So you wanted a hot looking bedroom, and you bought some bedding to make your bed look great. But once you’ve actually bought that great looking bedding you need to keep it looking great. How do you properly care for bedding and keep it in good shape for years?

Different fabrics can be used in bedding, and they require different types of care and washing. For example washing silk in a hot wash and spin will not do it any favors.

Luckily the manufacturers provide us with labels that tell us the washing requirements. You should write this down and keep it handy in the laundry. There may come a time when you’ve forgotten. And if you have different types of bedding in the house it’s easy to mix it up.

And when you come to refer to the instructions on the label you can sometimes find that the label has faded and you cannot read them, so write them down.

Here’s a few tips for washing your bedding. The don’t supplant the instructions on the label, but are worth knowing. Firstly you don’t need to wash bedding in really hot water. Cool or warm is fine, sheets are rarely that dirty. And don’t use bleach.

Use a gently cycle and don’t overdo the detergent, sheets don’t need a lot of washing.

If you’re using a dryer then don’t dry your sheets too long. If you do you’ll create wrinkles, and if you’ve done that you can deal with the wrinkles by throwing a damp cloth into the dryer to reintroduce some moisture. Dry sheets till just dry and no more.

Then hand fold your sheets as they come out of the dryer.

A big question is whether or not you should try to wash your comforter yourself. Generally it isn’t advisable, most washing machines are too small and won’t do a good job, and you’ll be disappointed with the result. It also depends on the type of fill fabric in the comforter, read the washing instructions very carefully, do it wrong and damage the comforter and you’ll be disappointed. It is always safer to take it to the laundromat, especially if you have a down filled comforter on your bed. Remember that you don’t need to wash your comforter nearly as often as you need to wash your general bedding, especially if you have it in a cover.

But you should always answer any question about washing by reading and following the instructions on the label.

Read and follow the washing instructions carefully, don’t wash too often, and you’ll have a hot looking bedroom into the future, and you’ll be using your hot bedding for years. I have some bedding that I still love 20 years after I bought it.