Most weighted blankets can be washed, but check the care tag first. If the blanket has a removable cover, wash just the cover most of the time. If the tag says the inner blanket is machine washable and it's within your washer's maximum load, wash it on its own on a gentle cycle in cold or warm water with a mild, bleach-free and biodegradable detergent and no fabric softener. Then air dry it flat, or tumble dry on low only if the tag allows. Blankets that are too heavy for your machine can go in a large front-loader at a laundromat or be washed in the bathtub. Some plant-based detergents, like HeySunday Laundry Sheets, contain enzymes that break down dirt and stains while remaining gentle on fabrics—all without using harsh chemicals
Confession first: I was so scared of ruining our weighted blanket that I didn't wash it. For a year. It lived on the couch through movie nights, popcorn, one spilled juice box and a dog who thinks it's his. When I finally flipped over the tag, I realized I'd been worrying about the wrong things.
So I did my homework. I read the care guidance from the Sleep Foundation, the fire-safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association, appliance makers' notes on heavy loads, and ENERGY STAR's advice on water temperature. Then I washed ours, and my sister's (which turned out to be too heavy for my machine, more on that below). Here's everything I learned, in the order you'll need it.
Can you wash a weighted blanket?
Yes, most weighted blankets can be washed, but how you wash one depends on its care tag, its fill and its weight. Many have a removable, machine-washable cover, so you can wash the cover often and the heavy inner blanket only now and then. Some inner blankets are machine washable, some need hand washing or spot cleaning, and a few are labeled dry clean only.
One thing that surprised me: the FTC's Care Labeling Rule covers clothing, not blankets, so a blanket maker isn't required to sew in care instructions. Most do anyway. If yours has a tag or a care card, it wins over anything you read online, this guide included. If the tag is all symbols, our laundry symbols guide decodes them.
Can you wash a weighted blanket in the washing machine?
You can wash a weighted blanket in the washing machine if the care tag says it's machine washable, the fill is glass beads or plastic pellets, and the blanket is within your washer's maximum load. Wash it on its own, on a gentle cycle, in cold or warm water. The Sleep Foundation notes that many weighted blankets can't handle hot water.
Blankets filled with natural materials like rice, beans or sand are a different story. Water and those fills don't mix, so spot clean them or follow the tag, which often says dry clean.
How do I know if my weighted blanket is too heavy for my washer?
Compare the blanket's weight (it's usually on the tag or the product page) with the maximum load in your washer's manual. If the blanket weighs more, or it's packed so tightly it can't tumble, it's too heavy for your machine. Remember that a blanket full of water weighs a lot more than it does dry, and the National Fire Protection Association's laundry safety tips say to avoid overloading a washing machine or dryer.
The Sleep Foundation suggests a commercial machine for blankets that are too heavy for home washers, and the big front-loaders at a laundromat are built for bulky loads. Our guide to doing laundry at a laundromat walks you through it if you've never been.
My sister's blanket was the heavy one. It fit in my washer, technically, but it filled the drum, and my machine kept stopping to rebalance. We took it to the laundromat's double-load front-loader and it came out perfect.
How do you wash a weighted blanket, step by step?
Step 1: What does the care tag say?
Start with the tag or care card. It tells you whether the inner blanket is machine washable, hand wash only or dry clean only, which water temperature to use, and whether it can go in the dryer. If you've lost the tag, look up the care instructions on the maker's website before you do anything else.
Step 2: Should you take the cover off first?
Yes. If your blanket has a removable cover, unzip it and wash it separately. The Sleep Foundation says covers can usually go on a normal cycle in cold water. Washing just the cover is often all you need, since it's the part that catches the spills, skin oils and pet hair.
Step 3: How do you treat stains on a weighted blanket?
Treat stains before washing, and treat them quickly. First, shake out any crumbs and pet hair so they don't end up in your washer. Then, dissolve a detergent sheet directly on the spot, gently work it in with your fingers or a soft brush, and rinse with cold or warm water.
Step 4: Will it fit in your washer?
Check the blanket's weight against your washer's maximum load, and look at the fit: it should sit loosely in the drum with room to move. Fold it loosely and spread it evenly so the washer stays balanced. If it doesn't fit, skip to the laundromat or bathtub options below.
Step 5: What cycle and water temperature should you use?
Use the gentle or delicate cycle with cold or warm water, never hot unless the tag says so. Cold is also the money saver: ENERGY STAR says heating water uses about 90% of the energy it takes to run a clothes washer, and that cold water generally cleans well, except for oily stains. Our guide to hot or cold water for laundry goes deeper.
Step 6: How much detergent should you use?
Use a mild, bleach-free detergent, and skip bleach and fabric softener, as the Sleep Foundation recommends. Dose by how full the drum looks, not by how many items are in it. A heavy blanket usually counts as a large load. Too much detergent is hard to rinse out of a thick blanket, so add an extra rinse if your washer has one.
If you use HeySunday laundry detergent sheets, that usually means 2 or 3 sheets laid on top of the blanket in the drum, per our sheets-per-load guide. They're pre-measured and dissolve in cold water, so there's no guessing with a bulky load.
Step 7: How do you dry it?
Air dry it flat when you can. If the tag allows the dryer, use low heat, take it out promptly, and make sure it's completely dry before anyone uses it. The full drying how-to is just below.
Azur Ali, Owner at 303 Crown Maids, Laundry Expert recommends: Wool dryer balls are genuinely useful for reducing drying time and softening fabrics without the coating that fabric softener leave behind. Over time, that coating negatively impacts fabrics, which is one of the most common issues we see in homes that heavily use fabric softener.
How do you wash a weighted blanket with glass beads?
Most glass-bead weighted blankets can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cold or warm water, on their own, if the tag allows. Glass beads don't absorb water, but the blanket gets heavy when wet, so check your washer's maximum load first. Air dry it flat, or use the dryer on low heat only if the tag says you can.
How do you wash a weighted blanket with plastic pellets?
Wash a plastic-pellet weighted blanket on a gentle cycle in cold water, on its own, if the tag allows. Keep heat low throughout: skip hot water and high dryer heat, and air dry it flat if you can.
How do you wash a 15, 20 or 25 lb weighted blanket?
The number on the tag matters less than how it compares with your washer. Check your washer's maximum load in the manual. If the blanket is well under it and sits loosely in the drum, wash it at home on gentle. If it's close to the limit, over it, or packed in tight, use a large front-loader at a laundromat, or wash just the cover and spot clean the inner blanket. Water adds a lot of weight, and the heavier blankets are the ones most likely to unbalance a home washer or overload a dryer.
How do you hand wash a weighted blanket?
Hand wash a weighted blanket in the bathtub when it's too heavy for your washer or the tag says hand wash only:
- Fill the tub with cold or lukewarm water and dissolve your detergent in it (1 or 2 HeySunday sheets is plenty for a tub).
- Push the blanket under the water and work it through gently with your hands for a few minutes.
- Let it soak for about 15 minutes.
- Drain the tub, refill it with clean water and rinse the same way, repeating until no suds come out.
- Press the water out without wringing or twisting, then lay it flat to dry.
It's the same method I use for oversized bedding. There's more on soaking and rinsing in our guide to hand washing.
How do you dry a weighted blanket?
Air drying is the lowest-risk way to dry a weighted blanket. The Sleep Foundation recommends laying it flat and shaking or fluffing it now and then so the fill spreads evenly. Make sure it's completely dry before anyone uses it, inside and out.
Can you put a weighted blanket in the dryer?
Only if the care tag allows it. Use low heat, don't overload the dryer, and take the blanket out promptly. A few wool dryer balls can help it tumble instead of sitting in a heavy lump. The NFPA also recommends cleaning the lint filter before or after every load, which matters more than ever with a big, fuzzy blanket.
How long does a weighted blanket take to dry?
Longer than a regular blanket. Air drying a thick weighted blanket can take many hours, so start early in the day and flip it every few hours. Squeeze the thickest parts and the corners: if they feel cool or heavy, it's still damp inside.
We laid ours over two drying racks pushed together near a fan, and flipped it every time I walked past. Dry by bedtime.
How do you clean a weighted blanket that can't be washed?
Spot clean it, or take it to a professional cleaner if the tag says dry clean only. For spot cleaning, work a little detergent into the stain with a soft brush, rinse the area with a damp cloth, and let it air dry fully. Washing the cover more often keeps the inner blanket cleaner between deep cleans.
How often should you wash a weighted blanket?
If you use it every night, wash it every few weeks; if you use it now and then, three or four times a year is enough, according to the Sleep Foundation. LG's care guide gives a similar range: about every three weeks for daily use and every three to four months for occasional use. Our expert, Martin Wolfe, M.A. Chemistry also notes that washing too often can wear a blanket out faster, which is another reason to wash the cover more often than the blanket.
What mistakes should you avoid when washing a weighted blanket?
- Skipping the tag. It's the only instruction written for your exact blanket.
- Using hot water. Many weighted blankets can't handle it. Stick with cold or warm.
- Adding bleach or fabric softener. Both are on the Sleep Foundation's avoid list.
- Overloading the washer or dryer. Wash it on its own, and use a bigger machine if it's packed in tight.
- Soaking a rice, bean or sand fill. Spot clean or dry clean these instead.
- Putting it back on the bed damp. Check the thickest parts before you use it.
- Using too much detergent. It's hard to rinse out of a thick blanket. Dose for a large load, and add an extra rinse.
Washing the rest of the bedding while you're at it? Here's how to wash a comforter in a washing machine and how to wash your sheets. And if the dog has claimed the blanket like ours did, our guide to washing pet bedding and blankets has tips for the hair.
How to wash a weighted blanket FAQ
Can you wash a weighted blanket in the washing machine?
Yes, if the care tag says it's machine washable, the fill is glass beads or plastic pellets, and it's within your washer's maximum load. Wash it on its own on a gentle cycle in cold or warm water with a mild, bleach-free detergent.
How do you clean a 50 pound weighted blanket?
A blanket that heavy is usually over a home washer's maximum load, so wash just the cover, spot clean the inner blanket, or follow the tag's instructions for professional cleaning. If the tag allows machine washing, use a large commercial front-loader built for that weight.
Can you put a weighted blanket in the dryer?
Only if the care tag allows it. Use low heat, don't overload the dryer, and take it out promptly. Otherwise, air dry it flat and shake it now and then so the fill spreads evenly.
What temperature should you wash a weighted blanket in?
Cold or warm, unless the tag says otherwise. Many weighted blankets can't handle hot water.
Can you use fabric softener on a weighted blanket?
No. The Sleep Foundation and experts recommends skipping both fabric softener and bleach on weighted blankets.
Should you wash the cover and the weighted blanket separately?
Yes. Take the cover off and wash it on its own, usually on a normal cycle in cold water. Wash the cover more often than the inner blanket.
How often should you wash a weighted blanket?
Every few weeks if you use it nightly, and three or four times a year if you use it occasionally. Washing the cover more often lets you wash the heavy inner blanket less.
Can you dry clean a weighted blanket?
Yes, if the tag says dry clean. Blankets filled with natural materials such as rice, beans or sand often need professional cleaning or spot cleaning rather than a soak.
How many laundry sheets do you use for a weighted blanket?
With HeySunday laundry sheets, usually 2 or 3, because a heavy blanket fills the drum like a large load. Use 1 or 2 sheets in a bathtub for hand washing.
Sources
- Sleep Foundation, "How to Wash a Weighted Blanket"
- National Fire Protection Association, "Clothes Dryer and Washing Machine Safety" (hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy)
- ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA), "Clothes Washers"
- Federal Trade Commission, "Clothes Captioning: Complying with the Care Labeling Rule" (archived)
- LG, "How to Wash a Weighted Blanket"
- HeySunday, "How to use laundry detergent sheets and how many per load"
Author: Kat Garcia Benson, Sustainable habits, Family routines
Cleaning expert contributors:
Azur Ali, Owner at 303 Crown Maids, Laundry Expert
Reviewed by: Martin Wolfe, M.A. Chemistry, Yeshiva University
