Be honest: When was the last time you washed your sheets? If the answer is more than two weeks ago, you should probably take them to the washing machine, like, right now.
In the same way that your clothes accumulate dirt, oil, odor, sweat and stains when you wear them multiple times, your sheets, pillows and other bedding products get dirtier the more you sleep on them. Not to mention all that dead skin you’re shedding every day (around 600,000 skin cells a day, to be exact) that your sheets and pillowcases catch.
“Some bedding is especially prone to getting dirty — such as your fitted sheet and pillowcases — due to the extra weight and contact on them each night,” said Ruthie Osswald, a designer at Brooklinen. This is totally normal, since your fitted sheets and pillowcases tend to absorb more sweat and body oils throughout the night, Osswald explained.
“Washing your bedding regularly will help your linens last over time,” Osswald said. “We spend more or less eight hours in bed each night, and our laundry day should reflect the time we spend letting our weight, body oil and sweat wear on our sheets and other bedding.”
But just how frequently should you be washing every product, and how can you take care of your bedding to extend its life on your mattress? Osswald addresses all your questions below.
For more sleep tips, here are the best adjustable mattresses.
How often should I wash my sheets, pillowcases and comforter?
Sheets
Osswald suggests washing your sheets every two weeks, and alternating between two sets to “increase overall longevity.” “For some sleepers — such as hot sleepers or those living in a warm climate — washing your bedding more often can help avoid a higher dirt and sweat build-up over time,” she said.
Pillowcases
Did you know that when you go to bed with a wet head, the moisture from your damp hair can transfer onto your pillow? This creates “the perfect environment for unwanted fungi, bacteria and more,” Chandler Coleman, a consumer insights investigator for ConsumerSafety.org, told USA Today. Nasty, right? That’s a good reason to, first, dry your hair before bedtime and, second, wash your pillowcases once a week, which is what dermatologists generally recommend, anyway. Dermatologists suggest the one-week-wash rule to prevent any dirt, oil, drool or sweat buildup from accumulating on your pillowcase and transferring to your skin, causing breakouts or irritation. The trick of having two sets, as Osswald recommends for bedsheets, applies to pillowcases too.
Pillows
Wash your pillows as you notice them developing spots or stains, Osswald suggests. Yes, you could hypothetically throw your pillow in the wash to clean it, but Osswald recommends otherwise. Consider spot-cleaning spills or stains on pillows with warm water and a detergent or use a gentle stain remover for tough stains.
Comforters
The philosophy for washing your pillows as stains and spots appear applies to comforters as well, according to Osswald. To keep your comforter in good shape, Osswald recommends using a duvet cover on top of it to keep the body oil transfer at a minimum. She also recommends hanging comforters outside on a dry day or using the air fluff setting on your dryer to give them a boost.
What can I do in between laundry washes to keep bedding clean?
Along with getting two sets of sheets and pillowcases so you can alternate them, you can also keep bedding cleaner in between washes by showering at night. Doing so deters excess dirt or oil from climbing into your bed with you before you fall asleep — just remember to dry off your wet hair.
How often should you replace your bedding?
Once you see signs of wear — maybe your pillows aren’t as plush as they were when you first purchased them or your once pearly-white comforter is getting grayer by the day — it’s time for a replacement. The lifespan of some bedding products, like fitted sheets, pillowcases and pillows, is shorter than the products that don’t interact with your skin as frequently. And don’t forget to closely follow the care instructions on your bedding, Osswald said.
For more bedding tips, here are the best mattresses on the market and a review of the Dreamcloud mattress.
You Probably Aren’t Washing Your Sheets Enough, Expert Reveals – CNET
Source: Media Star Philippines
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