I take daily showers and don’t snack in bed, so I don’t think my sheets ever get that dirty. Still, I wonder if I’m washing them frequently enough. How often should you change your sheets? What about other bedding, like the pillowcases, duvet, and mattress cover?
The short answer is that you should wash your sheets more often than you probably do. In fact, you need to wash your sheets once per week, though in some situations you might be able to stretch to once every other week. Some people may even need to wash their sheets as frequently as every 3 to 4 days.
We’ve already mentioned that allergies and asthma can be exacerbated by dust mites. However, that’s just the beginning of the health concerns associated with infrequent sheet washing.
How to Wash Sheets
Pretreat stains as you would for any soiled clothing items.
Wash sheets using a normal wash cycle with the hottest temperature setting recommended by the manufacturer.
Use any regular detergent, or a detergent for sensitive skin, if that’s your usual go-to.
Dry sheets at a medium to high heat setting.
Comforter: Wash quarterly, unless your pets nest on it nightly, in which case you should wash it as often as weekly.
Duvet cover: Wash quarterly, unless you have pets or don’t use a top sheet, in which case you’ll want to wash it weekly.
Pillowcases: Wash weekly with the sheets.
Pillows: Wash quarterly.
Blankets: Wash monthly.
Final Thoughts
For most people, the answer to the question “How often should you wash your bed sheets?” is once a week. Folks who aren’t always home to sleep in their beds might be able to go 2 weeks between changes, and others with pets or allergies may need to change their sheets as often as every 3 to 4 days. Take your living circumstances into consideration as you decide what makes the most sense for your family.
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