How Often Should You Wash Your Bed Linens?

No matter how often you wash your sheets, one thing is true: there’s nothing like jumping into a bed that has nice, fresh bedsheets and pillowcases.  But, considering that stripping pillows and mattresses, and hauling the dirty pillowcases and sheets to the washing machine, is no one’s favourite chore, how often should you wash your bed linens?

Unfortunately, there’s no single, definitive answer. Like just about anything in your regular laundry, many health experts recommend washing your pillowcases and sheets every week. But, in the case of bedsheets, you may be able to wash them less frequently, like every two weeks, if time is an issue; or you may need to wash them even more often than once a week.

When You Might Need to Wash Your Bed Linens More Than Once a Week

To get a quick idea of why you should wash your linens at least weekly, think of it this way. If you sleep in bed eight hours a night, you’re “in” your linens for 8 hours a day. If you wore a shirt for 8 hours a day, seven days a week, you wouldn’t hesitate to throw it in the wash every week.

But there are certain conditions under which you should consider washing your linens more than once a week

• You sweat a lot when sleeping
• You have dry and/or flaky skin
• You are allergic to dust and pollen
• Your pet sleeps with you or spends a lot of time on your bed

Another Reason to Wash Bed Linens More Often

Most people can’t believe it when they hear this, but it’s a documented fact. Your bed is home to hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of dust mites. Not to be confused with bed bugs, which require immediate attention if your bed is infested, dust mites are generally harmless and found all over even the cleanest homes. 

Dust mites love living in your bed because they feed on your dead skin cells. But, like the rest of us, they have bodily functions and they don’t live forever. In addition to living dust mites, your linens also hold their lifeless remains and fecal matter. They are both considered allergens that can trigger symptoms like hay fever, asthma and coughing, among others.

Why Not Get Professionals to Clean Your Bed Linens?

Parkers Cleaners offers specialized cleaning services for your sheets and pillowcases.  Experienced dry cleaning technicians use the best cleaning methods for your linens, before returning them to you crisp, clean, and fresh. 

If you found this article helpful, check out our recent post “How To Clean Your Daily Tech Gadgets and Keep Your Dirty Devices Clean”.