Jun 17, 2022
Can I Put My Weighted Blanket in the Dryer?
“Can I put my weighted blanket in the dryer?” is a question we get asked regularly at Gravity Blankets. Of course, the answer is a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Weighted blankets now come in a wide range of fabrics and filler materials, each with their own unique washing and drying requirements. Thus, reading the care label is the first step in knowing how to wash a weighted blanket and dry it correctly. Read on to learn how to dry your weighted blanket to keep it looking as good as the day you bought it.
Why Weighted Blankets Get So Dirty
Cuddling up with a cozy weighted blanket at the end of a long day is one of life’s simple pleasures. For many, it’s not only a therapeutic tool to help relieve chronic stress and worry — it’s also an effective natural sleep aid that encourages a deeper, more restorative night’s sleep.
Given its many uses, it’s no surprise that weighted blankets can get dirty fairly quickly. The oils and sweat from our skin can transfer over to the blanket while we sleep or seek refuge in its cozy embrace during times of stress. For this reason, most people should wash their weighted blankets once every few weeks to eliminate oil, sweat and other unwanted debris. If you have pets, travel with your weighted blanket or often wrap yourself in it while eating snacks, you may need to wash it more frequently.
Luckily, cleaning a weighted blanket is fairly simple, especially if you have an outer protective cover. (You can check out our ultimate guide to washing a weighted blanket here).
Air Drying: The Best Way to Dry a Weighted Blanket
If the care instructions don’t say anything about how to dry a weighted blanket, defaulting to air drying may be the smartest choice. Dryers can shrink or ruin certain fabrics, and hot tumble-drying can take a heavy toll on your beloved blanket.
On top of keeping your weighted blanket in tip-top shape, air drying will:
- Save you money. Air drying a weighted blanket is much cheaper than running your dryer or taking your blanket to the laundromat. In fact, it’s free!
- Help the environment. Dryers are often the third-most energy-intensive home appliance in many households, after the refrigerator and washing machine. By taking the time to air dry your weighted blanket, you can do your part to curb emissions and reduce your household’s carbon footprint.
- Put less wear and tear on your dryer. Putting large, heavy loads in your dryer can strain the drum, belt, pulley and spindle bearings, ultimately shortening the machine’s lifespan. It also makes your dryer less efficient because heavy loads tend to block the flow of warm air inside, causing uneven drying.
Air Drying Tips
If you are unsure how to air dry a weighted blanket, here are a few failsafe tips.
1. Consider investing in a heavy-duty drying rack
Your flimsy wooden drying rack may work well for drying your clothes, but it’s probably not heavy enough to hold a sopping wet weighted blanket. For better results, consider investing in a heavy-duty drying rack made of stainless steel.
2. Try the two-chair method
If you’d rather not shell out the money for a brand-new drying rack, you can make a temporary one using two chairs. Space the chairs apart and drape the blanket over the top as though you’re making a blanket fort. The excess water will drip to the bottom and evaporate into the air.
3. Lay it out
Another option is to lay your weighted blanket on a flat surface to dry. With this method, you’ll want to place towels underneath to absorb moisture and keep the blanket from getting dirty.
4. Flip the blanket periodically
Every few hours or so, try flipping your weighted blanket around on the drying rack. This will help speed up the drying process and ensure that the blanket dries evenly.
5. Use a duvet cover
To make washing and drying your weighted blanket easier, consider buying a duvet cover. With a weighted blanket duvet cover, you can simply remove the weighted insert and hang the outer protective covering up to dry.
Can I Put My Weighted Blanket in the Dryer?
You might be asking this question if your weighted blanket is taking a long time to air dry and you want to use it as soon as possible. The good news is that most weighted blankets, including our cooling weighted blanket and top-rated Gravity Weighted Blanket, can be tumbled dried on a low heat setting. But again, be sure to check the care label first.
If you’re drying your weighted blanket at home, follow these tips to minimize damage to both your dryer and your blanket:
- Check the dryer every so often to ensure the blanket is drying properly and you’re not overtaxing the machine.
- Set it to a slow spin to avoid overloading the motor.
Another option is to take your weighted blanket to the laundromat. Washing and drying your weighted blanket at a laundromat is convenient and will help reduce the wear and tear on your washer and dryer.
Shop Our Gravity Weighted Blanket
Wrapping Up
To answer the original question: yes, most weighted blankets can go in the dryer — but only tumble dry low. It’s important to check the care label and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before you wash or dry your weighted blanket. And when in doubt, stick to air drying!
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