There is no better feeling than fresh bed sheets. Despite this, you may be surprised how often the cleanliness of our bed still gets forgotten about… even though we sleep in it every night. You wouldn’t wear the same shirt for two weeks, so why are we happy to leave our bedding for long periods?
There are many benefits to washing bedding regularly and correctly, including infection control, preventing acne flares and general cleanliness, including warding off bed bugs. But bedding has many parts; not every part should be washed as frequently.
To make it easier for you, we’ve taken a deep dive into the world of germs and cleaning to find out the answer to crucial questions surrounding washing your bed sheets, alongside things like washing your duvet and more! Plus, you can take our quiz and find out when exactly you need to replace your pillow and duvet.
How YOUR bedding can impact your sleep
It’s not just your mattress that can affect how you sleep. Your pillow prevents back or neck pain and a good pillow will ensure your spine and neck are aligned in one straight line – essential for quality sleep.
You should also opt for natural fibres for your pillow and duvet, which can help regulate your body temperature at night. The more fluctuations in your temperature – such as overheating – the less likely you are to sleep through the night and experience more nighttime awakenings. Breathable, natural bedding materials will ensure you stay cool and sweat less – essential for good sleep hygiene.
You can also experience disrupted sleep through allergic reactions to your pillows and duvets. You can experience sneezing, itching, skin irritation and even dark circles, particularly if you do not wash your duvet or pillow regularly. The longer you leave your bedding, the more the dust mites can also build up in their tens of thousands.
Why should you wash your bed sheets?
As mentioned above, our beds are actually pretty gross. Sorry to shatter the illusion that your bed is this glorious cosy, fresh place, but your bedding is often filled with sweat, dead skin and dust mites. In case you don’t believe us, a study in 2022 saw volunteers swabbing their sheets over four weeks.
In just four weeks, a pillowcase was found to have 39 times as much bacteria as a pet bowl, whilst sheets have 5.4 times more bacteria than a toothbrush holder. If that doesn’t make your skin crawl, then we don’t know what will!
As if that’s not horrifying enough, the statistics that show how often people in the UK wash their bedding makes for some alarming reading. According to a study, 62% of single women changed their bedding every two weeks, compared to only 29% of single men and 17% of people in relationships. Alarmingly, 45% of single men only changed their sheets once every three-to-four months! Imagine how much sweat and dirt has accumulated after that long! And if you think this is just because they can’t be bothered, only 35% of people gave that as their reason compared to 38% of people who don’t believe they need to be washed more often.
We hate to break it to you, but your bedding needs to be washed more often rather than less! Not only is it gross to sleep in dirty, germ-ridden bedsheets, but there are many benefits to washing everything on your bed as directed. Dirty bedsheets affect your health – if you have asthma, eczema or dust-related allergies, you should consider cleaning your bed sheets weekly to keep any flare-ups at bay.
A 2017 study showed that infections could be passed and contracted through dirty sheets! So if you’re under the weather, get your sheets in the wash as soon as possible – especially if you’re sharing a bed with someone, as this will help prevent the infection from spreading. It has also been proven that pillowcases can harbour bacteria, causing acne flare-ups if you’re usually acne-prone. So you must wash everything on your bed as much as possible.
But how often do you need to wash your bedding?
How often should you wash your duvet cover?
Changing bedding can be a hassle, but duvet covers, sheets, pillowcases and top sheets should be washed at least once every two weeks if you wear pyjamas or shower before bed. Wash your sheets more frequently if you suffer from allergies, have an infection, sleep with no clothes on, or go to bed without showering.
You should wash your bedsheets in a hot wash, but check the care label to see the hottest temperature at which you can wash your bedding. The hotter you wash your sheets, the more germs are removed, meaning that your bedding will be properly clean and free of germs. But to keep your super soft bedding in tip-top condition, refer to the care instructions on your sheets before washing.
How often should you wash your pillows?
Though we may not wash our sheets as often as we should, at least they get done… eventually. It’s way easier to forget that our pillows must also be washed. An article by The Sun has said that as much as a third of the weight of your pillow could be due to “dead skin, dust mites and bugs”. Gross! Regular washing can prevent this. You should wash your pillows at least every three months on a hot wash to kill that bacteria, but always remember to check your product care guides.
Aim to replace your pillows every one to two years to ensure you are hygienic and adequately supported.
How often should you wash your duvet?
Did you know that if you don’t wash your duvet at least once per year, there could be up to 20,000 dust mites in it? Due to the skin cells and bacteria that can build up on your duvet, washing twice a year is recommended. Of course, more is recommended if you tend to sweat a lot, spill on your duvet, share a bed with your pet and other factors that can affect the cleanliness of your duvet.
You can time your duvet washing with the change in seasons if you swap your winter duvet for a summer duvet and vice versa. Washing your duvet this often should also help if you suffer from allergies or share your bed with your pets.
At the very least, your duvet should absolutely be washed once a year. Again, checking the care instructions ensures your duvet has a long life. Synthetic fibre duvets can usually be washed on a regular spin cycle at 60 degrees Celsius or higher if the care label says so. Feather and down-filled duvets typically need to be dry-cleaned, so make sure that you check the labels before trying to wash them yourself.
Duvets tend to last longer than pillows as you don’t sleep on top of them. As long as you keep your duvet clean and bacteria-free, it can last around five years!
How can I clean my mattress?
Now, mattresses are more tricky. If you’ve got a mattress protector, great. You should be using one and washing it around every two months following the care instructions. But what about the actual mattress?
Now you can’t pop this in your washing machine, nor can you take it to the dry cleaners, so how can you make sure you’re keeping your mattress clean? Well, it’s pretty easy. Remove all your bedding, and after checking manufacturer guidelines, hoover your mattress surface on the lowest setting to remove dust and any other surface dirt. You can then treat the mattress with upholstery cleaner if needed.
To remove any odours clinging to your mattress, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda over the mattress. Try to leave it for 24 hours before vacuuming again; this should absorb any unwanted scents! You should replace your mattress every 8 years to get the best support possible and the most hygienic night’s sleep.
How to make your bedding more hygienic and longer lasting
1. Use pillow protectors
If you are prone to drooling in your sleep, a pillow protector can improve the longevity of your pillow. This is an additional layer between you and your pillow, and, as we know, moisture buildup can lead to yellow stains. The more moisture, the more yellow your pillow. If you sleep on your side, you could try to sleep on your back as you are less likely to drool as a back sleeper.
2. Leave your pillow and duvet to air before putting new bedding on
We all have a ‘making the bed’ day. And we want to get the bed made as soon as possible. But, when you remove the previous bedspread, leave your pillows and duvets to air. If you leave the bed and change the bedding immediately, the moisture and heat build-up becomes trapped in your new bedding. And these humid conditions are where bacteria and mites thrive. So, next time, leave your pillows, duvets and mattress at least 30 minutes before you change the bedding.
3. Don’t let your pets on your unmade pillows and duvets
We are a nation of pet lovers. But try not to let your pets sleep or lie on your unmade pillows and duvets. Pets can leave behind fur that can irritate and trigger your allergies, leaving you struggling to breathe properly when it comes to sleep. And, if you don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours, your next day is impacted.
Pets can also harbour bacteria and germs that can pass to your bedding; therefore, you need to wash your pillows and duvets much more than what we recommend each year. If you allow your pet to share your bed, we also suggest you wash your bedding regularly to ensure their fur and dander do not affect your sleep.
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