All blogs > How to Wash and Care For a Weighted Blanket

How to Wash and Care For a Weighted Blanket

So, you’ve purchased and fallen in love with your weighted blanket. Welcome to the world of cozy, restorative sleep where stress and restlessness are a thing of the past. But, buying and trying a weighted blanket is one thing; It’s another to properly care for and clean it. If your weighted blanket happens to be an ARDO weighted blanket, rest assured we've made it super easy for you to care for our glass-beaded weighted blanket: Simply machine wash and tumble try. As for those other brands, how to wash a weighted blanket can be intricate – Does your weighted blanket have a cover? What’s it filled with? And what material is it made of? Will it fit in the washing machine? All these factors mean a unique approach to cleaning your weighted blanket. 

CARE INSTRUCTIONS 101

Let’s start with the basics. Check your blanket for any care instruction labels. This should give you key info on how to wash and dry your weighted blanket. Here’s a list and explanation of the most common instructions:

MACHINE WASH

For blankets under 15 pounds, like our 12 pound ARDO weighted blanket, machine wash on the gentle cycle using cool water and a gentle detergent. If your blanket weighs over 15 pounds, you’re best off bringing it to a laundromat to use their industrial machines. Don’t use fabric softener or bleach.

SPOT CLEAN OR DRY CLEAN ONLY

For smaller messes, dip a toothbrush in a mix of warm water and detergent and scrub as needed.

If it's a mess that requires dry cleaning, either take it to a professional dry cleaner or think about trying out an at-home dry cleaning kit (we like this one because it removes oil-based stains).

MACHINE DRY

Dry the blanket on the lowest heat setting. For an even dry, you’ll need to pause the cycle a few times to fluff the blanket and re-arrange.

AIR DRY

Lay your blanket out on a large and clean surface. Note: Avoid drying on clotheslines or towel bars, as they can unevenly re-distribute the filling.

Another factor to consider in caring for your weighted blanket is the filler. What is the material that gives your blanket its weight? We’ve broken down the most common materials and how to wash them:

MICROGLASS BEADS

What they are: Hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly, tiny glass beads that are considered one of the more higher-end weighted blanket fillers.

How to wash: Wash in cold or warm water, tumble dry low

STEEL SHOT BEADS

What they are: Often made from steel, these pellets are larger and more heavy than their plastic and glass counterparts.

How to wash: Hand wash only, lay flat to air dry

NATURAL MATERIALS

What they are: Organic materials, like corn, beans, or grains. These are definitely not ideal for long-term weighted blanket use, as they can deteriorate or even grow mold.

How to wash: Spot clean only

PLASTIC PELLETS

What they are: Made from polypropylene and commonly used in toys and stuffed animals to maintain their structure.

How to wash: Wash in cold water only, lay flat to air dry

SMOOTH PEBBLES

What they are: Yes, they are in fact as their name implies: Pebbles. These can be smaller river stones, or smooth pebbles found in nature. 

How to wash: Hand wash only, lay flat to air dry

SMOOTH PEBBLES

What they are: Oftentimes, its craft-grade sand. We also don’t recommend using this for weighted blanket filler, as sand clumps and doesn’t evenly distribute weight.

How to wash: Spot clean only

In short, a lot of weighted blanket materials are a little high maintenance. Our fill choice of glass beads is deliberately chill; We're heavy on easy product maintenance (pun intended) — more time for you to live your best life.

Questions about your ARDO weighted blanket? We’re always here for you – just give us a shout at support@ardoliving.co.