Are Your Bedsheets Really Clean? 6 Tips To Achieve Your #BedsheetHygieneGoals.

Are Your Bedsheets Really Clean? 6 Tips To Achieve Your #BedsheetHygieneGoals. - HyggeB

There’s no better feeling than slipping into clean bedsheets after a long day at work. Your bed feels luxurious and crisp- the perfect environment to relax and get some shut-eye.

Even a National Sleep Foundation survey reveals that clean and fragrant linens can help to improve sleep quality.

Unfortunately, most people don’t wash their bedsheets often enough to experience this sensation. Read on to find out why you should change your bedsheets weekly and for tips on how to keep them clean for longer.

How Often Should You Wash Bedsheets?

If you’re like most people, then you only change your bedsheets after a fortnight or a month. But, experts say you should wash them at least once a week unless you travel frequently or spend less than five nights a week at home.

But, if one or more of the following conditions apply to you or your sleeping partner, you need to wash your bedsheets every week:

  • If you’re allergic to dust or pollen
  • If you sweat profusely
  • If you have a contagious illness
  • If you sleep with a pet in the bed

We get it. Changing your bedsheets every week is not your idea of fun. Neither is the prospect of adding more laundry to your already busy weekend schedule. But, once you understand the benefits of clean bedsheets, you’ll appreciate just how valuable this practice is to your health.

What’s in Your Bedsheets?

Disclaimer: ladies, it’s not pretty. In addition to dead skin cells, body oils, sweat and dirt, your bedsheets are filled with dust mites with eight legs and a killer camouflage strategy. You could use the most sophisticated home magnifying glass and they’d still be invisible.

If you do notice tiny bug-like creatures skipping and hopping across your bed, then you’ve got bedbugs, which is even worse.

The good news is that dust mites are practically harmless. Their main food source is the dead skin cells your body sheds while you sleep. It’s clearly abundant though since there are usually millions of dust mites on the average bed.

The worst part is that over time, most of your bedding becomes a home, lavatory and gravesite for these critters. Yep, there are tiny bug carcasses on your sheets and pillows. That’s what usually causes the allergens associated with bedding, such as coughing, asthma, eczema and hay fever.

It’s even worse if you eat in bed. A 2015 study shows that both synthetic and feather pillows can accumulate four to 17 different fungus species over a time span of 2 to twenty years and most of it comes from food sources!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it doesn’t end there. Bed sheets can accumulate a milieu of other nasties as well, like germs, lint, pet dander, bacteria and fungi. Then you have chemical residue from cosmetic creams, body oils, and makeup products.

How to keep your bedding clean?

The best way to keep your bedding clean is to wash it once a week in a washing machine to kill the dust mites and any pathogens that are lurking in there.

After wash, you should always dry them in high heat or in the sun if possible. With that said, you should still check the label for relevant instructions. Keep in mind that not all linens are created equal. Most of them, however, would prefer to be lined dry than be put in a dryer.

Also, sunlight is the best drying method for bedsheets because it kills the most dust mites and microbes. You should also iron your bedsheets afterwards for further sanitization.

What about the rest of your bedding?

In addition to your bedsheets, you should also wash your pillows, comforters and blankets regularly. Experts recommend washing your comforters every two to three months.

Worried about critters taking up residence on your comforter in-between washes? Place them in the dryer and set it on high for 10 to 15 minutes every week.

You should also change your bedding after going through a contagious illness to avoid further contamination.

Your pillows accumulate a lot of debris and dirt over time so you should launder them at least twice per year. Once washed, you’ll notice your pillows feel fluffy, clean and luxurious.

Top Six Bedsheet Hygiene Tips

We can appreciate that the information we’ve shared so far is a lot to take in. To make things easier for you, here are six different bed hygiene tips that anyone can apply to improve bedsheet health and cleanliness:

  1. Wash yourself clean before going into bed. Change into clean clothes and always wash away makeup.
  2. Wash bedsheets with detergent in a washing machine at least once a week.
  3. Use a Mattress Protector and Pillowcase Protector every time you got to bed, and wash them at least once every 2 months.
  4. Hang the sheets out to dry under sunlight and iron over the pillowcases to kill any leftover bacteria.
  5. Always go for Bamboo Lyocell Sheets because they have powerful anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking qualities. Bacteria growth is much harder on Bamboo Lyocell Sheets and they’re designed to combat allergens. Learn more about Bamboo Lyocell fabric from HyggeB!
  6. Collect quality bedsheets so you can rotate them. Consider buying a new set of good quality bedsheets at least once or twice a year. Perhaps as a present to yourself on your birthday or during Christmas. In no time, you’ll have an impressive collection of high-quality bed sheets that’ll help you sleep better at night.
The Verdict

Clean bed sheets are essential to getting a good night’s sleep. This might have something to do with the peace of mind knowing that your skin won’t come into contact with dirt and funky critters.

Be sure to follow the tips we’ve shared in this article to keep your bed sheets clean and optimize your sleep. Keep in mind that you spend a third of your life sleeping, so it’s totally worth the effort.

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