How often you should change bed sheets

How often should you change bed sheets and why? How to prevent mites on bedsheets? We tell you this and much more in this article!

Along with towels, bed sheets are the home textiles that require constant maintenance. Cleaning properly and keeping the home hygienic has a positive impact on lifestyle, changing bed sheets regularly aids a deeper and more refreshing sleep.

How often should you change bed sheets?

Bed sheets should be washed at least once or twice a week, particularly in summer or during heat waves, since the sweat on our skin comes into contact with the sheets and they start to smell unpleasant, and become dirty.

Not only because of the sweat we release, but also because our body releases dead cells while we sleep. Therefore, if we don’t change bed sheets regularly, these dead skin cells can attract mites. These bugs cause problems for our skin, like break outs, allergies and other discomforts.

In addition, according to experts, accumulating dirt and mites in our beds can even affect sleep quality, stopping us from resting properly at night.

If we have a cold or are ill, it is worth changing the sheets several times to prevent the virus from being stored between the sheets and, if we share a bed, to prevent spreading it to another person. 

How to wash bed sheets properly

To wash bed sheets properly, you need to know what material they are made of. Sheets are usually made of cotton, satin or flannel. Therefore, it is important to follow the washing instructions found on the labels. That way, they will last longer and won’t deteriorate during each wash.

In general, sheets should be washed in warm water, at around 30 degrees, although this type of wash doesn’t fully remove all bacteria. Sometimes, they should be washed more intensely, at 60 degrees, particularly when people have colds or viruses to ensure the material is fully disinfected.

Don’t forget to maintain mattresses and/or duvets and pillows properly too.

When it comes to hanging them out, it’s best to stretch them out as much as possible so they dry properly, but especially so they air and get the sun, thereby preventing damp.

Once dry, they should ideally be folded and ironed gently before putting them away for when they are needed again.

If we’re organised and make this task part of a routine, it’s not difficult and we make sure we have clean and refreshing sleep for our health.