If you’re thinking of sprucing up your bed, a nice duvet is one great way to do so. A duvet is comprised of highly insulating down, feathers, down with feathers, or synthetic down alternatives. A breathable casing holds the filling in place, and some duvets come with a detachable cover for additional protection. The duvet cover has the qualities of a light blanket and compliments the function of your duvet. But can you use the duvet cover without the duvet?
There is no harm in using a Duvet cover without the insert. Traditionally it’s used to protect your duvet, enhance bedroom décor, and add a layer of warmth. However, you can also use a duvet cover without an insert as a bedcover, bedspread, or bed sheet during warmer weather.
Duvets are fluffy and cozy but also prone to dirt and stains. A duvet cover protects the bedding from body oil, makeup, dust, and other debris. During the warmer months, you won’t necessarily need your duvet, but the thin duvet cover comes in handy as an alternative for a blanket or a light comforter. Let’s find out more about the use of a duvet cover for a better sleeping experience.
What Is the Difference Between a Duvet and a Duvet Cover?
Shopping for bed linens can be a daunting task, with so many seemingly similar products available on the market. Besides deciding between the various fabrics, colors, shapes, and styles, you also need to think about whether to use your duvet with a duvet cover. The function, fabrics, and description of duvet versus duvet cover might confuse you even further.
What Is a Duvet?
A duvet is a type of top bedding that contains down wool or some synthetic alternative with powerful natural insulating qualities. The primary function of a duvet is to offer warmth and comfort while also making your bed look elegant. The bedding keeps your bed comfortable with its highly insulating fill that also allows for breathability.
A duvet comes with a baffling cotton casing that helps keep the fill distributed evenly and maintains the bedding shape. Duvets are usually white or cream in color and come in various fabrics, such as silk or cotton. An all-season duvet has amazing insulating qualities to keep you cool in warm weather and warm in cold weather.
The type of fill used in the duvet and the encasing shell determine the quality of your duvet. When you shop for a duvet, consider the fill power to find a suitable product for any weather. The color and style you choose should also complement the rest of your bedding.
What Is a Duvet Cover?
When you shop for a duvet, you’ll discover most products come with a diverse variety of detachable covers. A duvet cover is a thin removable layer of fabric to protect your duvet from dirt and dust. The duvet cover is essentially two pieces of fabric sewn together with an opening on one end.
To keep the insert inside the duvet cover, you zip, button, or snap the casing along the edges. The duvet cover works like a pillowcase for your duvet and enhances the bedding function. The most common materials used for these beddings are cotton, flannel, and silk.
The main advantage of a duvet cover is to keep your duvet clean and preserve its condition for as long as possible. With a high-quality cover, you reduce the need to wash your duvet and increase the bedding’s lifespan. The fabric and fill used to construct a duvet make the bedding vulnerable to dirt and stains.
To keep your duvet in the best shape, the duvet cover prevents tears, stubborn stains, and other physical damage to your bedding. The covering is easy to clean in a washing machine and usually doesn’t require any special care.
The lightweight duvet cover also adds to the appearance of your bed. If you already have a duvet, buying a high-quality cover adds a touch of comfort and beauty to your bed. With a duvet cover, you also easily customize your bed with a choice of colors, styles, and patterns. Whatever your mood, there’s a duvet cover that suits it.
Can You Use a Duvet Cover by Itself?
The typical use of a duvet cover is with an insert. A duvet cover’s main purpose is to protect your duvet from dirt and make the duvet maintenance easier.
During the warmer weather, however, you may use the duvet cover without the insert. The duvet is usually very warm, and you might have to store the bedding away for several months in the summer.
Most people prefer the thinnest bedding options during summer. A duvet cover is a suitable alternative to your summer quilt, blanket, or bedsheets for a comfortable sleeping experience.
The best duvet covers feature cool cotton or silk fabric which makes them the perfect choices for your bed in warm weather.
Leave out the duvet cover on your bed. The thin fabric used for the duvet cover makes the bedding an ideal choice to cool your body. While the material used might not be as cozy as your traditional blanket, you still stay cool and enjoy the warmer nights.
A flannel duvet cover has the weight and warmth of a traditional blanket, while your silk duvet works perfectly throughout the year.
If you want easy-to-maintain bedding during warm weather, use your duvet cover without the insert. A duvet cover is easier to clean than a quilt or a blanket. If you want to spruce up your bedroom décor, you have a wide selection of duvet cover styles, colors, and patterns.
What Are Duvet Covers Made of?
When shopping for a duvet, most people overlook one important factor: the duvet cover. You might buy an amazing duvet, but without a removable cover, it will wear out fast.
A duvet cover is an essential part of your beddings and offers better protection for your duvet. To buy the best duvet cover, start with an evaluation of the materials. Here’s a highlight of the main materials used to make duvet covers:
Cotton
Cotton is a popular fabric in bed linens because of its light, soft, comfy, and breathable qualities. Cotton duvet covers are the most common in the market and come with multiple benefits. The material is easy to maintain and requires no special care.
A cotton duvet cover, like this one from JELLYMONI (on Amazon), regulates body temperatures effectively and keeps you warm during cold nights and cool on warm nights. Your cotton duvet cover is probably machine washable, but you should confirm this on the care label from the manufacturer.
Silk
Silk is another popular fabric for duvet covers because it is light, soft, breathable, and beautiful. If you want to add a touch of elegance to your bed, consider a silk duvet cover like the ZIMASILK 100% Mulberry Silk Cover (on Amazon).
The natural product regulates body temperatures easily for enhanced comfort, and your silk duvet cover is ideal for use throughout the year. Silk duvet covers cost more and require special care when cleaning.
Flannel
Flannel duvet covers are warm, soft, and breathable, making them the best choice on cold winter nights. The material adds a classic touch to your bed and is more durable than most other fabrics. A flannel duvet cover like this one from Bare Home (on Amazon) has a great feel and a fresh look, but it’s probably not the best choice on very warm nights.
Polyester
Polyester duvet covers are silky to the touch, warm, and comfortable. The synthetic fabric is breathable and wicks moisture away to keep you comfortable on warm nights. If you want a duvet cover that’s cool against your skin, choose a polyester product like the Lifewit Polyester Microfiber Duvet Cover (on Amazon).
Polyester duvet covers are machine washable, but before you clean your duvet cover, check the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to Use a Duvet Cover
A duvet cover offers amazing benefits to improve your sleeping experience. The bedding protects your duvet, freshens up your bed, and enhances your bedroom’s decor.
While caring for the bedding is easy, most people struggle to put the cover over the insert. If you don’t put on the duvet cover correctly, you’ll get folds that can make your bed look untidy.
Luckily, there are simple steps you can follow to make the process less frustrating. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you use a duvet cover easily:
- Layout the duvet flat on your bed. Make sure you can reach the short edge and corners from the foot or head of your bed.
- Turn the duvet cover inside out. Check that the opening of the duvet cover is completely open before you turn it inside out. Make sure no edges are bunched up by inserting your hands into the cover and finding the corners.
- Match duvet and cover. With the duvet still flat on your bed, spread the duvet cover on top and match the bottom corners of each bedding. Find something like pegs to tie down the corners.
- Flip the duvet cover. After matching the corners, carefully flip the duvet cover right side out over the duvet. Work the cover over the length of the duvet by shaking and fluffing it to allow it to cover most of the duvet length.
- Pull the duvet cover down. After shaking the duvet cover, pull down the rest of the length over the duvet. Stuff the bottom corners of the duvet into the bottom corners of the cover. Straighten any kinks on your duvet and, finally, zip or button up the duvet cover.
Using a duvet cover doesn’t have to be a frustrating task. If you follow these instructions, putting on a duvet cover becomes much easier. With time, this process will be a routine task after doing your laundry.
By correctly fitting the insert into the duvet cover, you have a neater-looking bed without bunched-up corners or uneven surfaces.
Can You Put a Comforter in a Duvet Cover?
Yes. A duvet cover is a great choice to protect your comforter and easily care for the bedding. A comforter has a unique construction with a finished fabric exterior that holds the fill.
Because of the design, a comforter doesn’t usually require a cover and works perfectly with a flat sheet. However, a duvet cover is a smart choice if you want to provide extra care for your comforter.
Duvet covers come with an open edge where you insert the comforter and then zip or button it up. High-quality duvet covers protect the luxurious outer fabric of your comforter from dirt and grime.
You don’t necessarily need a top sheet if you insert your comforter into a duvet cover. The best duvet cover fabrics, such as flannel or cotton, are soft and breathable.
A duvet cover also makes it easier to customize your bedroom décor. The beddings come in multiple varieties of colors, styles, and designs. Whenever you want to freshen up your bedroom, you only need a change of your duvet cover. With a comforter, you can’t refresh your bedroom this easily.
Are Duvets Warmer Than Comforters?
Duvets are usually warmer than comforters because they contain more down and are bulkier. The extra fill on your duvet makes the bedding warmer and cozier and also helps to regulate temperatures.
For most comforters, you might need an extra blanket during the cold winter months. For a duvet, the only thing you might add is a duvet cover.
How Can I Make My Duvet Cover Fluffy?
If you want that fluffy and soft touch on your bed, a duvet cover is a good idea. However, to maintain the smooth feel of your duvet, the cover requires regular cleaning. Follow the manufacturer’s care instructions to avoid ruining your duvet cover.
A duvet cover is a great addition to your bed. Whether you’re shopping for your first duvet or you already have one, a duvet cover is an excellent choice to help protect the fluffy bedding. You won’t struggle to care for your duvet because the duvet cover is machine washable and easy to dry.
The fact that you can use a duvet cover without an insert is an excellent advantage of this versatile bedding. If you want to stay cool on summer nights, remove the insert and use the duvet cover as a blanket.
Depending on the fabric, you could also use the duvet cover as a bedsheet.