Quilted blankets and non-quilted blankets, otherwise referred to as ‘skins’.

Quilted blankets will provide you with the best protection by far, so if you are moving important items then this is the way to go.

When you buy quilted blankets there are a few things to [...]]]> There are essentially two different kinds of moving blankets.

Quilted blankets and non-quilted blankets, otherwise referred to as ‘skins’.

Quilted blankets will provide you with the best protection by far, so if you are moving important items then this is the way to go.

When you buy quilted blankets there are a few things to look for:

• The material and amount of filler used in the quilted blanket.
• The kind of fabric used.
• What is used to bind the moving blanket together.

Using those things to judge you should be able to come up with a good ruling on if it’s the right blanket for your needs.

How much filler they use in the moving blanket basically determines how well protected what you are moving will be. It will also determine the weight of the blanket, and if you’ve ever used one you will realize those can be quit heavy. It’s good for what you are protecting, but bad for whoever is having to move it around and use it. It’s a small price to pay for good protection however. If you are trying to find out how much filler is in the blanket, then it will sometimes be shown as how much “Filler per yard” is in the blanket, but usually it will be the weight of the blanket.

The less filler in the moving blanket, the cheaper it will be ultimately. Really you just need to be able to judge how much filler each item may need. If you are going to be moving expensive pieces of fragile equipment, you will obviously want to go with the most filler possible. If you are simply moving furniture but would rather be on the safe side and not get any scratches the basic low-filler moving blankets should do the job.

The most common filler used in moving blankets is going to be recycled cotton. Because of the nature of it air will get caught in the fibres and that is what gives it the extra thickness, which is good because it will help protect your items.

Moving blankets, whether they be quilted or non-quilted (skins) will usually be made on the outside from basic felt, or possibly polyester, depending on the manufacturer of the blanket. Some of the better moving blankets use burlap which reinforces the felt and will make for a tougher outside, while still having a soft inside which will help keep your moving items better protected from nicks and scratches.

The following video has some good pointers and information:

Moving blankets, furniture pads, those are the same thing. Essentially it’s a quilted pad or blanket used for covering furniture during a move.

It can also be used in storage to protect them from [...]]]> There are some terms thrown around when you are looking for a blanket to help you move which might be confusing.

Moving blankets, furniture pads, those are the same thing. Essentially it’s a quilted pad or blanket used for covering furniture during a move.

It can also be used in storage to protect them from damage such as scratches, nicks, dents and anything that might happen to something when it’s being put away.

It might be confusing when you decide you want to order a blanket but you just need to remember that they are basically all the same thing, they will just have differences in them and that is where you will be able to make up your mind and decide.

There are going to be three basic categories that will present themselves when you are looking for moving blankets:

No padding, aka ‘skins’. This have no padding whatsoever, and are usually used for very big items just to avoid major dents or scratches, or to provide a very minimal coverage for your items.

If you are trying to save the most money possible, or simply don’t care too much about the shape of the items you will be moving, then this is a good option.

They can be used for scooting furniture around as well, by simply placing the furniture on the blankets and pulling them. This helps prevents scratching of the floors, especially hardwood.

Economy. This will be lightly padded and will be the cheaper material of felt coverings.

The padding will be very light, so if you are going to be moving fragile items like mirrors or antiques, you would most likely want to go with better quality, or use two or more of these to protect your valuables.

This are the most common, and if you just go buy standard blankets these are the kind you will end up.

They are perfectly suitable for most situations where a moving blanket is needed.

Premium. This will be heavily padded and the best softest material to avoid all types of damage.

The outside fabric will be harder, and the inside fabric that will touch your items will be softer.

Now there are many subcategories to choose from, and even some of these will vary.

You can get them in different colors, sizes, weights, etc. All of them should be quilter in a zig-zag pattern to help with the security of them not coming apart.

Chances are you will be there for [...]]]> Many people decide that renting moving blankets is going to be a better decision than buying them. Unless you are someone who moves frequently, this is probably a better decision for you. You can find moving blankets to rent at local moving companies such as U-Haul or Budget.

Chances are you will be there for other supplies such as moving boxes, moving dollies, moving pads or even a rental truck.

You should know about the different types of moving blankets so you rent the ones that best suit your needs. Make sure you read our guide for a full understanding. Remember that each company and manufacturer’s moving blankets will differ in size and quality so you should ask to check them out before you spend any money.

The rental company should have no qualms about you being able to examine the moving blankets first to make sure they are going to be in the condition that you expect. You don’t want to rent moving blankets that are past their prime and not be able to do the job that you need.

If you are going to be moving fragile items such as antiques, glass, mirrors, then the thickest moving blanket you can get would be your best bet. If you are going to be moving large furniture like couches or beds, then the lowest quality should work.

Most moving companies will let you rent multiple types so you don’t have to spend a lot of money getting the highest quality for everything you plan on moving.

Many places will require a deposit on the moving blankets. It varies from place to place. The usual price will be either a fixed amount (such as $100) to a percentage of the amount it will cost.

So if you plan on renting five blankets for a total of $50 you might only have to put 50% down which would be around $25. Renting moving blankets works the same way as other equipment in that they give you a set date to return them on or before and penalties will start to add up if you don’t comply.

Did you rent or buy?

If you rented a moving blanket, you might be required to clean the moving blanket if it got dirty during the move. Failing [...]]]> Because moving blankets can be made of different fabrics this guide is more a general cleaning guide opposed to getting into very specific details about cleaning your moving blanket.

Did you rent or buy?

If you rented a moving blanket, you might be required to clean the moving blanket if it got dirty during the move. Failing to do so might be a breach of your contract and you might not get your deposit back, so it’s very important that if you are required to clean them, you not only do it, but do it correctly. If you try to clean the blanket but do it incorrectly you might end up ruining it and really having no chance of getting your deposit back, ever.

If you purchased your own moving blankets then you should be concerned with keeping them clean and dry after you use them to ensure that next time you need to pull them out they are clean and free of mildew. If you don’t clean them correctly, or store them with dirt/damp on them you might as well just have thrown them away instead.

Most moving blankets will be washable by hand, regardless of material. If you have an extremely large moving blanket you should use a industrial over-sized washing machine. If the washer you are using is overcrowded it simply won’t do its job nearly as well.

You should treat any spots or stains with a prewash product to help remove them.

You can check if your moving blankets color will remain by dipping a corner into the detergent you are going to use. If the color bleeds after you do that then you will most likely need to have the moving blanket dry-cleaned.

Additional Tips:

- It’s recommended that you lay the moving blanket flat, and then sweep or vacuum it to remove any excess dust.

- Typically you will use cold water and milder detergents on the moving blankets. Because they aren’t comforters you will use in your bed, having them washed with the highest strength detergents is not usually needed.

- If your moving blanket can be machine-dried you should dry it on low, and use a tumbler such as a tennis ball to prevent it from matting or a few bath towels that are damp to absorb any of the excess moisture in the moving blankets.

Sometimes people simply don’t want to spend [...]]]> While we strongly recommend using actual moving blankets for your move, or storage needs, sometimes the situation will arise that makes it impossible or rather unlikely that will either want, or be able to use them. In that case, don’t worry because there are alternatives you can rely on.

Sometimes people simply don’t want to spend money either renting or purchasing moving blankets. Even though you can find good deals on used moving blankets, especially online, they will still cost a decent amount for something that some people just don’t see the need for.

In these instances many people go to using their own home blankets to move with. Comforters work as good replacements for industrial moving blankets, but you will only want to use these if you are either A) Using them for a short time. B) They will not be outside, or in a situation to get stained or extremely dirty, or C) They will not remain used as in storage situations.

Wool Blankets Work Great For An Alternative To Moving Blankets

Basically, you don’t want to use the comforter you are currently using, that you just paid $300 for a couple months ago. You would be doing yourself a big disservice by doing that, so you should simply avoid it, no matter how tempting it might be to save a few bucks.

If you believe you will be needing to tape or use moving rubber bands in your move, this could be a reason not to use your own substitutes because these can definitely leave your blankets ruined, ripped, torn or damaged beyond repair.