How to Wash Bed Sheets & How Often

Is there anything more relaxing than crawling into your comfortable bed after a long day and sinking into freshly washed and nice-smelling sheets? But sleeping on a clean sheet doesn’t only feel and smell nice. It’s also great for your health and it will help you feel more comfortable and sleep better.

However, washing sheets can be a more complicated task than it first seems. It’s not just about throwing your bedding into the washing machine and turning it on. You need to know how often to wash the sheets, understand what kind of maintenance different types of fabric require, and much more.

There’s no need to worry about if you’re approaching this task right. We’re here to answer every question you could possibly have about washing your sheets. If you want to make sure your sheet maintenance is exactly how it should be, you’ve come to the right place.

Why do you need to wash your sheets

At one point or another, almost everyone has wondered if washing sheets is really such a necessity. After all, isn’t dirt just caused by stains? If that’s your viewpoint, you’re mistaken because dirty sheets are more than just stained bedding.

When you sleep, your sheets collect sweat, body oils, dirt, and dead skin cells. If you don’t wash them regularly, they get exposed to bacteria, pollen, and fungi. Also, there are animal hairs and dander if you sleep with your pets.

That may not seem like too big of a deal, and a lot of people wouldn’t mind sleeping in small amounts of dirt or body oils for a couple of weeks. However, you should be concerned about dust mites, which are microscopic creatures that feed on dead skin cells.

They’re common in most households, and while they don’t bite, they cause irritation and sink rashes. And for people who have allergies, dust mites can worsen their symptoms. The same goes for people who suffer from eczema.  

They can easily be found in bedding, so if you don’t want to share your bed with dust mites, make sure to wash your sheets regularly.

How to keep sheets as clean as possible

You should be washing sheets regularly, but you should also do everything in your power to make sure your sheets stay as clean as possible between washings.

Here are some things to remember if you don’t want your sheets to get dirty much faster:

●      Shower every night. The debate of when it’s better to shower – in the morning or the evening – will always be a hot topic for discussion. However, if you want to get the least amount of sweat as possible on your sheets, showering right before going to bed is the way to go.

●      Remove all makeup. Not only is sleeping with makeup on extremely bad for your skin, but it also makes your sheets dirty. And while we’re on the topic of beauty products, you should also avoid putting on any lotions, oils, or creams right before bed.

●      Don’t let pets into your bed. Even though we all love our pets, there are multiple reasons why you shouldn't share your bed with a pet. One of those reasons is that sharing a bed with a pet even for one night will make the sheets instantly dirty.

●      Take off your socks before going to bed. Socks collect a lot of dirt and debris during the day, which is something you don’t want on your sheets. But if you’re the type of person who likes to sleep with their socks on, make sure to put clean socks on before crawling into bed.

This, of course, goes for both flat and fitted sheets. Regardless of the type of sheets you have, they need to be kept as clean as possible.

How often should you wash your sheets

If you do everything we mentioned above to keep your sheets as clean as possible while you use your bed, you should still clean them regularly. Most people should do this once a week, but there are some exceptions and times when you should do it more frequently.

Wash your sheets once every 3-4 days if you do any of the following:

●      Sweat excessively, especially during the summer months.

●      Have asthma, allergies, or are sensitive to dust. This also counts for a dust mite allergy.

●      Don’t shower before bed, especially if you go to sleep right after a workout.

●      Sleep without any clothes on or don’t put on clean pyjamas and socks before getting into bed.

●      Bring food and eat in bed, regardless if you think you didn’t get any food on the sheets themselves.

How to wash your bed sheets

Now that you know why it’s important to wash your sheets regularly and how often you should do it, it’s time to go through all the steps you need to take to wash your bed sheets properly. All bed sheets, king, mega king, split king are washed the same. Just make sure there is enough room in washing machine for the sheets to wash properly,

Take your sheet off and read the label

When the time for washing comes, take the sheets off the mattress and read the label carefully. There, you will find instructions on how to wash and dry your sheets correctly. Remember that each fabric requires a different approach, so make sure to know how to protect your bedding while washing it.

Put the sheets in the washing machine

Once you’re sure you have understood everything you read on the label, it’s time to put the sheets in the washing machine. If you have more room in the machine, you can add additional laundry, but only if the fabrics match and have the same washing instructions. And make sure not to overload your washer.

Put in the washing detergent

Once you’ve filled up your machine, it’s time to add the washing detergent. Different load sizes require different amounts of detergent, so measure out the correct amount and place it in your washing machine. Be careful as not to put the detergent in the wrong compartment.

Always remember to put in the right amount of detergent. If you don’t put enough, you won’t wash the bedding properly. But if you put too much of it, you will cause your sheets to wear and tear much faster.

Choose the appropriate cycle

Modern washing machines have so many different cycles that it’s nearly impossible to choose the wrong one. If you have one of these machines, you probably have a cycle that’s only for sheets. And if you don’t, you can simply opt for the regular cycle.

Take care of stains

Stains are a part of everyone’s life, but you don’t have to live with them. Instead, you can use natural ingredients to get rid of stains from your sheets. Add a quarter cup of lemon juice in the wash cycle and one cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle, and you can say goodbye to those pesky stains.  

How to wash sheets made out of different fabrics

Not all fabrics are the same, and many people have sheets made out of various fabrics. And if this is the case with you too, your approach to washing them should be different.

The process we just went through applies to cotton sheets, which are the most common type of fabric used in bedding. But if you have sheets made of different fabrics, here are the different approaches you need to take.

Silk and satin sheets

If you use silk or satin sheets, you’ll need to find a detergent that was made specifically for delicate fabrics. You also need to wash them with cold water on a gentle cycle. And whatever you do, don’t put in any laundry that is made out of heavier fabrics with your silk and satin sheets because it can cause snags.

Additionally, avoid using any sort of chemical additives and bleach when washing silk and satin sheets because it can easily damage the delicate fabric. After the washing cycle is complete, dry your sheets on a clothesline or a no-heat cycle as a hot dryer will ruin them.

Linen sheets

Linen and cotton are very similar materials, but it’s important to note that the fibres in linen are much weaker. That means that when you’re washing linen sheets, you need to do so with more care and attention.

Use warm water (never hot) and a mild detergent, as well as a gentle washing cycle. Avoid tumble-drying your sheets and hang-dry them instead. Linen is prone to shrinking when it’s exposed to hot temperatures, so you should never put them in a hot dryer.

Bamboo sheets

Bamboo is a natural fibre, and bamboo sheets should always be washed with mild laundry detergent. If possible, try to find a detergent that was made specifically for natural products because it will keep your sheets looking brand new for much longer. And never use any harsh cleaners or bleach.

When washing, make sure to use a gentle wash cycle. And when drying, it would be better to air-dry the sheets, but you can also put them on a low setting in your dryer.

How to dry sheets

Once your sheets are nice and clean, it’s time to dry them. Try to remove them from your washing machine as soon as possible because if they stay wet for long, you will risk mould growing on the sheets.

Take them out of the washing machine gently and shake them as much as you can. This will get rid of any access water and prepare them for drying. Once you’ve done that, you can choose between two methods of drying: 

●      Put them in the dryer.

●      Hang them on the clothesline.

Putting your sheets in the dryer

If you want to get that soft feel on your sheets, you should put them in the dryer. Even if you opt for drying your bedding on the clothesline, you can still put the sheets in the dryer for a few minutes to get that wonderful feeling of sheets that are soft to the touch.

Before you place your sheets in the dryer, make sure to shake them out first. Always use a medium or low setting because the high setting can cause premature wearing on the sheets. If you have a more modern dryer, it might have a setting that will cause it to turn off once your sheets are dry.

Putting your sheets on a clothesline

If you decide to wash your sheets on a warm and sunny day, putting them out to air-dry on a clothesline is a great idea. Drying laundry like this is much better for the environment, and it’s absolutely necessary for some fabrics, as we already mentioned.

However, you need to remember that you should only hang pure white sheets in the direct sun. If you have coloured sheets, make sure to place them in the shade. Otherwise, you risk the colour fading out.

Conclusion

People think that the most important thing when it comes to having a good night’s sleep is learning how to choose the best sheets for your bed. And while that’s certainly important, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of proper maintenance.

When you learn how to wash your bed sheets and how often you should do it, you will soon realise the benefits of doing this task regularly. It’s worth the effort when you realize that with proper washing and drying of your sheets, you will feel better, your sheets will look nicer, and your sleep quality will improve significantly.