in terry or heavy cotton to absorb any remaining moisture. In a completely dried product, gently straighten the pile with a soft brush.

Woolen

In this case, it is necessary to wash the blanket in slightly warm water. As a detergent, it is recommended to use hair shampoo, which perfectly softens woolen threads, or special liquid detergents.

It is impossible to rub a woolen blanket; it is more expedient to use special non-aggressive stain removers to remove stains.

It is better to wash a wool blanket by hand, but if the brand of the machine allows you to set the washing mode to the most delicate and gentle plus gentle rinsing, then you can apply this method.

Plaid «grass»

The weed blanket can also be washed in the washing machine on the recommended gentle cycles and 30-degree water temperature. A reliable option would be to pack the product in a special bag, then you can avoid unpleasant surprises.

It is better to wash with a liquid detergent: it is easier to wash it out of long “herbs”. For cleaning stains, it is strictly forbidden to use stain removers with chlorine in the base. They can ruin both the color of the blanket and its structure.

Spinning is also not recommended, otherwise the pile will lose its fluffiness, and the plaid itself, stretched, will lose its shape.

How to dry a blanket after washing

The blanket will remain just as cozy and fluffy after washing, if it is also dried properly.

It is contraindicated for these products to dry on the usual clothesline in order to avoid warping, stretching, deformation. Only horizontal drying is suitable.

• The product is laid out on a fabric that absorbs moisture well. Large terry towels work well.
• After some time, you should replace the wet towel with a dry one, and turn the cover over to the other side. This will have to be done more than once until the blanket is completely dry.
• The room where the blanket dries should be well ventilated, not damp and not cold.

And you should also remember a few immutable rules from the series «You can not» dry:

• in the washer, using the drying mode;
• in a place brightly lit by the sun;
• in close proximity to heating appliances, and even more so — on batteries;
• with a hair dryer;
• roll up and fold the still damp blanket.

Clotheslines have already been mentioned.

Other ways to wash a blanket at home

Handwash

Blankets made of different materials also have their own hand-washing features. Washing a fleece blanket is recommended in warm water (about 35^about) laundry soap. If there are no stains on the product, it is enough to soak it for 10 minutes and then rinse well. Semi-woolen products are washed in the same way.

Faux plush bedspreads are washed in warm water with the addition of a delicate washing liquid. The blanket is soaked in the bath for about half an hour. Then the first water is drained without taking out the blanket, and a concentrated soap solution is added to the container. The plaid is carefully, without sudden movements, crumpled in this solution. No less careful rinsing takes place in several stages, with repeated changes of water of the same temperature.

Important! Natural wool bedspreads do not like «bathing». It’s best to take them to the dry cleaners.

For a “grass” blanket, barely warm or even cold water is suitable, in which the product is soaked. Particularly contaminated places are carefully, without using force, so as not to deprive the blanket of fluffiness, washed with soapy water, completing the process by thoroughly rinsing.

Dry home cleaning

If it is not possible to wash the blanket, you can use the dry wash method, which consists of several steps.

• The blanket must be thoroughly shaken out to remove small specks and dust.
• Clean places with stains and dirt, using special products from the category of household chemicals. Some stains, in particular from grease, can be cleaned with an ammonia solution.
• In conclusion, ventilate the blanket in the fresh air so that extraneous odors go away and the fabric is saturated with oxygen.

Care instructions

Caring for blankets made of different materials by and large consists in proper washing and drying. Many points regarding temperature, washing modes and detergents are covered above.

But something should be mentioned.

• It is more convenient to roll up large and voluminous blankets for washing in a typewriter.
• The use of fabric softener is recommended, which will give the blanket / bedspread more softness and pleasantness.
• For some types of fabrics, the spin mode may be used. What mode to do it? You should not set high speeds. Fairly average. A slightly damp blanket can be dried, but it will remain soft and not deform.

Favorite cozy home furnishings will serve for a long time and regularly, please the eye with bright colors, if you take care of them constantly and, most importantly, correctly.