Bedding Care Guide

From pillows that offer better support to the unmistakable crunch of feather and down - it’s easy to tell premium bedding from cheaper counterparts

Feel like you’re constantly replacing floppy pillows? High quality bedding lasts much longer, so you get to enjoy it night after night

Purchasing premium bedding from a reputable brand gives you peace of mind that it’s safe for your family to use and enjoy

Our favourite bedding gets used and washed again and again, so it’s important for it to stand up to multiple rounds with the washing machine! Premium bedding is designed to do just that

Many premium bedding products are made from hypoallergenic materials, meaning they’re ideal for people who suffer with allergies and can even help to improve their health

Always feeling too hot or cold at night? Premium duvets and mattress toppers can help improve airflow and temperature regulation to keep you at a comfortable temperature

Did you know there are even bedding products that offer anti-aging properties, or are perfect to be used year-round? Amazing!

Generally the most luxurious duvet filling is feather and down, which has excellent heat retention properties as well as a satisfying crunch, and continues to keep you warm for years and years. However, feather and down duvets can be quite expensive, and are heavier than some other duvet fillings, so may not suit everyone. You may opt for a duvet with synthetic filling instead, especially if you want to take advantage of improved airflow or a lighter feel.

Most people buy a duvet the same size as their bed - a double duvet for a single bed, a king size duvet for a king size bed, and so on. However, if you share with a known duvet-stealer, or like to be wrapped up in it like an Egyptian mummy; you could consider opting for a duvet one size larger than your bed size. When the bed is made, it will also hang down on each side of the bed, for a more luxurious look.

A tog rating is a scale of measurement to describe how much heat a duvet retains, and can also be found on adult and child sleeping bags, baby pyjamas and even carpet underlay. Tog ratings range from 1 tog (coolest) to 15 tog (warmest), and the best one for you likely depends on your personal preference.

That depends! Some duvets are more suited to particular seasons, so many people have a heavier winter duvet and a lighter summer duvet they swap over when the weather changes. However, there are now duvets designed to keep you cosy or cool all year round, which saves you the hassle of changing over - as well as having to store out-of-season duvets when not in use.

If you’re looking to only have one, a 10.5 tog duvet - specifically a feather and down duvet - is a great choice for all year round, keeping you cosy whatever the season. For the coldest days, you can always add an extra layer of blankets on top!

You should wash your duvet once or twice a year - any more risks damaging it unnecessarily and may shorten its life. Most duvets are now machine washable, however particularly for double, king size and super king size duvets, you may have trouble fitting them in your home washing machine, and may need to take them to your local launderette.

It’s recommended to change your pillows every one to two years to maintain good hygiene and comfort, but some premium pillows may last longer than this. However, if they’re no longer offering the same support, have visible stains or are exacerbating allergies, it’s probably time to switch out for new ones.

The number of pillows you use depends on how many you need to keep your head, neck and spine in neutral alignment. Many of us find two more comfortable, but much of the research says that one pillow is actually much better for spinal alignment.

Yes, most pillows nowadays are machine washable. Check the care labels on your pillows, which will tell you the ideal temperature to wash them at, as well as how to dry them.

Feather and down is a very popular luxury filling for pillows that lasts longer than synthetic fillings. Some people prefer memory foam pillows for a firmer feel.

Side sleepers often need plumper, firmer pillows to effectively fill the gap between their head and the mattress, since their shoulder pushes them higher up off the bed than that of a back or front sleeper. A medium firm pillow is ideal for keeping their spine in neutral alignment.

To minimise neck pain, your pillow should effectively support your head at a level that keeps your spine in as straight a line as possible. Memory foam or latex pillows are often praised as good options to alleviate neck strain issues, but a synthetic or feather pillow can also do the same job, providing it is at the correct height.

A king size bed can easily fit two pillows side by side at the head end. For a fuller look and more cosy feel, you might like to double up and have four large pillows. Of course, you could have more than this if you’d like decorative pillows too!

A mattress topper is an additional layer you can add to your mattress to further personalise the comfort - with different options offering a softer feel, more support, or improved airflow, depending on which you choose. It’s a cost-effective way to change the feel of your mattress to suit your sleep preferences.

It’s not a necessity, but it can be super useful to have! A waterproof mattress protector will protect your mattress from sweat and other liquid spillages, and is much cheaper to replace than an entire mattress. Plus - it can easily be thrown in the washing machine!

Once you’ve chosen the mattress topper that’s the right size for your mattress, it’s simply a matter of deciding what you want the mattress topper to do for you. Current mattress feeling too firm? Opt for a mattress topper with a softer, sink-in feel. Feeling too hot at night? A cooling mattress topper with improved airflow can help. Need more support? A memory foam mattress topper can help distribute weight between pressure points to help relieve aches and pains.

People with back pain should look for a firmer mattress topper, possibly with memory foam or latex, to provide the right level of support to help relieve back pain. If you find yourself getting too hot at night, choosing something with cooling properties is also a good idea, as memory foam can feel quite hot.

For most people, bed linen should be washed every one to two weeks. If you sweat a lot at night, prefer not to wear pyjamas, don’t shower before bed, let your pets or children in bed, or do anything else that might cause extra mess, it’s recommended to wash your bed linen weekly.

The short answer is - the hotter the better, but always check the care labels on your bed linen. 60 degrees is amazing for killing bacteria, but not all bed linens will withstand this temperature wash.

Most hotels will opt for a high thread count Egyptian cotton, or cotton sateen, a 100% cotton weave which has a satin-like feel. Cotton-polyester blends are also popular as they combine a soft feel with practical durability, while being more affordable than 100% cotton. Whatever fabric they use, you may have noticed hotels tend to opt for plain white or off-white bed linens, rather than patterns. This looks both luxurious and offers peace of mind to customers that their bed linen is truly clean - as stains show up very easily on white bedding!

If you’re looking for soft bedding, there are quite a few options - it all depends on your personal preference, budget, and maybe what colours or designs you are looking for. Some great soft bedding options include:

• Egyptian cotton percale - long cotton fibres and high thread count, top-tier luxury but can be expensive
• Cotton sateen - silky feel due to the weave style, but made from 100% cotton
• Silk - unmistakable super-soft silky feel, but costly and texture might not be for everyone
• Polyester microfibre - budget-friendly and durable, but less breathable and may feel rougher
• Jersey - buttery soft and stretchy while being affordable, but prone to pilling and stretching over time 
• Rayon - silky feel at a more affordable price, may be a more sustainable option
• Linen - may feel rough at first, but gets softer with every wash; a natural fibre but expensive

For bedding that will keep you cool and fresh at night, opt for natural fibres such as cotton, linen, or bamboo. These all have better breathability thanks to the natural fibres.

Baby bedding is usually made up of two pieces - a fitted sheet and a sleeping bag or blanket. The fitted sheet should be sized correctly to the mattress and securely fitted. Sleeping bags are usually recommended for babies weighing 4kg and over (babies under 4kg can use cellular blankets) and come in different tog ratings for different times of year.

As for fabric choices, it’s best to go for something soft to protect babies’ sensitive skin - organic cotton is a popular choice, but soft cotton polyester blends are a more affordable and widely available option.

For more information on safe bedding for babies, check out the NHS article on safe sleep

Once your child is aged 12 months, you can consider switching them over to a duvet if you wish - although if they move around a lot at night, you can stick with a sleeping bag for a bit longer. Duvets for children younger than 3 should have a tog rating of no more than 3 or 4.5, to avoid them overheating.