I have become a big fan of my electric blankets or heated sheets, as some may say. I don’t think I would want to go through another winter without them! However, will moisture affect or damage the blankets?
Even though heated blankets run on electricity, I found that most (if not all) of them are washable, and therefore moisture will not damage them. However, never switch on the blanket when it is not completely dry!
In this article, I am going to cover the following:
- Types of electric blankets.
- Why you may want to know if your blanket is waterproof.
- Will electric blankets get damaged if they get wet?
- Are electric blankets (machine) washable?
- Will sweat damage your electric blanket?
- How to dry your electric blanket?
- Storing your electric blanket.
Types of electric blankets
Electric blankets can typically be separated into two categories:
- Overblankets – This type of electric blanket can be used to crawl under on the couch or placed on top of your duvet.
- Underblankets – This type of electric blanket is meant to be placed between the mattress (protector) and the contour sheet to heat the bed. It is used to pre-heat the bed.
Why you may want to know if the blanket is waterproof
- It has stains on it and needs a wash.
- You or someone else was a bit clumsy and spilled a drink on it.
- You wonder if sweat can damage the underblanket during sleep.
Will electric blankets get damaged if they get wet?
No. There is a small chance that the blanket will cause circuit damage because the heating cables running through the sheet are insulated. However, never switch the blanket on when it is not completely dry in case water dit get past the insulation.
Are electric blankets (machine) washable?
Electric over- and underblankets are washable. I still have to find one that is not. Whether or not the blanket is washable is usually mentioned on the box or in the owner’s manual.
It should be fine to machine-wash your blanket with the washing machine set to delicate cycle at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). Use a mild detergent with dosage according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t wash it too frequently as this will suffer the blanket.
In one of my electric blankets’ instruction manual, it says to not machine wash it more than five times throughout its’ entire life! I, therefore, hand-wash it more often in the bathtub with a little liquid detergent. In the last six years of owning it, I washed it once in the washing machine and five times by hand.
With some blankets, you cannot remove the cable from the sheet, as you can see in the image below.
I was a bit scared to machine wash it at first, but it’s completely fine.
Eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit is not warm! So be careful not to use too hot water when washing by hand!
Will sweat damage my electric blanket?
Most (if not all) electric blankets are washable, and therefore moisture will not damage them when they are switched off. However, what if you’re lying in bed? Won’t sweat go into the underblanket and destroy it? Well…
Firstly, how much do we sweat? After a quick search, it turns out that you and I don’t sweat a lot during our sleep. According to research, we lose about 200 milliliters water per eight hours of sleep in a room below 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). (Source) This may sound like a lot of water, but most of it is exhaled and will not get absorbed by the electric blanket.
I recommend not to make your bed in the morning. If you do, sweat (and dust mites) will get trapped and not dry out. I usually fold the duvet neatly at the end of the bed, so the room doesn’t look untidy. I leave the underblanket between the mattress protector and the contour sheet as it not necessary to air out the electric blanket every day. I air it out once a week. Also, I keep the heater on for a little while, so the room and the bed get dryer.
If you do this, the electric underblanket will not be moist the next evening when you switch it on to pre-heat the bed and, therefore, safe to use. Do make sure to switch it off before going to sleep unless you have a blanket that is safe to leave switched on overnight.
Will placing a mattress protector between the underblanket and the contour sheet help? It is not necessary because we sweat very little. Besides, this will only lengthen the time it will take to get your bed nice and warm.
How to dry your electric blanket?
It’s essential to let the moisture out of the blanket after you, for example, washed it or spilled water on it. I usually place it on a clothing rack indoors to dry. I don’t use clothespins because this may damage the electric wires. Also, I don’t wring it out, machine dry or iron it. Most importantly, I don’t switch it on to let it dry because this will increase the chance of damaging it.
Storing your electric blanket
I only need my under- and overblanket 2 to 3 months per year. After the snowy season, I wash the sheets the way I described earlier. I leave it to dry and store it in its’ original packaging until the next winter.
Closing remarks
Wetting electric blankets accidentally or on purpose may feel a little nerve-wracking, but I hope I answered the most common questions in this article.
Key points:
- There are two types of electric blankets: overblankets and underblankets.
- Most (if not all) electric blankets will not get damaged if they become wet. However, never switch it on when it is not completely dry!
- Most (if not all) electric blankets are machine washable, but not too often. It’s better to hand-wash them.
- Sweat will not damage the blanket as long as you don’t make your bed and air out the electric blanket once a while (once per week).
- Leave the blanket to dry on a rack.
Warning!
I advise you to consult the owner’s manual to take care of your electric blanket and to know for sure if it will not get damaged if it gets wet. If you do not have the owner’s manual, try googling the model number plus “manual.” I found mine!
I am your average electric blanket consumer and do not produce these kinds of blankets. I like to share my experiences and tips with you guys.
References
- Do you really sweat one liter each night – washingtoncitypaper.com