Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Clean Comforter

So, When we first moved into our house, I bought a new down comforter for our bed.  After about 2 years (gross I know) I decided it needed to be washed.  Oh did I mention there was a darkish stain on my side only, right about where my face is.  I figured it was from my face wash and lotion and that it was just discolored.  The Benzyl Peroxide does that to everything.  I knew it was too big for our washer, so I took it to a laundry mat so I could use their "Extra" big washer.   I pre-treated the discoloration and put it in the biggest washer they had.  It didn't look so big to me, but the lady assured me it was.  She also told me after I put in my $6.50 that this washer is a little funny and can't  take much soap or it foams out and over.   So I put in the amount  she told me (a quarter of my cup)  I use more than that at home for a load smaller than that, and we have soft water.  I'll tell you what, it looked squished in there.  After it came out of the washer, the discoloration was still there and the thing didn't even smell clean.  I put it in the dryer because I only had $4 left to my name.(and I wasn't coming home in the middle of January with a soaking wet 50 pound comforter.)   It dried the comforter about 70% of the way.   So I left more than a little perturbed, with a dirty looking and not so clean smelling comforter to boot.   Did I mention I had a rowdy 4 year old and a hungry still nursing 1 year old with me?
Fast forward another 2 years.   The discoloration is now worse and the whole thing does not look like it's been cleaned in 4 years.  I knew I definitely was not taking it to a laundry mat and risking another $10 to have it not cleaned.  As well as the hassle of going there and waiting.  So I soaked the discolored corner in Oxy Clean (just to see if it would come clean) and it immediately turned the water a disgusting yellowish brown color.  I put the whole comforter in our (newly cleaned I might add) bathtub with oxy clean and laundry soap.  The water again turned disgusting.   I pushed it around in the water for about 5 minutes to simulate a washing machine and then with the help of my husband we rang out the 50 pound king sized down comforter and and then filled the tub with water and a small amount of soap again.  I agitated the comforter as best I could and eventually stepped into the tub and stepped around on it.  Like I was squishing grapes.  We then wrung it out again and then filled the tub one more time with clean water and then wrung it out one final time and took it outside and hung it on our newly made make shift clothes lines.
Guess what!  It smells great and is completely clean.  No discoloration anywhere on it.  I have only one word.  Gross!  I've been sleeping needlessly with a dirty comforter.  But let me tell you what, washing that thing was a workout!  Jeesh!  Here's to another 4 years!  Im kidding.  Probably only 2.

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