How To Wash A Minky Blanket - The Ultimate Minky Care Guide
Table of Contents
- How Do You Wash Minky Fabric?
- How Do You Hand Wash Minky Fabric?
- Why Do Polyester Blankets Lose Their Softness?
- How to Make a Minky Blanket Soft Again?
- How Often Should You Wash Your Blankets?
- How to Keep a Blanket Smelling Fresh?
- What to Do About Shedding?
- How to Get Out Stains?
- FAQs
Minky blankets are the ultimate way to feel snug and warm when the weather cools down, and Sew Sweet Minky Designs offers irresistible, handmade minky blanket patterns the whole family will love.
When you have blankets this soft, you want to make sure to keep them that way—but do you know how to care for minky fabric? Luckily, learning how to wash a minky blanket and care for the material is really quite simple.
How Do You Wash Minky Fabric?
When learning how to wash handmade blankets like your minky, the most important thing to remember is that natural products are the best. Many of today’s products are full of harmful dyes and additives that can wear out fabrics over time, so avoiding them is key to caring for your product. To keep it at peak fluffiness, you should:
- Wash Alone: Don’t wash your minky blankets with other laundry for the best results.
- Use Mild Detergents: Use ¼ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of white vinegar. Alternatively, you can use detergents labeled “sensitive-skin” or “eco-friendly.”
- Avoid Fabric Softeners and Scents: Fabric softener, detergents with fabric softener, and detergents with dye and/or scents can steal the softness from your minky.
- Set Your Machine to Cold: Wash your blanket on the cold temperature and delicate cycle setting.
- Dry Gently: Either hang your blanket to air-dry or tumble dry with no heat.
How Do You Hand Wash Minky Fabric?
Hand washing your minky blanket is pretty similar to washing it in a machine. Wash your minky blanket in cold water using mild detergents like baking soda and white vinegar and avoiding fabric softeners. If you are hand washing minky fabric, consider air drying too.
Why Do Polyester Blankets Lose Their Softness?
Minky blankets are made of polyester. There are a few reasons a polyester blanket might lose some of its softness.
If you wash or dry your minky blanket, you should always use a cold, no-heat setting. Otherwise, heat can melt the fibers and cause the tips of the yarn-like strands to become hard. Also, fabric softener may actually take away some of the softness.
The main reason polyester does not react well to heat is that polyester is a type of plastic. Plastic can melt, which is why you have to be extremely cautious about temperature when it comes to minky fabric. It may seem odd that plastic could be made into a fabric as soft as minky, but our blankets are the proof you need.
How to Make a Minky Blanket Soft Again
If you do make the mistake of washing or drying your minky blanket with any sort of heat, there is still hope! Fortunately, unless they are seriously damaged, you can make polyester blankets soft again.
Wash your blanket with cold water and white vinegar, without laundry detergent. Depending on the damage, this may not work every time, but there’s a high probability that your minky will come out looking and feeling much softer and fluffier than when it went in.
You can do this to your minky blanket even if you haven’t damaged it. As the blanket gets older, you may come to miss the freshly bought softness, and washing with vinegar will help rejuvenate it to be good as new.
How Often Should You Wash Your Blankets?
It is probably time to wash that cozy throw blanket you’ve been snuggling up to for months. Even if you haven’t spilled anything, minky blankets can collect dirt, dust, and germs. The oils from your skin can also start transferring onto the fabric, which will break down its softness.
Washing your blanket once a week is recommended. However, if you don’t use it often, every two weeks is okay. Make sure you pay close attention to the washing instructions every single time and don’t just toss it in with other stuff, no matter how tempting it may be.
How to Keep a Blanket Smelling Fresh
Body oils and sweat can also contribute to your blanket developing a slight odor. If you sleep with it every night, the change might be so gradual that you don’t notice for a while, which is why it is helpful to have a washing schedule. If you notice that your blankets smell when you take them out of storage or off the closet shelf, even if they were freshly washed when you put them away.
There are plenty of things you can do to keep your blanket smelling fresh such as making sure they are completely dry before putting them away, storing them in breathable locations and away from humidity, and placing dryer sheets between blankets.
Remember, fabric softener and scented products aren’t good for minky fabrics, so don’t be tempted to throw those into the wash. If your blanket smells extra musty, wash it again instead of trying to cover it up with scents that’ll ruin the softness.
What to Do About Shedding
New blankets tend to shed. The first step is to wash your blanket, following our minky washing instructions. If you notice any shedding, you can either throw it in the dryer with two tennis balls or gently remove it with a lint roller or masking tape.
How to Get Out Stains
Blot the area with cold water as quickly as possible if a spill occurs. The sooner you address the stain, the less time it has to set.
Blot, blot, blot—do not scrub. A vigorous scrub can damage the fibers as readily as heat. If you need a cleansing agent, go natural with a bit of baking soda and vinegar, and, again, rinse in cold water.
FAQs
Can I wash my minky blanket in the washing machine?
Yes, you can wash your minky blanket in the washing machine, but don’t just toss it in with your regular load—the blanket will require extra care to preserve the ultra-soft feel of the fabric. Be sure to:
- Wash your blanket on a cold-delicate cycle.
- Stay away from the fabric softener.
- Hang to dry or tumble dry with no heat.
What temperature should I use to wash my blanket?
Minky blankets should be washed in cold water. Choose the cold-delicate cycle if you’re putting your blanket in the washing machine.
What if I accidentally use fabric softener to wash my minky blanket?
Accidents happen! We certainly know how that goes. Washing your minky blanket with fabric softener may take away some of the softness of your blanket, but you can try to bring back that softness by washing your blanket in cold water and vinegar (do not add laundry detergent). We cannot guarantee that this will bring back the original feel of the blanket, but it’s worth a try!
What kind of detergent can I use on my blanket?
Choose laundry detergent that is free of dyes, scents, and other additives when washing your minky blanket. Detergents labeled “sensitive skin” or “eco-friendly” are probably the safest bet. These products can make your blanket feel gummy and will cause a build-up on the fabric over time.
You can also choose to skip the detergent and wash your blanket using ¼ cup of baking soda and ⅓ cup of white vinegar.
How should I dry my blanket?
Once your minky blanket has been washed, you can dry it by hanging it up or by selecting to tumble dry with no heat. If you choose the tumble-dry option, add dryer sheets without fabric softener in them or wool balls to help minimize static. Dryer sheets made for sensitive skin are the most likely to be free of fabric softener. If you want to learn more, read our guide on blanket drying best practices.
Shop Our Minky Blanket Collection Today
Now that you know how to care for your minky blanket, you may be eager to add to your collection. Visit our shop to find your next favorite blanket, or contact us if you have any unanswered questions about minky blankets!