How To Safely Wash An Electric Blanket (Quick & Easy)
Last Updated on December 11, 2021
An electric blanket is a wonderful thing to have. When the weather is cold, it is nice to snuggle up into a blanket that heats itself. Not to mention, an electric blanket can actually help keep your energy bills low. With many different colors, styles, and sizes available, you can have a warm companion for the long cold winter nights.
On the other hand, caring for an electric blanket can be difficult. It is not as easy as throwing it in the washing machine. There is no “set it and forget it” with this option. Taking care of a blanket like this can take some care. If you know how to easily wash this type of bedding, you will never go back to a regular blanket again.
With electric blanket lovers in mind, we have figured out a quick and easy way to wash your electric blanket without damaging the blanket or yourself. Keep reading below to hear about two separate ways of keeping it clean, plus all the materials you will need.
Pre-Washing
Before you get down to the business of washing your electric blanket, there are a couple of pre-wash chores to get out of the way. There is nothing too difficult, however. The first thing you want to check is the material label on the blanket.
You want to make sure there is no specific requirements for the type of material. Chances are though, it will be a typical material that is not going to have too many restrictions, so we can move on to what you will need.
As we are going to go over two separate ways of washing the blanket, we will put everything you need for both here. For hand washing, you will need a bathtub or a very large sink. For machine washing, you will need a machine with a gentle cycle. In both cases, you will need a detergent that you trust. We do recommend that you use a gentle liquid product if possible—and nothing with bleach.
Depending on your circumstances and living space, you can either hang the blanket to dry on a clothesline, or drape it over your kitchen table; just make sure the surface is clean so you don’t reverse the work you are about to do. Do not attempt to dry the blanket in a machine dryer.
Washing Your Blanket
The next step is to actually wash the blanket. We are going to go over two simple ways to do so. The first is to hand wash your blanket, followed by washing it in the washing machine. For both options, the first thing you want to do is make sure the blanket is unplugged and remove the cord if possible.
Hand Washing
Image credit: Pezibear, Pixabay
Hand washing your electric blanket is the safest and gentlest way to get your item clean. After you have removed the power cord, you want to fill the bottom of the tub with lukewarm water. It is important to make sure the water is neither hot nor cold. Both extreme temperatures can damage the wiring inside the blanket.
As mentioned, you only want to fill the bottom of the tub with water. You want just enough to submerge the blanket, but don’t put the blanket in yet. Before you do, you need to add the laundry detergent. You only want to use a quarter of a cup. Too much of it can hurt the blanket’s wiring.
Now that you have added the soap, you want to create a foam by hand. Before you add the blanket, you want to have only a small amount of water at the bottom with mostly suds on top. Also, be sure to mix the liquid soap completely with the water. Once you have the right consistency, submerge the blanket.
Once the blanket is in the tub, you can take a 15-minute break while the blanket soaks. When the soaking period has passed, start to remove some of the more stubborn dust and dirt by squeezing the fabric in small sections. One important thing to remember is do not twist the blanket as though you were ringing it out.
Keep moving around the blanket until you have squeezed the dirt out of the entire blanket. Next, rinse the blanket with lukewarm water by doing the same squeezing motion. Again, don’t ring the blanket out even when rinsing.
To dry the blanket (if you are traveling far you may want to put something on the floor to keep the water from going everywhere), it needs to be hung on a line or layed flat. Again, do not put an electric blanket in a dryer because, yep you guessed it, it will ruin the wiring.
How does an electric blanket work? Click here to find out!
Machine Washing
Image credit: stevepb, Pixabay
In order for you to wash your electric blanket in a washing machine, you will need to have a machine that you can stop after a few minutes of the cycle. This is very important, or you could damage the blanket beyond repair. Also, another important factor to keep in mind is that your blanket can have damage you cannot see. Any electrical damage to the blanket is a fire hazard when it is plugged in.
As you did with the handwashing, you want to set your washing machine to lukewarm water. You also went to set it to the gentle cycle. Allow the water to fill up at least halfway then add the detergent. Once the water has reached three-quarters full, the soap should be dispersed enough to add the blanket.
Let the blanket run on the gentle cycle for about three minutes then stop the machine. In the three minutes, the washing machine will have enough time to get the blanket clean without damaging it. Depending on the features of your machine, you may be able to allow the washer to go through the rinse and spin cycle to remove the soap and excess water. Otherwise, follow the above steps to dry.
Read also: How does an electric fireplace work?
Conclusion
An electric blanket is a godsend, but you do not want to ruin it by washing it too harshly. On the other hand, if you never clean the blanket, you probably will be creating an unhygenic sleeping environment. Taking steps to ensure it does not become damaged will make washing the item quick and easy.
We hope you have enjoyed this quick tutorial on how to effectively wash your electric blanket. It is a fairly simple process that will keep you warm and toasty, plus smelling fresh, all winter.
Written by Shannon MacDevine
Featured image credit: Efraimstochter, Pixabay