Is it bad to use a blanket, duvet, or bedspread over my down comforter?

I have been using a down comforter like a blaket… where it "lives" in a duvet cover, layered above my sheet and below my bed spread, all the time. My friend says that the weight of the bedspread is compressing the comforter and that really, I should have the decorative bed spread between the sheet and comforter, and when I'm not sleeping the comforter should "live" folded at the foot of my bed.

Questions: is the weight of the decorative spread really bad for the comforter? if the comforter is folded at the end of the bed, doesn't it own weight also compress it?

Thank you for your patience with my ignorant questions!

Ana

Hi Ana,

I think this is a good question, and I’m glad you asked it. First, down can be damaged by compression, whether that’s being stuffed too tightly into a storage bag or some heavy weight placed on top of the down. However, the weight of any type of other bedding on top of your down is relatively insignificant and will not damage it.

It is best to use a down comforter with a duvet cover to help keep it clean, but when you but more bedding on top of that, then it will decrease the functionality of the down. Perhaps this is what your friend meant when she said it was “bad” to put other bedding on top of your down comforter.

Down works best when it has plenty of room to expand, called lofting. Down insulates by expanding to trap air and retain heat. Lofting also allows moisture to pass away from your body, keeping you more comfortable. Using heavy blankets, bedspreads, or comforters on top of your down comforter will decrease its ability to loft, insulate, and pass moisture away from your body.

Regarding where your comforter should be stored during the day, it’s best to leave it spread out on the bed, not folded at the foot. We perspire at night, more than we like to think about. Most of the moisture passes through your down comforter and escapes into the air, but some is trapped inside the comforter. If you fold it at the foot of your bed, the moisture will be trapped in the center of the comforter, which can lead the growth of unpleasant things and critters. So leave the comforter spread out over your bed and allow it to completely air dry during the day.