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How Often Should You Wash Bed Sheets?

February 16, 2023

Bed sheets act as barriers between you and the mattress. To understand their importance, however, we have to talk a little more about the latter. As you might be aware, these pads can become a host to allergens such as dust mites, which can greatly affect your quality of sleep. Luckily, we can minimize our contact with these microscopic bugs by using a bed sheet.

That’s not all that they’re good for, though. As it turns out, bed sheets also protect your mattress. “From what?”, you might be wondering. The answer is simple, really—the perspiration that escapes your body. By taking in the moisture, the sheets will prevent your mattress from being soaked.

Trust me, a soaked mattress is not a good thing; it can lead to the development of spores, molds, even mites! The worst part of all is that they can be difficult to wash. Can you imagine trying to scrub your mattress clean? It’s definitely not fun.

The Importance of Keeping Your Sheets Clean

Ideally, you want to wash your sheets every week so that they’re kept clean. As you can imagine, they tend to get dirty quickly—after all, they’re in constant contact with sweat and allergens. Who wants to sleep on icky linen? Not to mention it’d also defeat the purpose of having sheets in the first place.

clean bed sheets

Not just that but it can lead to a number of other consequences as well. Let’s take a look at some of them below.

Dead Skin Cells Lead to Odor Growth

Dirty sheets often contain sweat and body oils—but did you know that you can also find fecal matter in the fibers? You can easily see how this would lead to the presence of contaminants.

To make things worse, contaminants love dead skin cells and sweat, both of which can be found on your sheets. This often leads to rapid multiplication. Assuming that your linens are not regularly washed and that you have an open wound, the contaminants can enter and cause an infection.

In some cases, fungi spores can also grow on the sheets, which can lead to icky things like ringworm. Fortunately, you can prevent those issues with frequent washing.

Issues with Dust Mites

dustmites in bedding

Dust mites are commonly found in bedding and can cause allergies that can impair your sleep health. This has to do with the fact that every time we go to sleep, dead skin cells go onto the sheets.

Dust mites feed on our flakes of dead skin, and the longer you sleep on a particular sheet, the more dead skin cells there will be.

At the end of the day, however, it’s their excrement that’s responsible for causing the allergy symptoms (especially those with sensitive skin). For example, they can cause skin irritation, sneezing, wheezing, or coughing throughout the night.

That’s why it’s so important to wash sheets regularly.

Chance of Infection and Skin Irritation

If someone in the bed is sick, chances are, there will be bacteria or viruses on the sheets. More often than not, it will be soaked into the fibers.

As you can imagine, this can make it easy for the infection to spread to others. Given that, you always wash your hands with soap before getting into bed if you’re sick.

Development of Odors

Sheets can get smelly. This isn’t surprising, though, when you consider the fact that they’re often covered with sweat, dirt, body oils, and other grime. What’s worse is that the odor can easily transfer onto you or your clothes during your sleep.


How Often Should You Wash Bed Sheets?

how often wash bed sheets

As a general rule, you want to wash your sheets weekly. That will help keep sweat, allergens, and grime at bay. Sure, it might be a bit tedious, but your health is worth it—especially if you have pre-existing allergies to dust mites.

And anyway, it’s not that difficult to wash sheets if you have a washing machine.

Washing Sheets in the Summer

As the temperatures get warmer in the summer, it’s a good idea to wash them more frequently. After all, you’ll likely be sweating more at night. The same goes for when you’re sick—washing the sheets more often will help to prevent the spread of infection.

How Often to Wash Your Sheets in the Winter

During the cooler months, you might be able to get away with washing your sheets once every two weeks. Having said that, it’s a good idea to stay with the once-a-week rule; that will for sure, keep them fresh and clean.


How To Properly Wash Your Sheets, Comforters & Other Bedding

Washing your sheets requires a bit of effort, but it’s not nearly as difficult as you might think. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to enjoy freshly cleaned linens.

Washing Sheets in the Washing Machine

Be sure to read all of the care labels before you begin. While most sheets are machine washable, some might require special care that you might not be able to provide at home.

Step 1: Add ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster

active laundry booster 1

Add one scoop of ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster to the washing machine.

Step 2: Put the Sheets In the Machine

bedsheets

Take the sheets off the bed and carefully put them in the washing machine, making sure they’re not bundled excessively. Avoid wrapping them around the agitator. Not only will that cause them to tear but it can also damage or break the motor.

Step 3: Add ACTIVE Detergent

active detergent

Once the linens are in the machine, add one scoop of ACTIVE Detergent. Do not use too much otherwise it will be difficult to rinse off when washing.

Step 4: Run a Laundry Cycle

washing machine settings

Wash your sheets with warm water on a regular cycle (some washers might have a setting specifically for sheets).

Hot water can also be used if the sheets are excessively dirty. Just keep in mind that the warm temperature will cause the fabric to wear out faster.

Supply:

  • ACTIVE Detergent
  • ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster

Given how bulky they are, it’s best to wash your sheets separate from other items.

active elb transparent

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Hand Washing Bed Sheets In a Bathtub

For those who don’t have a washing machine, you can easily wash your bedding and sheets in a bathtub. It might take a little longer but with the proper steps, it’ll be just as effective.

Supplies:

Step 1:

Fill your bathtub with hot water and add one scoop of ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry booster.

Once it’s mixed, place your bedding in and let it soak for up to one hour.

active laundry booster 1

Step 2:

Drain the bathtub and re-fill it with clean water. This time, add a bit of ACTIVE Detergent to create a soapy solution.

activewear laundry detergent gym clothing deodorizer

Step 3:

Submerge your bedding in the bathtub; the fabric should be completely immersed in the detergent mixture.

Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, stirring the sheets every 10 minutes or so by hand.

soapy mixture

Step 4:

Drain the bathtub of the dirty water, then rinse the sheets with clean water.

Continue until the water runs clear, then gently wring out the fabric to get rid of the excess water.

rinse with water 1

Step 5:

Allow the sheets to air dry on a clothesline. Avoid putting them under direct sunlight as the sun can cause the colors to fade.

bedsheets on clothesline

Best Way to Dry Your Cotton Sheets

It can take several hours for your cotton sheets to dry completely.

Supplies:

  • Clothesline
take bedsheets out of washer

Step 1:

Take the bed sheets out of the washer once the cycle is complete.

Don’t leave the items inside the machine for long periods; that will lead to mold and mildew growth.

air dry bed sheets

Step 2:

Gently shake out the sheets and hang them on a clothesline. Avoid putting them under direct sunlight as that can cause the colors to fade.

Alternatively, you can put them in the dryer on the lowest heat setting.

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Picture of Ava Thompson

Ava Thompson

Ava Thompson is a cleaning specialist and home organization guru. Her profound knowledge, honed through years of experience, is thoughtfully shared in her thorough walkthroughs here on our blog. Ava’s pragmatic tips and innovative strategies empower individuals to transform their living spaces into models of cleanliness and order. She’s a go-to source for those seeking to enhance their home environment efficiently and effectively. She has become a key contributor on the ACTIVE blog.

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