How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets?

During the night we are extremely active. We toss and turn, sweat, shed skin cells, and more. Unfortunately, most people do not wash their bedsheets often or regularly enough, causing body oils, skin cells, sweat, and other dirt to build up.

The consequence of that? A dirty environment for you to sleep in, but the perfect breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria, and other allergens.

As little as 1.5 grams of shed skin can feed one million dust mites. These small, eight-legged creatures are not dangerous by themselves, but they are considered to be allergens. Their excrements can cause symptoms like hay fever, eczema, asthma, coughing, and more. 

The Simple Guide To doing Laundry

Hand TowelsHand towels get used by everyone in the household daily. Since they are used so frequently, and many don’t even wash their hands properly, they should be switched out daily or every two days. Then again, it always depends on the number of people using the towels. So, use your better judgment, it makes no sense drying your clean hands with a dirty towel.

Bath TowelsYou can use your bath towels up to three times before you should toss them to wash. Every time you scrub your body, dead skin cells cling to the material. If your towel smells funny, it probably has bacteria growing there.
Furthermore, drying your face with a dirty towel can lead to acne outbreaks (similar to not changing your pillowcase). 

Pillow CasesAt least once a week, but if you are prone to acne or allergies you want to switch them up even frequently, maybe even daily. As before mentioned, over time dirt, sweat, body oils and skin cells can gather. All this can cause your skin to break out more frequently.

BeddingIt is recommended that you wash your bed sheets at least once a week, at least 140 °F (60°C). Washing them at a lower temperature might get rid of dirt, but won’t kill bacteria and germs.
Every now and again you should also check the state of your bedding. Depending on how often you use it, and the quality, your bedsheets might last anything between one year and twenty-year. A tell-tale sign that they need to be replaced is once you find they are worn, frayed, or the elastic of the fitted sheet deteriorates. 

PajamasYou sleep in your bedclothes all night, and even if you go to bed clean, most people tend to sweat through the night. Ideally, you should wash them every 2-3 times, but once a week is also permissible.

Cuddly ToysAs loved as they are, cuddly toys are a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria. As difficult as it might be for your child to part from it for a few hours, you should make sure to wash it once a week to make provide a healthy environment for your child. Always check the label for cleaning instructions, and if it is too fragile, you can put it in the freezer overnight. Cold can kill bacteria as well and neutralize smells.

PillowsA general rule of thumb is that you should clean your pillows 1-2 a year. However, considering how much dirt as well as dust mites can gather, you would be better off washing them every 3 months. If you are prone to allergies you would be better advised to also get a hypoallergenic pillow.
If you own a memory foam pillow and aren’t sure how to clean it, check out this guide for four simple steps that will make the task easier and faster. 

Blankets/ComfortersGenerally its enough to wash them once a season (2 times a year). The rest of the year you can occasionally toss them in the dryer for ~10-15 minutes.
Make sure that when you do wash your blanket you dry it as quickly as possible. If it holds moisture too long your blanket can get smelly. And if it isn’t dried completely before using it again, you are risking mold. 

Mattress ProtectorsTo keep your mattress clean, a mattress protector is a good investment and purchase. Instead of your mattress, now your mattress protector needs to be cleaned. (Make sure you have a waterproof mattress cover) Ideally, you should do it every two months. (Unless an accident or a spill happens, then take care of it immediately. Check this guide (How To Clean Memory Foam Pillow?) to learn what exactly a mattress protector is).

When should you wash more frequently?

Usually doing laundry like described above is enough. But, if you answer at least one of the following questions with a yes, you should consider doing it more often.

Do you suffer from (dust) allergies?

Do you sweat during sleep aka experience night sweats?

Did you or your partner get sick with a contagious disease?

Do you have a pet?

Do you have an infection or lesion that gets in touch with the sheets? (put them in the washing machine as soon as you get better)

Do you eat in bed?

Do you sleep naked?

Do you go to bed without showering?

Do you suffer from acne breakouts? 

Here are some more last-minute tips

Of course, you won’t get around doing laundry if you want nice clean, crisp sheets, but there are some things you can do on a regular basis to prevent your bed from getting too dirty, and just some general things you should keep in mind.

  • Always check the labels for precautions and follow the instructions.
  • If you wash or dry something in high heat, at least hang or place it in the sun or iron them. The sun acts as a natural antimicrobial agent (killing bacteria and dust mites).
  • Keep multiple bedsheets on hand to make laundry easier. After taking the old bedsheets off, you can immediately put the new ones on without waiting. 
  • Avoid naps after you get home all sweaty from the gym. Take a shower first.
  • Don’t let your pets sleep with you in bed.
  • Consider taking showers at night.
  • Don’t put on any lotions just before bed as they will rub off on the bedsheets
  • Always remove your make-up and wash your face to keep your pillow clean
  • Don’t eat or drink in bed. Crumbs attract all sorts of insects that you don’t want to sleep with you.
  • Remove dirt from your feet or socks before getting under the sheets. 
  • If you sleep in pj’s, under a blanket, with a hot water bottle, you will be sweating a lot, even if it is cold and in the middle of winter.  

That’s it for this article, now you know how to do your laundry (at least your bedding) and know how often you should change your sheets.

If you’re on a roll to create the perfect sleep environment, read these two articles to get some clean sleep. The Science Behind Getting Good Sleep & Habits You Need For Better Sleep.

Don’t forget that you can use the discount code SweetSleep15 on your next order to get a 15% discount, have you seen our
variety of mattresses yet?


How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets?

During the night we are extremely active. We toss and turn, sweat, shed skin cells, and more. Unfortunately, most people do not wash their bedsheets often or regularly enough, causing body oils, skin cells, sweat, and other dirt to build up.

The consequence of that? A dirty environment for you to sleep in, but the perfect breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria, and other allergens.

As little as 1.5 grams of shed skin can feed one million dust mites. These small, eight-legged creatures are not dangerous by themselves, but they are considered to be allergens. Their excrements can cause symptoms like hay fever, eczema, asthma, coughing, and more. 

The Simple Guide To doing Laundry

Hand TowelsHand towels get used by everyone in the household daily. Since they are used so frequently, and many don’t even wash their hands properly, they should be switched out daily or every two days. Then again, it always depends on the number of people using the towels. So, use your better judgment, it makes no sense drying your clean hands with a dirty towel.

Bath TowelsYou can use your bath towels up to three times before you should toss them to wash. Every time you scrub your body, dead skin cells cling to the material. If your towel smells funny, it probably has bacteria growing there.
Furthermore, drying your face with a dirty towel can lead to acne outbreaks (similar to not changing your pillowcase). 

Pillow CasesAt least once a week, but if you are prone to acne or allergies you want to switch them up even frequently, maybe even daily. As before mentioned, over time dirt, sweat, body oils and skin cells can gather. All this can cause your skin to break out more frequently.

BeddingIt is recommended that you wash your bed sheets at least once a week, at least 140 °F (60°C). Washing them at a lower temperature might get rid of dirt, but won’t kill bacteria and germs.
Every now and again you should also check the state of your bedding. Depending on how often you use it, and the quality, your bedsheets might last anything between one year and twenty-year. A tell-tale sign that they need to be replaced is once you find they are worn, frayed, or the elastic of the fitted sheet deteriorates. 

PajamasYou sleep in your bedclothes all night, and even if you go to bed clean, most people tend to sweat through the night. Ideally, you should wash them every 2-3 times, but once a week is also permissible.

Cuddly ToysAs loved as they are, cuddly toys are a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria. As difficult as it might be for your child to part from it for a few hours, you should make sure to wash it once a week to make provide a healthy environment for your child. Always check the label for cleaning instructions, and if it is too fragile, you can put it in the freezer overnight. Cold can kill bacteria as well and neutralize smells.

PillowsA general rule of thumb is that you should clean your pillows 1-2 a year. However, considering how much dirt as well as dust mites can gather, you would be better off washing them every 3 months. If you are prone to allergies you would be better advised to also get a hypoallergenic pillow.
If you own a memory foam pillow and aren’t sure how to clean it, check out this guide for four simple steps that will make the task easier and faster. 

Blankets/ComfortersGenerally its enough to wash them once a season (2 times a year). The rest of the year you can occasionally toss them in the dryer for ~10-15 minutes.
Make sure that when you do wash your blanket you dry it as quickly as possible. If it holds moisture too long your blanket can get smelly. And if it isn’t dried completely before using it again, you are risking mold. 

Mattress ProtectorsTo keep your mattress clean, a mattress protector is a good investment and purchase. Instead of your mattress, now your mattress protector needs to be cleaned. (Make sure you have a waterproof mattress cover) Ideally, you should do it every two months. (Unless an accident or a spill happens, then take care of it immediately. Check this guide to learn what exactly a mattress protector is).

When should you wash more frequently?

Usually doing laundry like described above is enough. But, if you answer at least one of the following questions with a yes, you should consider doing it more often.

Do you suffer from (dust) allergies?

Do you sweat during sleep aka experience night sweats?

Did you or your partner get sick with a contagious disease?

Do you have a pet?

Do you have an infection or lesion that gets in touch with the sheets? (put them in the washing machine as soon as you get better)

Do you eat in bed?

Do you sleep naked?

Do you go to bed without showering?

Do you suffer from acne breakouts? 

Here are some more last-minute tips

Of course, you won’t get around doing laundry if you want nice clean, crisp sheets, but there are some things you can do on a regular basis to prevent your bed from getting too dirty, and just some general things you should keep in mind.

  • Always check the labels for precautions and follow the instructions.
  • If you wash or dry something in high heat, at least hang or place it in the sun or iron them. The sun acts as a natural antimicrobial agent (killing bacteria and dust mites).
  • Keep multiple bedsheets on hand to make laundry easier. After taking the old bedsheets off, you can immediately put the new ones on without waiting. 
  • Avoid naps after you get home all sweaty from the gym. Take a shower first.
  • Don’t let your pets sleep with you in bed.
  • Consider taking showers at night.
  • Don’t put on any lotions just before bed as they will rub off on the bedsheets
  • Always remove your make-up and wash your face to keep your pillow clean
  • Don’t eat or drink in bed. Crumbs attract all sorts of insects that you don’t want to sleep with you.
  • Remove dirt from your feet or socks before getting under the sheets. 
  • If you sleep in pj’s, under a blanket, with a hot water bottle, you will be sweating a lot, even if it is cold and in the middle of winter.  

That’s it for this article, now you know how to do your laundry (at least your bedding) and know how often you should change your sheets.

If you’re on a roll to create the perfect sleep environment, read these two articles to get some clean sleep. The Science Behind Getting Good Sleep & Habits You Need For Better Sleep.

Don’t forget that you can use the discount code SweetSleep15 on your next order to get a 15% discount, have you seen our
variety of mattresses yet?