Washing duvets at a laundromat

Most home washing machines are simply too small for a winter duvet, and many flats in Germany don't have a dryer at all. That makes the laundromat the easy option. The wash itself is simple; the questions are usually about everything around it.

Can my duvet go in a washing machine?

Check the care label. A tub symbol with a temperature means yes. A crossed-out tub, or a hand in the tub, means no machine. As a rule of thumb, synthetic and microfibre duvets wash easily and dry quickly; down and feather duvets are usually washable but take a long time to dry; wool, camel hair and silk are often hand-wash or dry-clean only. Pillows with the same filling can go in with the duvet.

8 kg or 18 kg machine?

The duvet must lie loosely in the drum and be able to move. A thin single summer duvet often fits the 8 kg machine (€5.00). Winter duvets, doubles and anything filled with down need the 18 kg machine. If you have to push the door shut, the machine is too small.

How do I get it there?

• Use the duvet cover as a bag: stuff the duvet in, close the buttons, and wash the cover too.
• A large shopping bag holds a folded duvet and is easy to carry on the tram, bus or S-Bahn.
• By bike: roll it tightly and strap it down.

Bring a clean, dry bag for the way home, and only pack the duvet once it is completely dry.

How long does it take?

The wash takes about 35 minutes. Drying depends on the filling: synthetic is fairly quick, down takes much longer than normal laundry. Give yourself plenty of time and don't start right before closing (10 pm in Bad Cannstatt and Ludwigsburg, 11 pm elsewhere). Two duvets? Put each in its own machine; both run at the same time.

What does it cost?

Drying times are examples: you buy 10-minute blocks and add more as long as anything is damp. All prices are on the prices page.

Tips for getting it properly dry

• Add two or three tennis balls to fluff up the filling and stop clumps.
• Shake it out between rounds and spread the filling by hand.
• Dry it all the way: down that is still damp inside starts to smell after a few days.
• Follow the label: one dot in the dryer symbol means low heat, two dots normal heat.

Which laundromat near me has XXL machines?

All seven: Stuttgart-Mitte, Stuttgart-West, Stuttgart-Ost, Bad Cannstatt, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe Weststadt-Mitte and Karlsruhe-Oststadt. A duvet is bulky, so pick the one with the shortest trip. Curtains, sleeping bags and other big items are covered in Washing bulky laundry; more answers in our Q&A.