Admit it – changing your bedsheets is not your favourite thing to do. Wrestling with your bedding and putting your sheets onto wash is never fun. Still, we do know that it’s something we need to do. Climbing into our sheets at the end of a long day means that we are bringing a day’s worth of dirt into our bed – especially if you shower in the morning.
Spending 6-9 hours in bed every night amounts to a lot of dirt being collected. Sweat, hairs, skin flakes, and many other parts of our body shed and make its way onto our sheets. For those with skin problems and allergies, dirty sheets can worsen preexisting problems.
So, how often should I wash my bedsheets?
You may not be pleased to hear that sleep and hygiene experts recommend changing your bedsheets at least once every two weeks. Bear in mind this is the maximum recommended time to change your sheets. The recommended changing period starts at once a week.
You should try to stick to around once a week if you’re bringing a lot of dirt to your bed. If your schedule means you shower in the morning, you should really change it more often. If you tend to sleep in the nude, your sheets will likely be dirtier from your body.
For those with allergies or asthma, the dust mites and dead skin cells work along side each other to worsen one another. To stop your symptoms from worsening, clean bedsheets are essential.
How often should I change my pillowcase?
Your pillowcase needs to be changed even more often. Your pillow collects the hair directly from your head and often collects saliva from those who drool. Any oils on your head or face can lie on your pillow and stay there. IdeFor good hair and skin hygiene, a dirty pillow will make your hair and skin oily, leading to acne and hair breakage.
Ideally, you should change your pillowcase every two days. Because your pillow is a smaller piece of fabric and is intimately connected to your head, it needs to be changed more often.
Is there any way I can go longer without changing them?
Maintaining good hygiene before bed can let you go longer between washes. Ensuring you are clean before bed is the best thing you can do. Making sure only you use your bed for sleeping will also help. When you get clean, however, make sure your face and body are fully dry from any moisturisers, lotions, etc. Taking extra time to ensure your makeup is off completely to help keep the pillow fully clean.
Not all bedsheets are created equal. Some materials avoid collecting material better than others. Bamboo bedding has greater moisture and temperature control, meaning you’re less likely to sweat and develop breakouts. For those with sensitive skin or oily, damaged hair, silk pillows do not collect bacteria and moisture in the same manner as cotton pillows, helping to save your skin and hair. Shop our silk pillow collection here.
