How to Wash Weighted Blanket?

Weighted blankets, just like light ones, are designed to be washable, although they are not all the same. With use, your blanket is expected to get dirty and require a thorough cleaning. Washings machines are built to play the part, that is wash clothing and other materials. That you can wash your weighted blanket with your washing machine is not in doubt. However, your washing machine may not be able to handle the weight of your blanket. 

Whether or not your washing machine will damage your washer is dependent on some factors. One such factor is the strength of your washing machine itself. Some things are just beyond your washing machine. If your washing machine is the big type that is designed to handle heavy-duty, then you can go ahead to wash your heavy blanket with it. 

However, if it is the small one then you should use it according to is capacity.

Your weighted blanket may damage your washing machine if it is too heavy for it to handle. Some blankets weigh up to 30 lbs. if the overall weight of the blanket is very high, there is the possibility that your washer will give in if you use it. 

The ideal weight a washing machine can carry is 20 lbs. even with this, your washing machine may wear out with constant usage. The heavier your blanket, the more stressful it becomes for your washing machine to complete the task. Continuous use of the machine this way may break your washer.

Your weighted blanket can break your washer if your washing system is putting stress on the machine. Let me explain this. There is no straightjacket method of washing weighted blankets. There are several methods you can explore to get your weighted blanket washed without endangering your washing machine. If your weighted blanket has a removable cover, you can detach it from the blanket before washing. 

The cover for weighted blankets is not as heavy as the blanket itself. You can wash the cover in your house while you take the blanket itself to a commercial washer. The method of cleaning applied to the blanket and the cover depends on the kind of fabric. For instance, if your weighted blanket is made of cotton, wash it at 50 degrees Celsius at maximum. A gentle cycle can get it clean. 

Flannel fabric is another type of fabric that is easy to wash. A gentle cycle can get it clean in no time. A wool blanket will require hand washing more than the washing machine. It is delicate and can easily shrink. It does not require anything hard. Just hanging it to dry out is enough.

To save your washing machine from giving way out of too much labor, you should give relieve it of some duties. For weighted blankets above 20 lbs, use a commercial-size washing machine.

Weighted blankets have been in the market for long but have garnered wide interest recently because of the benefits they offer to users. It has been acclaimed to help children with autism spectrum because of the weight. Weighted blankets have also been known to be good for cold weather. When everything and everywhere is cols, snuggling under a warm weighted blanket becomes a cherished experience people look forward to. The smooth feel it gives makes it a highly-sort after bedding item.

Weighted blankets are good for everyone because they help you fall asleep quickly and positively impact your sleep quality. They have even been reputed for reducing anxiety. These advantages notwithstanding, some factors determine how much you will benefit from using a weighty blanket. Factors like the size of the blanket, the appropriate weight for you, and the filling matter.

An important factor that will determine if you will benefit from using a weighted blanket is your sleep pattern. The known benefits of a weighted blanket accrue to anyone with any sleeping pattern. However, there are specifics for side sleepers.

Weighted blankets are good for side sleepers. However, for them to enjoy it better, they have to pay attention to some areas. One of such area is the weight of the blanket. If the blanket is too heavy, it will weigh on them and may cause body pains. This is because the weight of the blanket is resting on only one side of the body; it is not evenly distributed to the entire body as in the case of stomach and back sleepers.

The recommended weight of a weighty blanket is 10% of your weight. A blanket weighing 5 to 10 pounds is not bad. However, side sleepers should subtract from this figure until they hit the comfort zone.
If you do not have a specific sleep position, you may want to get a mattress that suits your sleeping styles. If the blanket is too heavy, it will make some sleeping positions difficult for you. So, you should look out a blanket that meets all your needs. This might too difficult to get into, but it is not.

The best thing to do is to get a weight that suits your side sleeping style. This will also work for your other positions. With this, even if you are a restless sleeper who turns and changes positions, you will get yourself a good night’s rest. The chances of you waking up to painful and stressed out joints and bones will be reduced. A weighted blanket is good for side sleepers. If you can get what works for you, you can sleep on any side and be comfortable.

Weighted blankets have been around for a long time and they have served people over the years. Giving the weight of heavy blankets and the services they render, one may want to ask what exactly they are made of. Weighted blankets, like anything else, are constituting materials. The only thing is that most people do not know they are.

Markets and online platforms have been flooded with reviews of weighted blankets, their pros, and their cons. But one is still left hanging as to the constituting materials of the blankets we have heard so much about. Before telling you what is inside a weighted blanket, let us tell you first what they made of.

Weighted blankets have three components: the blanket, the fillings, and the blanket cover. The blanket is a fabric with cotton, polyester, fleece, or chenille padding. The blanket cover is either sewn on it or worn on it. If the cover is worn on the blanket, it will be removable. The cover is usually made of linen, fleece, cotton, flannel, or other fabrics.

What is inside a mattress is the third component of the blanket is the filling, also called stuffers. The inside of a weighted blanket can be micro glass beads, plastic poly pellets, or steel shot beads. 

Some blankets are stuffed with micro glass beads. They are tiny and feel like sugar grains. Giving their tiny size, they sit better in the blanket than the plastic poly pellets. Blankets with micro glass beads are thinner and feel smooth and plush.

The plastic poly pellets are tiny and round beads. As the name implies, they are made of plastic but can feel like pebbles. These fillers are made from polypropene. Some manufacturers make their plastic poly pellets from virgin polypropylene. These fillers are safe and compatible with human health. 

What is inside some weighty blankets are steel shot beads. They are micro steel balls that feel smooth. They are heat-treated and serve the purpose very well. If they are not handled well, they feel lumpy in the blanket which is very uncomfortable. 

Apart from these known stuffers, there are others. Some of them are sand, pebbles, or crop grains. Manufacturers seldom use these fillers because they fall below the quality standard. They are usually cheaper than other blankets filled the traditional way. To get good quality blankets, you have to go for blankets with micro glass beads, plastic poly pellets, or steel shot beads. 

Using sand as fillers makes washing the blanket difficult. Other options re aquarium stones and pebbles. These are organic materials and are usually porous. They are difficult to manage because they do not dry out on time. Sands, pebbles, and aquarium stones are of lower quality compared to the other fillers. 

So, several materials can be inside a weighted blanket depending on the manufacturer. Some locally produced blankets can feature the low-quality fillers like sane, pebbles, crop grains, etc.