When you live in a cold, draughty house, an electric blanket allows you to sleep warm at night, even with the thermostat set down to 55 degrees. Our family has used them for years, and discovered that an electric blanket actually reduces our electricity bill by allowing us to crank back the room temperatures at night.
Caring for your electric blankets is amazingly simple, and requires really no more than just a little common sense. Contrary to popular belief, most electric blankets should never be dry cleaned since these solvents can actually damage the heating units inside. Instead, launder the blanket by hand or in a machine, using mild soap and lukewarm water. Avoid bleach or cleaning fluids; these can also ruin an electric blanket.
Washing the blanket
Before washing the electric blanket, unplug the cord from the wall, then remove the controls. Check for signs of holes, and that none of the heating elements have worn through the material.
Gently place the blanket in your washing machine, taking care to distribute the load evenly. Presoak in lukewarm water with a mild soap; for a dirty blanket, I presoak for at least 20 minutes, however a lightly soiled blanket will only need 5-10 minutes of presoaking time. After the presoak, set the washing machine to delicate cycle, and let the machine agitate for two to three minutes. After the agitation period, forward the machine dial to cool water rinse and let spin dry.
If the washing machine is not large enough to hold the blanket, it can also be hand washed in a bathtub or large sink. Submerse the blanket in a mild soap and lukewarm water solution, and let soak for 15 minutes. Gently agitate by hand for several minutes, then drain the water. Rinse several times in clean, water, gently squeezing out excess liquid. Do not wring the blanket as this can damage the wires.
Drying the blanket
An electric blanket should never be dried in a commercial machine. These machines get extremely hot, and can shrink blankets as well as melt the heating elements. It is fine however, to partially dry the blanket in your home dryer.
To dry, preheat the clothes dryer for a couple of minutes on a low setting. Place the blanket inside the machine, and let tumble dry on low for about ten minutes. Remove the blanket and gently stretch it back into shape, as you might with a wool sweater. Once it is back to it’s original shape, drape it over a balcony rail, clothesline, dryer rack or shower curtain rod to finish drying.
If you do not have a clothes dryer, the blanket can be dried by hand. Begin by blotting out excess moisture using a beach or bath towel. Don’t wring the blanket, this twisting action can also ruin the electrical components. Once the blanket has been blotted, it should be stretched back into shape. Drape it over a clothesline, balcony rail, or rack and let dry. The electric blanket must be completely dry before the power cords can be plugged by in.
These simples steps are all it takes to keep your electric blanket working properly for many years.
