Before you wash a weighted blanket, check two numbers: what it weighs and what your washer can hold. Blanket maker Gravity suggests hand washing any weighted blanket of 20 pounds or more. Lighter ones with glass bead fill can usually go in the machine on a cold, gentle cycle with mild detergent and a low spin. Then they lie flat to air dry. Read the care tag first, because the cover and the weighted insert often have different instructions.
Key Takeaways:
- Weigh the blanket before it goes in the washer, since it gets much heavier once it soaks up water.
- Gravity Blankets suggests hand washing a weighted blanket of 20 pounds or more.
- Glass beads handle heat better than plastic poly pellets, which can melt at high temperatures.
- Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with a low spin and mild detergent, with no fabric softener or bleach.
- Wash the removable cover weekly and the weighted insert four to six times a year.
Can you wash a weighted blanket in the washing machine?
In many cases, yes, as long as the care tag allows it and the blanket fits your machine’s capacity.
Weight is the step people skip. A 15-pound blanket is heavy dry and far heavier soaking wet, which strains the spin cycle and can knock a washer off balance.
Look up your washer’s rated capacity in the manual or on the maker’s website. If the blanket comes close, wash it by hand or use a larger machine.
Construction matters too. According to Gravity’s washing guide for glass bead blankets, some weighted blankets have a machine-washable outer cover, and the insert itself is hand wash only. A zip-off cover takes most of the daily wear and washes like any other bedding.
Glass beads or plastic pellets: Why the fill matters
If you’re working out how to wash a weighted blanket with glass beads, start with the fill. Most weighted blankets hold glass beads or plastic poly pellets sewn into small pockets, and the fill decides how much heat the blanket can take.
Glass beads are the more forgiving option. Gravity notes that glass holds up to high temperatures without losing its shape. Plastic poly pellets can melt or burn at high temperatures, so a pellet-filled blanket should never see hot water or a hot dryer.
Even with glass, Gravity’s instructions say to lay the blanket flat to air dry after a machine wash. Drying a weighted blanket flat keeps the fabric from stretching under wet fill and lets you smooth the pockets. If you don’t know what’s inside, treat it like pellets.
How to wash a weighted blanket, step by step
These steps follow the manufacturer guidance above. If your tag says something different, go with the tag.
- Check the care label, including whether the cover and the insert have separate instructions.
- Take off the removable cover, wash it on its own, and follow its tag.
- Pre-treat any stains on the insert with a small amount of mild dish soap and water before a full wash.
- Weigh the insert, and hand wash it if it’s 20 pounds or more or close to your washer’s limit.
- For a machine wash, choose cold water, a gentle cycle with a low spin, and a mild detergent.
- Leave out bleach or fabric softener.
- For a hand wash, fill the bathtub with cool water and mild detergent, swish the blanket through it, and let it soak for up to 30 minutes if it’s heavily soiled.
- Drain the tub, refill it with clean water, and press the blanket to rinse out the soap.
- Press out as much water as you can without wringing or twisting. A soaked blanket is far heavier than a dry one, so drain the tub fully and get help lifting it.
- Lay it flat to dry, smooth out the pockets, and flip it now and then until it’s dry all the way through.
Flat drying takes space and time. A clean floor with towels underneath or a drying rack across a tub both work. For more ideas, see our tips for air drying at home. If you’re washing an ordinary throw or fleece, the rules are looser, and our guide to washing your favorite blanket the right way covers those fabrics.
Where OrangeBag fits
OrangeBag cleans weighted blankets, which saves you from lifting a soaked one out of a home washer. They aren’t a separate line on the price list yet, so mention one when you schedule or call (866) 973-5666 to confirm the price. A regular blanket or comforter is $55.00 by the piece. Everyday laundry goes by the bag at $2.65 per pound and comes back sorted and folded in 24 to 48 hours. OrangeBag’s wash and fold and dry cleaning prices list every item and fee.
See the neighborhoods on our route for laundry pickup and delivery in Los Angeles.
Weighted blanket FAQ
How often should you wash a weighted blanket?
Gravity recommends washing the weighted insert four to six times a year and the removable cover weekly. The cover touches your skin and picks up sweat and oils, so it needs the regular schedule. The insert can wait longer if it stays inside a cover. Spot clean spills on the insert right away so they don’t set before the next full wash.
Can you wash a weighted blanket at a laundromat?
Yes, and for a heavy blanket it’s often the easier choice. Laundromats usually have large-capacity front loaders that handle more weight than a home machine. Use the same settings, which means cold water, a gentle cycle, and mild detergent. Skip the hot dryers, and bring the blanket home to dry flat unless the tag allows the lowest heat setting.
How much does it cost to dry clean a weighted blanket?
The national survey we rely on doesn’t track weighted blankets. The closest benchmark is a queen comforter, which averaged $38.30 at U.S. cleaners in January 2025, according to the Cleaner’s Supply 2025 industry report. A weighted blanket is heavier and more specialized, so expect to pay more, and check the care tag first to see whether dry cleaning is allowed.
Can you put a weighted blanket in the dryer?
Only if the care tag says so, and then on the lowest heat setting. Plastic poly pellets can melt at high temperatures, and the weight of wet fill can strain both the fabric and the dryer. Gravity’s guidance is to lay glass bead blankets flat to air dry. When in doubt, dry it flat and give it a full day or more.
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