Duvets, Togs and Building a Bed

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Duvets, Togs and Building a Bed

What tog means, fillings, sizing and washing

Duvets are bought once every several years and chosen on a single number that describes only one thing.

Tog is warmth, not quality

Tog measures thermal insulation. Around 4.5 suits summer, 10.5 spring and autumn, and 13.5 winter. An all-seasons set clips a 4.5 and a 9 together for the coldest months, which is the most flexible option.

A well-made 10.5 tog duvet and a cheap one keep you equally warm. Tog says nothing about how it drapes, how long it lasts or how it manages moisture.

Fillings

Down is warmest for its weight and drapes closely, and it needs specialist cleaning. Feather and down blends are heavier and cheaper. Wool regulates temperature unusually well and suits people who overheat.

Synthetic fillings are easier to wash, suit allergies and flatten faster. Check fill power and fill weight for down rather than only the tog.

Construction

Baffle box construction keeps filling evenly distributed; stitch-through is cheaper and creates cold spots along the seams. Check the casing is cambric or a tight weave so filling does not escape.

Sizing

Buy a size up from the bed if two people share and one pulls, since most duvet disputes are a sizing problem. Check the actual dimensions, which vary between manufacturers.

Washing

Check the label — many need a large capacity machine or a launderette. Wash a couple of times a year, dry completely, and use a washable protector or cover to reduce how often it is needed.

Air the bed each morning by folding the duvet back rather than making it immediately, which lets moisture escape.

Pillows and protectors

Pillows last one to three years. Fold one in half and let go — if it stays folded rather than springing back, it is finished.

A washable protector on every pillow and mattress extends their life considerably and is easier to wash than the thing it protects.

Sheets and covers

Check the pocket depth of fitted sheets against your mattress including any topper, since a sheet that pings off a corner in the night is the most common bedding complaint.

Percale is crisp and cool and creases; sateen is smooth and warmer. Thread count above about 400 tells you very little.

Making it last

Rotate between two or three sets rather than washing one constantly, and wash at forty to sixty without fabric softener.

Seasonal bedding

Two duvets rather than one covers the year properly — a light one for summer and a warmer one for winter. Storing the unused one compressed in a vacuum bag saves space and it recovers after a day.

Air stored bedding before using it again.

Allergies

Wash bedding at sixty degrees periodically, which is what kills dust mites.

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