It’s fun to just plop on your bed knowing that you have freshly washed sheets conditioned with your favorite scents. Soft and smooth sheets, duvets, comforters, and blankets give you comfort at night like nothing else.
But stop and take a second. When was the last time you changed your bed sheets? When did they last get a proper wash? If you’re unsure, then it’s likely that your favorite sheets and blankets need a visit to the washing machine.
The guidelines below on proper bed sheet maintenance can help you a lot, especially with the dynamics in your home that may affect your timeline when it comes to changing and washing your sheets.
Skin Issues
Do you have any allergies or fungal infections? For skin issues, it’s best to have your sheets changed every week. It’s better if you wash it with warm water and mild detergent only. Warm water kills bacteria and other microorganisms more than cold water can.
As for choosing a detergent soap, don’t use strong-scented ones as they may trigger nose and skin allergies. Choose a brand that’s more on the sweet or mildly-scented side.
Cold Season
If it’s the rainy season, you sweat less. You can opt to change your sheets less often than you do in the warm seasons. Instead of every week, you can do it every two weeks. However, if you have naturally oily skin, then change the sheets every week.
The cold season must not be a reason to forego showers. You can take hot showers if you feel too chilly. Wash up as much as you can, so your dead skin cells don’t stay too long in your skin, and contaminate your clean bed sheets.
Pets In The House
Do you sleep with your beloved dogs and cats on the bed? That’s adorable! However, your furry friends carry with them dirt, microorganisms, and even the fur they have onto your bedsheets. Because of this, use a portable vacuum or lint roller on your pillows and blankets.
As for your changing schedule, it’s best to replace your sheets every 4-5 days. This is because our furry companions really aren’t the cleanest even if we give them baths daily. After all, it sucks sleeping with comforters that are covered in dog fur, or in bed sheets smelling like cats.
Sharing A Bed
Do you share a bed with your family or your friends? Then you should change your sheets more often than usual. Instead of weekly, you can do it every 5-6 days. This is because there is more microorganisms and dirt present in beds with more than one person.
Bonus tip: regularly shake off dust and dirt in your sheets. Have a rotating schedule of who’s in charge of doing this. For instance, for two nights, you’ll be doing it and then the next two nights will be the person you go to sleep with.
Presence of Bed Bugs
Short answer: immediately! If there are pesky bed bugs, then take your sheets away from your bed first. Scrub the seams so all the bugs and their eggs are gotten rid of. Use a big brush for this. Once all the bugs are gone, put your sheets in warm water and wash with detergent.
Transfer your sheet to the dryer and set it to the highest level. This is to guarantee killing all the eggs of bed bugs in the sheets. To prevent this from recurring, vacuum, sweep, mop, and disinfect your room to ensure that no bed bugs will bite you in your sleep.
Away From Home
If you travel a lot and don’t really use your bed that often, then it’s okay to change sheets after two to three weeks. Just make sure that your bed is well maintained so that you don’t have to worry about possible bed bug infestations. You can cover your bed with a larger piece of fabric too, for prevention of any potential contaminants.
If you’re not at home and about to use bed sheets that you didn’t wash yourself, make sure you check them thoroughly. If they look and smell suspicious, then don’t use them. Buy new bed sheets, or better yet, use your own sheets.
Why Follow A Schedule For Changing Sheets?
Aside from being more systematic, having a schedule for changing sheets, beddings, duvets, blankets, comforters, and pillowcases help you have better hygiene. Fresh and clean sheets would make you want to maintain cleanliness when it comes to your own body.
If a person is untidy and unkempt, it reflects in how often they change their bed sheets. If their sheets are discolored, smelling like dried saliva, and filled with lint, dust, and dirt, then it shows how little they care for their hygiene.
Having a clean, neat, and organized bed helps you sleep better and makes you want to feel as fresh and as clean as your sheets. Besides, it’s annoying to keep scratching your skin or smelling weird scents from your bed because you know that you don't change your sheets regularly.
How Often Do You Change Your Sheets?
Are you a clean freak? Do you mind skipping wash day and lasting for more than 3 weeks? Or do you just like to stick to a normal changing schedule?
As they give you comfort and warmth, your bed sheets also deserve maintenance and care.
Now that you know the ropes, it’s time to change your sheets and bask in their softness and plushiness after a good wash.
Remember that changing your sheets is not just a chore: it’s an act of discipline and practicing good hygiene. It’s great to sleep at night seeing, feeling, and smelling that your sheets are fresh and clean.
Sources:
Advisor, S. (2021, June 10). How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets - Do You Follow This Rule? Sleep Advisor. https://www.sleepadvisor.org/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets/
Heiser, C. (2018, October 26). How Often Do You Really Need to Change Your Sheets? This Old House. https://www.thisoldhouse.com/bedrooms/21015713/how-often-do-you-really-need-to-change-your-sheets
Montijo, S. (2020, August 13). Oh, Sheet! How Often Should You Change Your Sheets? Greatist. https://greatist.com/health/how-often-should-you-change-your-sheets
Noyed, D. (2020, October 16). How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedding-information/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets
Santos-Longhurst, A. (2019, June 24). How Often Should You Change Your Sheets? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-often-should-you-change-your-sheets