Use the dryer if it's safe
Set it on low heat and throw in a couple of clean tennis balls. Tennis or laundry balls help keep the filling from clumping together.
Check for Moisture: Make sure the comforter is not too wet when you put it in the dryer. Excess moisture can cause it to clump together. Consider Air Drying: If you have the space, air drying the comforter can prevent rolling. You can hang it outside or lay it flat on a clean surface.
Use dryer balls. Those help keep it from getting lumped up. I would also recommend (If your dryer keeps this up) stopping it 2-3 times during the cycle, and ``refluffing'' the cover. Take it out, flip it inside out for outside, and throw it back in.
Drying instructions can vary by comforter, but generally, it's best to dry using low or no heat.
Comforters are thick and take longer to dry. If they aren't completely dried after washing, the dampness can cause the filling to clump or flatten. To avoid this, extend drying times or use a low-heat tumble cycle with dryer balls to help break up any bunching inside.
Spread out the comforter, then pick it up by grabbing each of the four corners. Load it into the washer as spread out as possible (i.e. not folded or bunched). Never wash a comforter with other items. Your washer should have room to spare so the comforter can agitate and tumble fully, and get clean.
Place your comforter in a large capacity dryer. Add a few clean tennis balls wrapped in white socks. The tennis balls will help break up clumps as the comforter tumbles. Use a low heat setting and check every 15-20 minutes.
Add Dryer or Tennis Balls
“Tennis balls with their weight and bounce can help keep fabrics separated in the dryer as they're tumbling,” says Wang.
To keep your down comforter fluffy, add a few dryer balls or tennis balls to the dryer. The balls will help to prevent clumping and distribute the down evenly.
Don't have tennis balls? You can use balls of aluminum foil in a pinch. For extra drying power, throw a dry, clean bath towel into the dryer, as well.
Try throwing in a clean, dry bath towel into your load. The towel does the double duty of soaking up moisture so your sheets dry faster, while also adding texture so your sheets don't ball up.
Do dryer balls work? In short, not really. There are marginal differences, but in most cases dryer balls actually increase your costs by a very small amount. We tested with a conventional electric vented dryer and an upmarket condenser dryer both with and without the balls and compared the two.
Give it a tumble: If okayed by the care label, run your comforter on a heatless “air fluff” cycle. Use a dryer large enough to give your comforter room to tumble and move; you may need to use a commercial dryer at the laundromat.
Step 1: Put your comforter in the dryer and spread it out as much as possible. Step 2: Add two to three tennis balls, or wool dryer balls, to help fluff the comforter while drying. Step 3: Set the dryer to a low-heat or no-heat setting.
Dryers inherently work with high heat. The workload beyond its capacity will lead to overheating. And as a result, both the blanket and the dryer will be damaged or burnt. In addition, you should also review whether you set the high heating mode or not.
Using a Dryer
To prevent clumping, add a few tennis balls or dryer balls to the dryer. These will help to fluff up the comforter as it dries and distributes the down evenly. It's important to periodically pause the drying cycle and rearrange the comforter to ensure even drying.
Pilling is what happens when cotton fibers break and tangle, resulting in the tiny little fuzzballs or "pills" of fiber that appear to be stuck on the fabric. Pilling can occur with any fabric that is subject to abrasion when using or washing.
The best down alternative comforter on the market is the Buffy Breeze Comforter, which impressed us with its ultra-soft shell and substantial fill. If you're looking for something that comes in various weights and has more fluff, we recommend the Brooklinen Alternative Down Comforter (our best overall, runner-up).
Comforters come in many styles and can be filled and covered with different materials. Whether filled with down or a down alternative, if they are not properly constructed or handled they will have a tendency for the batting (filling) to clump leaving areas that are overfilled and areas that are under filled.
Again, read the care label before drying, but in general, it's best to dry comforters and duvets with low heat. High heat may damage the fabric or filling. Be patient with drying; it can take a while for a comforter to dry completely. If your dryer has a bulky or bedding cycle, use it.