At Spin It Laundromat in West Warwick, you have three ways to get a comforter washed. Drop it off at the counter and we wash and dry it for you, priced by item. Add it to a laundry pickup and it costs $19.99, whatever the size. Or wash it yourself in one of our big Speed Queen washers and pay for the machine you use. Which one costs less depends on your comforter, your time and how many bulky items you bring.
This guide walks through both options, what changes the price, and how to get a thick comforter clean and fully dry in one trip.
What does Spin It charge to wash a comforter?
Comforter cleaning at the counter is priced by item, so ask the team for the price when you drop yours off. The price covers washing and drying.
You can also add comforters to a laundry pickup. When you schedule a pickup online, pick the comforter service along with your regular laundry. With a pickup every comforter costs $19.99, twin or king, and it comes back with the rest of your order.
How much does it cost to wash a comforter yourself?
Self-service prices at Spin It are set by washer size, from $5.50 a wash for a 20 lb washer to $16.50 for a 100 lb one, and every wash runs a 23-minute cycle. A bigger washer costs more per load than a small one, but it also does a job the small one can't. For a comforter, the size of the machine matters more than anything else.
On top of the wash, you pay for dryer time. $0.50 starts the dryer for 7 minutes (30 lb), 6 minutes (45 lb) or 5 minutes (75 lb); each extra $0.25 adds the same time again. Comforters hold a lot of water and take longer to dry than clothes, so plan on more than one round of dryer time for a thick one.
What changes the cost of washing a comforter?
A few things decide what you end up paying, for drop-off and for self-service alike:
- Size and fill. A king down comforter needs a bigger washer and more dryer time than a thin twin quilt.
- How many items you bring. Two comforters and a set of pillows can often share one large washer, which saves a load.
- Drying time. Thick filling dries from the outside in. Pulling it out damp means a musty smell later.
- Your time. A self-service comforter wash and dry can take a good part of an afternoon. Drop-off frees that time up.
For drop-off, ask at the counter, since comforters there are priced by item. With a pickup, it's $19.99 times the number of comforters. For self-service, add up the washer and the dryer time you use.
Why use a big washer for a comforter?
A comforter needs room to move in the drum. When it's stuffed into a washer that's too small, water and soap can't flow through the filling. The outside gets wet, the middle stays dirty, and the rinse leaves soap behind. Tight loads also put strain on the stitching that holds the filling in place, and that's how comforters end up lumpy.
Our biggest washers take 100 lb. A king comforter fits in one of those with space to tumble, so it gets an even wash and a full rinse. As a rule of thumb, if you have to push a comforter down to close the door, the washer is too small.
Many home washers simply aren't built for a king comforter. If yours shakes, stops mid-cycle or leaves dry patches on the comforter, that's a sign to move up to a commercial machine.
How do you wash a comforter at the laundromat?
Here is a simple routine that works for most comforters. Always check the care label first, since it overrides any general tip.
- Read the care label and follow its water temperature and drying setting.
- Pick a washer large enough that the comforter sits loosely in the drum.
- Use a little less detergent than for a full load of clothes. Extra soap is hard to rinse out of thick filling.
- Choose the gentlest cycle the label allows, and add an extra rinse if the machine offers one.
- Move it to a large dryer on low or medium heat. High heat can scorch the fabric or flatten the fill.
- Every so often, pull the comforter out, shake it and turn it so the filling dries evenly.
- Before you fold it, squeeze the thickest parts. If you feel any damp, give it more time.
Down and feather comforters
Down needs the most patience. It clumps when wet and only fluffs up again once it's completely dry. Low heat and several check-ins are the safest way to dry it. Dryer balls can help break up clumps as it tumbles.
Synthetic and cotton comforters
Polyester fill and cotton quilts usually dry faster than down, but thick ones still take more than one cycle. Shake them out halfway so the corners don't stay wet.
Drop-off or do it yourself: which is the better deal?
Drop-off makes the most sense for a single large comforter, or when your time is worth more than the difference. You hand it over at the counter, and you don't spend the afternoon waiting for the dryer. At the counter comforters are priced by item; with a pickup it's $19.99, whatever the size.
Self-service makes more sense when you're washing several bulky items at once, like a comforter, a set of sheets and a mattress pad, since they can share one big washer. It also suits people who like to control every step.
What other bulky bedding can you bring?
The same big washers handle duvets, quilts, mattress pads, pillows, sleeping bags and dog beds. Check each label, keep heavy items balanced in the drum, and give them the same slow, thorough dry as a comforter. For anything with foam inside, like some pet beds, wash only the removable cover unless the label says the insert is washable.
How often should you wash a comforter?
As a rule of thumb, a comforter used inside a duvet cover only needs washing a few times a year. Without a cover, it collects sweat, skin oils and dust faster, so washing it every month or two keeps it nicer. Wash it sooner after an illness, a pet accident or a spill. Many people wash bedding when the seasons change, before they put a heavy comforter away for the summer.
Where can you wash a comforter near West Warwick?
Spin It Laundromat is at 824 Main St, West Warwick, RI 02893, at the corner of Main Street and Phenix Avenue, with off-street parking right at the store. We're open 7 AM to 9 PM every day. Bring your comforter to the counter for drop-off, add it to a pickup for $19.99, or wash it yourself in a 100 lb washer. Questions about a specific item are welcome at (401) 615-7748.