topic Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please. in Home

Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Lucky Charm — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 19:59:52 GMT

I'm in the market for a new comforter.

I keep seeing duvet covers. I've never had one so I don't understand the concept.

Do they sell you a plain (white?) comforter to go inside? How do they hold the inside blanket/comforter in place?

Would buying a duvet cover work for an existing comforter in the same size?

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

CelticCrafter — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:02:01 GMT

It's a big pillow case with either buttons or velcro on it to close it.

You put your old comforter into it and as far as I know, there is nothing to hold the comforter in place. Needs to be shaken back into place in the morning if it shifts.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

lolakimono — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:03:39 GMT

@Lucky Charm

A duvet cover for a duvet is like a pillowcase cover for your pillowcase.

It goes on to protect the duvet (like mine, which is down) so that you can wash the outside more often. You can cover any duvet with a cover, the fabric cover just needs to be darker than your comforter. They can button on, tie on, zip up or close with Velcro. The cover should be the same size as the comforter/duvet.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Katluver925 — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:10:20 GMT

Some duvets have ties in the corners to secure the comforter in place. If not you can buy clips in the bed and bath shops to secure the corners. You can use your current comforter as long as the duvet is thick enough to hide the comforters color and or pattern.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

KaySD — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:11:17 GMT

Agree with the other answers. I have a couple of comforters (also called duvets or duvet inserts). One is very light for summer and the other is warm for winter. Mine have plain white cotton covers and are washable. The duvet cover protects the duvet from getitng dirty and it also replaces the top sheet. Instead of washing a top sheet, I wash the duvet cover every week.

Simplicity is the main reason I like this arrangement. First, I don't need to keep multiple layers of sheets and blankets straight--mine tend to get tangled while I sleep. I probably turn over a lot, so that's just me. Second, I like to be able to put my feet out at the bottom when I get too warm in the night. I know people who love their feet tucked in tightly, so again, that's just me. Finally, making the bed is an absolute breeze--I just pick up the edge of the duvet, give it a quick shake and it lays right down on the mattress--so no bedspread required, either.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Shelbelle — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:12:21 GMT

My interior designer told me to stay away from them ,said they never look neat, always wrinkled and not smooth...

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Carmie — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:24:21 GMT

@Shelbelle wrote:
My interior designer told me to stay away from them ,said they never look neat, always wrinkled and not smooth...

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

WhiteRussian — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:24:38 GMT

I never understood them. They make the bed look wrinkled and sloppy. I like my bed to look finished and neat. Also, I'd rather wash a whole comforter than deal with taking off and putting back on a duvet cover.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

ChynnaBlue — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:34:27 GMT

@Lucky Charm wrote:
I'm in the market for a new comforter.

I keep seeing duvet covers. I've never had one so I don't understand the concept.

(1) Do they sell you a plain (white?) comforter to go inside? (2) How do they hold the inside blanket/comforter in place?

(3)Would buying a duvet cover work for an existing comforter in the same size?

I numbered your questions. I didn't understand them either, but now I get it. A duvet cover is just a cover for any comforter, so is much cheaper than a comforter. They also take up less storage space than a comforter. This means I can get multiple looks for my bed without spending as much money or storing bulky items.

(1) and (3) - Yes. Yes you can buy a plain white comforter or you can put a duvet cover over an existing comforter. I live in a place where it's already in the 80s in February and comforter season is very, very short. I've had the same comforter for ages and buying a replacement makes no sense when mine is perfectly good but the color is all wrong. A duvet cover gives me more options.

(2) Some covers have ties inside, but there are a variety of clips and options to get the cover to stay on. My favorite option is something called a Pinion Pin. I use 6 - one in each of the 4 corners and then one in the middle of each long side. That easily keeps the comforter inside the cover.

Getting a duvet cover on can be tricky and I was too scared to try it for years. I used the California Roll/Burrito method and it was super fast and easy. Here's a video to show how it's done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRPfudNNd8Y

At the point where she aligns the 4 corners, that's when I put the pinion pins in place in the top corners. After I unroll it, I put the other 4 pins in place.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

noodleann — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:48:29 GMT

A slipcover for your comfortor sums it up. I'm sure some braintrust has done a YouTube video showing the easiest way to insert the comforter. Mine always stay put, but mine are all down-filled and have some weight.

Speaking of down, washing down-filled bedding breaks down the fibers, shortening the useful life of the comforter. You can wash a good-quality poly-filled comforter forever if the batting doesn't wad or bunch, but not so with down. A duvet is the best way to extend its life, and nothing says you can't flip a top sheet and coverlet or bedspread on top of it if you want a finished look. But I've always found that shaking out the duvet with the comforter in it plumps the down and smooths out any major wrinkles in the duvet.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Kachina624 — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 20:54:05 GMT

@Shelbelle wrote:
My interior designer told me to stay away from them ,said they never look neat, always wrinkled and not smooth...

I've had and used one (briefly) and @Shelbelle designer is absolutely correct. These things are a good idea that just doesn't work. They're hard to manage and always look like a wrinkled, rumpled mess. They always look like you tried to make the bed but ran out of time.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

shaggygirl — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 22:11:30 GMT

I use one on my queen size down comforter because it can go in the washing machine which beats dragging the comforter to the laundromat and hanging around there waiting for it to get washed and dried in the big machines. I must say though that I do have a wicked time getting it back on. A nap is required afterwards. I still use a top sheet under it so I don't have to do it that often and I have a quilt folded at the bottom of the bed so if anyone is coming and I think they're going to be going in my bedroom and I want the bed to look neat all I have to do is pull the quilt up over it.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

kaydee50 — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 23:05:44 GMT

I use one on my king size comforter because otherwise I would have to schlep to a laundromat to wash the comforter or spend a sigificant amount of money to have it cleaned. But putting the cover on is difficult and I am looking for other options for our king size bed. Any ideas for blankets that can be washed in a home washing machine???

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

AuntG — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 23:15:45 GMT

We had one in our hotel room last night. My take is they are a wrinkly mess. No doubt they are much easier to launder than a quilt or comforter, but no thanks.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Lucky Charm — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 00:06:41 GMT

Thank you all for your replies. It's been explained perfectly pros and cons.

They have some of the most beautiful prints on them. Wished they just made the whole darn comforter in the prints I see out there.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Mominohio — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 00:08:42 GMT

@Shelbelle wrote:
My interior designer told me to stay away from them ,said they never look neat, always wrinkled and not smooth...

This is one reason I have never used one as well. They look disheveled to me, when in real use. When on display in pictures or catalogs, they look better, but when used everyday, they get rumpled looking. I'm not a big fan of comforters for that same reason. Many of them get lumpy and worn looking after the first washing.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

jlkz — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 01:11:35 GMT

@Lucky Charm

One other " con " about duvet covers: if you are sensitive to having heavy weight on your feet or legs, duvets aren't the answer. It's added weight !

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

JeanLouiseFinch — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 09:49:52 GMT

@Lucky Charm A duvet is another word for a down or down alternative comforter. As others have described, think of the cover as you would a pillow case - sewn on three sides and one side open. It takes a little practice, learning how to get the duvet/comforter inside the cover. The inside corners often have fabric ties to secure the comforter and keep it from shifting, but sometimes they can loosen. On the open end of the cover, there are several buttons to close it up. That's how mine is, but it's possible that some have velcro or maybe even snaps or hooks & eyes. I like the idea of a duvet cover because it can be removed and laundered easily.

Assuming your current comforter is a neutral/light color and the material on the new cover is thick enough for the comforter to not show through, then yes, you could probably use the comforter your currently have.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

shaggygirl — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 02:26:29 GMT

I'm not understanding why anyone would care if they get wrinkly looking. Unless it's the top layer of covering on your bed and it comes down to the floor like a blanket would. In my case mine serves as a blanket, it comes about a third of the way down the sides of the bed. I have quilted bedspread that covers the whole bed which is the top covering on it. I just don't pull the quilted bedspread up every day, I have it folded down at the end of the bed, it still hangs to the floor on the end and the sides. As I said if someone was going to need to go in bedroom and I want the bed to look totally finished I can pull the quilted bedspread up.

Re: Explain duvet covers to me, please.

Snoopp — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 02:48:02 GMT

@castlenv wrote:
I use one on my king size comforter because otherwise I would have to schlep to a laundromat to wash the comforter or spend a sigificant amount of money to have it cleaned. But putting the cover on is difficult and I am looking for other options for our king size bed. Any ideas for blankets that can be washed in a home washing machine???

I think when it comes to king size, the laundromat is the only option. I switched to a king quilt but that would damage my machine if I tried to launder it at home. I use the king quilt and throw a spare full comforter on if I get cold. That one can go in my washer. Anyway, I'm tired of lugging a huge king comforter to the laundromat. I can barely carry it. The quilt is somewhat more manageable and looks very neat on the bed.