Whether or not you have a cleaning routine and schedule, you might be wondering how often you should wash your bedsheets and linen.
It's an easy chore to skip - if you're anything like me, you might regularly put off stripping your bed and changing your sheets out of pure laziness (can we all agree that changing a duvet cover is basically a workout?!).
However, the importance of having clean linen on your bed can't be overstated. I asked Laura Mountford, aka Laura Cleanaholic on Instagram (opens in new tab) for her thoughts, and she said "Dust mites feed off of the dead skin cells we shed every day - so definitely best to keep them at bay by washing your bedsheets and pillowcases regularly". Yikes. BRB, I'm off to put a wash on.
If you're looking to upgrade your laundry setup, check out our guides to the best top load washers (opens in new tab), best front load washers (opens in new tab), and best washer dryer combos (opens in new tab). Also, with Presidents' Day round the corner, we've rounded up the best washer and dryer Presidents' Day Sale deals (opens in new tab) for you to find appliances for less.
How often should you wash your bedsheets?
In simple terms, the answer to that question is every week. I know, I know, that sounds like a lot and your sheets won't always look grimy after a week, but remember that bit about the dust mites?
Laura Mountford said "[Pillowcases and bedsheets] should ideally be washed weekly to keep them fresh and hygienic. As we sleep on them every night, they have a build-up of oils, sweat and dirt, which can cause bacteria, allergies and even irritation to skin and hair."
So even if you don't think your linen is dirty, after a week the chances are your sheets have accumulated all sorts of dust, particles, bacteria and other nasties. Just think back to all the times you've lied down on your bed wearing socks and clothes you were wearing outside...
I don't know about you, but I've been convinced to add cleaning my sheets to my weekly cleaning routine. To make sure you can manage a weekly wash, investing in at least a second set of bed linen is a good idea, so you can alternate between the two sets when one is in the wash.
Top tips to wash your sheets
If your washer has a specific sheets cycle, make sure to use it to wash your linen. This will make sure they're washed at the appropriate temperature and speed to properly sanitize them without causing damage.
In the event you don't have a specific cycle, consult your washer's user guide, or use the cycle recommended for your bedsheets' fabric type (linen, cotton, satin, etc). Keep in mind that fragile fabrics like satin or bamboo might need a more gentle cycle, while cotton sheets can probably just go through your regular one.
As we've discussed above, sheets can get pretty grimy pretty fast. Especially if someone in the house has been ill, you might want to consider using a sanitizing cycle to wash them, if your washer has that option.
Drying your bedsheets is straightforward. Unless they're made from a fabric that doesn't fare well in the dryer (like satin, for example), you can throw them in there on a low heat cycle. Avoid drying them for too long or on too high a temperature, as that is likely to damage them. To help with even drying, you can use wool dryer balls (opens in new tab).
Laura Mountford's book Live, Laugh, Laundry (opens in new tab) will be released in the UK on April 13th, 2023.
