How to Wash an Electric Blanket – Step By Step to Wash the Blanket

A modern electric blanket can be safely washed and dried in normal residential dryers and washers. Throws, electric blankets, mattress pads, and weighted blankets give extra warmth that feels amazing on a chilly evening or when healing from an illness or injury. But what happens when the blankets become dirty? Do not worry; in this article, we will tell you how to wash an electric blanket step by step.

Steps To Clean an Electric Blanket

Make sure to buy the best electric blanket as they are easy to wash and take care for. Here are some steps to clean an electric blanket.

Prepare the Blanket

Shake out the electric blanket well to remove as much loose dirt as possible. Before putting the electric blanket into the washing machine, remove all the controls and cords.

Put The Blanket To The Washing Machine

For a high-end washing machine, load the electric blanket loosely. For a normal washing machine with a central agitator, load the blanket and spread it around the drums. You might need to add a couple more non-lint producing bed sheets or towels for balance.

Select the Detergent and Water Temperature

Wash the electric blanket in warm to cool water with the normal detergent. Do not add fabric softener or chlorine bleach.

Choose the Washer Cycle

Use the gentle or short cycle setting, set the final speed, and reduce it to the lowest setting to prevent excessive pressure on the electric blanket wiring.

Wash Quickly and Switch to the Rinse Cycle

Let the washing machine move for three to four minutes, then move quickly to the rinse cycle. Once the cycle is done, remove the electric blanket gently.

Dry Gently

Use the air or cool only setting on the dryer. It is best to do partially dry in the dryer for 20 minutes. After that, remove the blanket while it is still wet and allow it to finish sunny air drying on a drying rack or clothesline. Remember that high heat might shrink the electric blanket and damage the wires.

Also, make sure that the dryer is large enough to allow the blanket to move freely. If the dryer is not large enough, then use the laundromat dryer, set on air, or cool dry only.

Hand Wash Electric Blanket

If you choose to wash and clean the electric blanket by the hand, then you will need to follow the blanket washing instructions to clean debris and dust properly from the blanket.

See all the Cables are Disconnected from the Power Source

Before washing the electric blanket, it is important to see that all the power cords and cables are disconnected. Many electric blankets have internal wiring protected by the waterproof coating for this reason.

Fill up the Tub with Tepid Water

The water used for cleaning the electric blanket must be tepid, as hot and cold water can have the damaging effects on the internal wiring of the blanket. Hot water may fry the internal wiring, and also, the power cord outlet and cold water can freeze the wiring completely. Use enough water to allow for the submersion of the blanket.

Use the Correct Amount of Laundry Detergent into the Water

The amount of detergent is just as important as the amount of water used in the washing process. Not enough detergent can not be cleaned the electric blanket properly; too much detergent can run the risk of foam soaking the blanket and damaging the blanket’s internal wiring. 

Cycle the Laundry Detergent Through the Water

Do not put the electric blanket and detergent in the tub at the same time. Instead of that, use the hand to cycle the detergent all around the water to create sudsy foam. After that, once the detergent is evenly mixed with the water, add the blanket to the water and submerge it completely. 

Washing the Electric Blanket

After the blanket is soaked approximately 15 minutes, gently squeeze the blanket in sections to remove debris and dust collected overuse. Make sure that you do not wire out the blanket as it can damage the wires and make the blanket useless.

Dry the Electric Bedspread

Do not put the electric blanket into the dryer, as the high heat in the dryer can cause lasting damage to the internal cords and power outlets. If the dryer has the option to use cool air to dry the blanket then you can use it. If this option is not available in your dryer, do not use it to dry the blanket.

Use the flat surface or clothesline to dry the electric blanket all day and night. Use the clothesline to stretch the blanket back to its original shape. Moreover, if you are using the flat surface, then spread the blanket out into its original shape. However, if you are using a flat surface, then allow for one hour for drying; after that, flip to the other side of the blanket to allow for drying.

Final Words

Now that you can properly and safely wash the electric blanket, stop hesitating when you want to use it to fear ruining the blanket. So do not worry, we have mentioned above step by step how to wash the electric blanket. If you find this information useful, drop a comment below this section.