How often should you really be washing your sheets?

There is nothing better than climbing into freshly washed sheets - but have you ever wondered how often you should be doing so?

We’ll set the record straight.

Bed Sheets

Clean: Once a week (at least every 2 weeks), and dry in the sun.
Replace: 2-8 years, depending on quality

You wouldn’t wear the same clothes every day for weeks on end, so why should you spend ⅓ of your life in unwashed bedding?

Those sheets might look clean, but did you know they collect sweat, skin cells, body oils and fluids, saliva, dirt and other unmentionables? Irregular cleaning can allow all of this to be absorbed by your pillows and mattress, which are much harder to clean.

Skin cells in sheets can also attract dust mites, which are triggering for allergy sufferers.

Try to wash your sheets at 60 degrees celcius to kill bacteria, and dry them in the sun, as UV light will kill many micro-organisms.

High quality sheets will last much longer, and are well worth the investment! Organic materials such natural flaxseed linen are said to grow more comfortable with age, and even contain natural temperature-regulating qualities.

Pillows

Clean: Once every 3 months (washing machine or dry clean), and dry in the sun.
Replace: Between 6 months - 3 years, depending on the quality.

If you need convincing, it has been found tha an unwashed pillow can contain up to 16 species of fungi! (That slobby housemate who never washed their sheets seems a little bit worse now, don’t they?)

Remember, not all pillows are created equal. You might need to replace that cheap supermarket pillow as often as twice a year, but premium pillows, like ones made of memory foam, will last years.

Zippered pillow protectors can also extend the life of your pillow and help to prevent dust mites and buildup.

Mattress

Clean: Every six months, and dry in the sun.
Replace: Every 7-10 years

If your mattress is already lumpy, it’s time to trade up!

We recommend you get your mattress steamed twice a year and vacuum regularly, as dust, fungi, mould spores and dust mite debris can trigger serious allergic reactions and asthma.

A mattress topper is also a great investment to preserve your mattress, and you can chuck this in the machine with the rest of your sheets.