Correct us if we’re wrong, but the best part of any bedroom situation is your snuggly doona. Alright, fine, your mattress is pretty important too if you want to get a good night’s sleep. But, you know who’s always got you covered? Your doona.

Quilts, or as we Aussies accurately call them, “doonas” are the staple of any bedroom aesthetic. Not only can they add a pop of colour to any room, but they’re what keep you nice and toasty at night, or comfort you after watching a scary movie.

While we know that mattresses can be kept for up to 10 years, how long can we stretch the lifetime of our beloved doonas for? With some love and care, your doona could last for a number of years before you need to replace it.

But to know for certain, we spoke to the lovely people at Bed Threads to find our answer.

Speaking to Genevieve Rosen-Biller, the CEO of Bed Threads, she dove right in, “Your doona has the longest lifespan of all your bedding and only needs to be replaced about every five years.”

There you have it, folks. Five years. While you should definitely take five years as a rule of thumb, sometimes poor quality doonas deteriorate faster than expected and you’ll find yourself in need of a new one sooner, rather than later.

We asked Genevieve what are the signs that our doona is headed towards an early grave. “If it’s starting to look a little lumpy, it smells, or the filling is starting to fall out, these are the signs that it’s time to get a new one” she said.

If your current doona seems to match any of the criteria Genevieve mentioned above, then it’s about time you started shopping for your next bed buddy, who will serve you for years to come.

Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up the best places you can find a good quality doona below.

If you’re looking for a new doona on a budget, then it’s best to turn to Amazon Australia. You can even find their bestselling Australian-made 700GSM merino wool quilt on sale for 16% off.

You can currently save up to 40% off at Bed Bath N’ Table. We’ve broken down the best deals for you below:

Use code HALFOFF to score 50% off Canningvale’s doona and quilt range.

Harris Scarf is always known for slinging a deal, or plenty. You can catch big savings on top doona brands below:

Myer has a great selection of quality doonas and quilts, from highly-rated brands such as MiniJumbak, Heritage and Sheridan.

Thankfully, our friends at Bed Threads have a rainbow of doona and quilt covers you can use to match your bedspread to your aesthetic.

Their 100% flax linen doona covers are hot at the moment, which is a great option if you suffer from sensitive skin or prone to allergies.

According to Bed Threads, flax linen is both hypoallergenic and antibacterial, so it’s great for preventing germs and repelling dirt.

You can shop Bed Threads 100% French flax linen doona covers here, starting from $140.

Your next best bet is over at Adairs. You can update your bedroom with a beautiful range of doublet and quilt covers for 25% off on selected styles.

Our favourites include this teal velvet quilted doona cover (starting from $112.49), this mustard check quilt cover (from $119.99) and lastly, this simple sand-coloured quilted cover (from $119.99).

You can shop the sale here.

Right now, Sheridan is having a mega sale. You can explore a wide range of stunning doona covers in a variety of fabrics, fibres and materials – with everything on sale between $19 up to $199.

We’re a big fan of this bougie jacquard weave quilt cover set in the colour midnight, now down to $199 (RRP $399). We also love this Andorra quilt cover set, featuring an intricate pattern of wildflowers against a black backdrop. It’s now on sale from $100 to $140, down from $199.99 to $279.99.

You can explore the full range here.

To keep your doona pristine and white, it’s recommended that you machine wash your doona at least once every couple of months. Of course, not all of us own or have access to a washing machine that’s big enough to thoroughly wash your doona, so you can always take it to a dry cleaner to have it done professionally. Keep in mind that it’s best to check its care label to be safe.

However, if you prefer to sleep naked or without a top sheet, then you’ll need to wash your doona more often. That top sheet doesn’t seem so useless now, does it?

If you do choose to do it yourself, set your washing machine to its gentlest setting and use cold water (unless its tags say otherwise). Then add a small scoop of delicate laundry liquid to your washing cycle.

To ensure your load is balanced properly, try adding two (clean) tennis balls. While this might seem like a silly idea, this is especially important if you own any of the goose feather variety, otherwise, you’ll find your stuffing unevenly distributed after washing.

Otherwise, you can try to hand wash your doona in your bathtub (if you have one). Soak it in warm, soapy water for a few hours before giving it a good wring and hanging it outside to dry.

Isabella Noyes is an E-Commerce Writer at Pedestrian Group, working across PEDESTRIAN.TV, VICE Australia, Refinery29 Australia, Business Insider Australia, Gizmodo Australia, Lifehacker Australia and Kotaku Australia.

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