How often do you wash your bed sheets? That question popped up in a recent Men’s Health pitch meeting, and when one editor estimated that he threw his sheets in the wash “maybe once a month,” some colleagues mock-vomited in disgust. Keep this field blank Enter your email address You may unsubscribe at any time. But that didn’t sound so bad after we saw a survey from mattress company Ergoflex, who found that 55 percent of single guys ages 18 to 25 wash their bed sheets every three months. Related: 15 Gross Things Every Guy Does When Nobody Is Looking After a quick poll around the office revealed that most people wash theirs every week or two, we wanted to find the definitive rule. Not surprisingly, laundry and hygiene experts suggest you play it safe. Mary Gagliardi, a researcher for Clorox who goes by the name “Dr. Laundry,” likens your sheets to clothes you wear for 8 hours every night. If you think about it in those terms, she says, you should wash at least once a week.
“I don’t think there are too many other pieces of clothing that you’d want to wear 56 hours before you wash them,” Gagliardi says. (Or 700 hours, if you’re one of the guys in the Ergoflex survey.) But just how dirty can your sheets really get? Humans shed skin calls at a rate of 500 million per day, according to the American Chemical Society. So if you spend a third of your day sleeping, that means 166 million could end up in your bed every night. (Check out 7 Crazy Things That Happen When You Sleep.) Now consider the bodily oils, sweat, and dirt that rub onto your sheets as you sleep—and with them, a host of bacteria and other microorganisms. The good news: Most of these bugs aren’t harmful, but they begin to multiply the longer you use your sheets. If you give bacteria enough time to build up, your washing machine will have a tougher time removing them, says Sally Bloomfield, an honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Some of the other nasty germs you can easily pick up and spread to your sheets—like cold viruses, or fungi like athlete’s foot—can survive for many weeks without a host, says Bloomfield. That’s why she also recommends the wash-once-a-week rule. Related: The Germiest Places You Touch Every Day Though Bloomfield suggests using 140-degree water, most washing machines don’t usually gauge temperature. So choose the hottest setting available, she says. The warmer the water, the more germs you’ll kill. And use bleach, which disinfects better than just hot water and detergent. If your sheets are white, stick to chlorine bleach (often labeled as regular). Otherwise, use a solid oxygen bleach to ensure your colors don’t fade.There has long been heated debate about how often bed linen should be changed.But new research suggests millions of Britons are risking illness because they do not replace their pillows and duvet as often as they should.The study revealed that the average person uses their pillows for a year longer than is recommended and that they use the same duvet for two years longer than they should.
Some 82 per cent of Britons don't know that pillows should be replaced every two years and duvets, every five The poll of nearly 2,200 men and women over the age of 18 found that 82 per cent of people do not know how often they should replace their pillows and duvet.According to the Sleep Council, pillows should be replaced every two years and duvets should be thrown away after five years.But, a study by Ergoflex UK showed that the average Briton uses a pillow for 3.2 years and a duvet for 7.6 years. As a result, experts say they are risking neck problems caused by sleeping without enough head and neck support.They are also at risk of health problems associated with dust mite infestations.The survey revealed 57 per cent of people only replace their bedding when it feels like it is wearing thin.Some 46 per cent say they replace it when they feel like it has been too long since they last changed their bedding. By not replacing their pillows, people are putting themselves at risk of sleeping with insufficient neck and head support
Others said they throw out their bedding when they start to struggle to sleep or to get comfortable.For 21 per cent of people it is all about cost – they only buy new bedding when there is a sale on.While people are clueless about how often they should change their bedding, most are aware that pillows should be changed more often than duvets.According to the survey, 61 per cent of people replace their pillows more frequently because they are aware of the hygiene issues associated with not doing so.Jed MacEwan, Managing Director of www.Ergoflex.co.uk, said: ‘We can’t quite believe that 82 per cent of Britons don’t know the recommended time periods which dictate when you should replace your bedding, not to mention that the average Briton uses their pillows and duvet for between one and two years longer than they should. ‘Not only are they increasing their chances of having restless nights, they’re also risking sustained periods of sleeping without an adequate level of support to the neck and head, along with various hygiene problems that may arise from dust mite infestations in older bedding.‘
Independent specialists at the Sleep Council recommend that your mattress should be replaced every seven years, and it’s certainly prudent that duvets and pillows are replaced every five and two years respectively. ‘Of course this is dependent on the quality of the products you buy, and it’s possible to extend the life of your bedding by purchasing protectors. ‘We hope that Britons will look at the results of this study and think long and hard about the various risks they’re posing on themselves by hanging onto their bedding longer than they should – after all it’s a decision that will result in altogether healthier, better quality sleep.’The Importance Of Washing Bed Sheets Regularly They say you spend a third of your life sleeping, which means that you spend a third of your life in bed. If you're spending that much time in one place, it's important to make sure that it's clean. There are all sorts of things lurking in your sheets that you may not be aware of, and they could pose a threat to your health if cleanliness isn't maintained.
Let this guide help you understand the importance of washing bed sheets regularly. What's In Your Sheets? If you could put your sheets under a microscope, you might be surprised - and a little freaked out - by what you would see. Almost every bed has dust mites, which are microscopic bugs that feed off of dead skin cells. These little things live, die and reproduce in the same bed sheets that you sleep in. The only way to keep these creatures under control is to wash your bed sheets on a regular basis. Otherwise, you may develop an allergy, or even a lowered immune system. As gross as dust mites are, they aren't the only things hiding in your bed sheets. Here's what you also may be sleeping in: Dead skin cells - Your body sheds about a million skin cells a day, so some of those are bound to come off when you sleep. Unfortunately, dead skin cells are a tasty snack for dust mites. Oils - Your body secretes natural oils as you sleep, which, of course, end up on your bed sheets.
Sweat - If you get too hot during the night, your body will sweat to cool off. Bodily fluids - Saliva, blood, urine, fecal matter and bodily fluids from intercourse are all liable to show up on your bed sheets. Food crumbs - If you like to bring that midnight snack to bed, there's probably crumbs and other food particles that are begging to be eaten by bugs. How Often Should You Wash Your Bed Sheets? If you're washing your sheets only once a month, that's not going to cut it. Your sheets need to be washed at least every other week, but weekly is ideal. It's also important to wash your pillow at least twice a year. Pillows can harbor mold, yeast and bacteria, which can cause diarrhea, asthma or bronchitis. If you have never washed your pillow, you may want to consider throwing it away and getting a new one. For more information on the dangers of mold, read Health Hazards of Mold Exposure. If you are taking care of someone who is sick, you should try to wash the sheets every day so that person isn't recuperating in a germ-filled bed.
If you aren't able to wash them every day, then just changing the pillowcase daily should suffice. How to Wash Your Bed Sheets The key to keeping bedding clean is to know how to clean it. It's important to follow the manufacturer's care instructions, but if you aren't familiar with them, then follow these tips to clean everything from sheets to comforters: Wash them in hot soapy water and let them dry completely in the dryer. Don't wash them with clothes as it might damage the sheets or cause them to become fuzzy. If the sheets have a stain, tend to it before washing. For a natural way to brighten white sheets, add a quarter of a cup of lemon juice to the wash and wash with warm water. Use medium or low setting when washing or drying. High heat can cause the fibers to weaken, which can lead to rips and tears. Ball your sheets up when you put them in the washer. This will prevent them from stretching out and losing shape. Wool blankets should be washed in cold water and put on a low spin in the dryer.
Electric blankets should not be dry-cleaned since the solvents used can damage the wiring. If you don't want to wash your blankets often, vacuum them in between washings to remove dust and lint. Mend any rips or tears before washing blankets. Test your comforter or bedspread for colorfastness before washing it. Dip a corner of the bedspread or comforter into a bit of the detergent to see if the color bleeds. If it does, have it dry-cleaned instead. Consider cleaning your comforter or bedspread in a commercial washer and dryer. Your own appliances may not be able to tolerate the wet weight of the bedding. Wash your comforter in cold water and dry it on low heat. Or, hang it on a clothesline and let it air dry. Wash quilts the same way as a comforter. If the quilt is filled with batting or is old and fragile, hand-wash it. If the quilt has silk or velvet on it, do not wash it. Machine-wash pillows in cold water and dry them on a cool setting.
Fluff pillows daily to get rid of lingering dust and dead skin cells. Air out your pillows frequently to freshen them up. Hang them on a clothesline or near an open window. If you're washing sheets for someone who is sick, hold the bedding away from you and make sure you wash your hands afterward. Wash the sheets in warm water and dryer them on a high setting. 8 Simple Tips On How To Prevent Cellulite When people talk about cellulite, the first thing that comes to mind is the ruff... 10 Common Places Where You Can Catch The Flu There are common areas and objects you come across every single day that can be ... The Dangers of Paint Fumes Read this article to find out how paint fumes can be dangerous to people and the... Diseases from Not Washing Your Hands List of Diseases from Not Washing Hands Importance of Hand Washing Washing Instructions for Viscose Hand Wash Dry Clean Viscose Vaccine Prevention of Bacterial Meningitis Caregiver Sandwich: Caring for Your Loved Ones and Yourself