How often do doctors say you should change your bedsheets?

How Often Should You Change Your Bedsheets? 

By Madison Selcho, Desert News.

Frequency of Washing Bedsheets 

Doctors recommend washing your bedsheets once a week. This tedious chore is very important to perform weekly, despite other sources suggesting that every two weeks is fine. 

Why Should You Wash Your Sheets Once a Week? 

Dr. Singh explains, "I know it seems like it’s a lot of work but trust me, it’s worth it unless you want to marinate in a petri dish full of grossness. Dust mites and their waste can trigger allergic reactions and asthma in susceptible people." 

The New York Times reported that due to the amount of time a person spends in bed, sheets typically pick up skin flakes and an assortment of bodily fluids and oils. Washing your sheets regularly, meaning once a week, will reportedly help in avoiding the gross gunk that builds up in your sheets and bed. 

Nicole Ruth, MD, Isla Beauty’s dermatology expert, said, "If you don’t change your sheets regularly, you will most likely be sleeping with other things besides your partner. Our sheets become a home for dead skin cells, dust mites, food particles and many different types of bacteria." 

The only time a person could possibly stretch to washing their sheets every 2 weeks is dependent on their hygiene but pillow cases should always be washed weekly, according to Blair Murphy-Rose, MD. "The combination of all these things hanging out in your sheets can even trigger allergies in some patients," Dr. Ruth explained. 

Best Way to Wash Your Sheets 

The method you use to wash your sheets is just as important as how often you wash your sheets. According to Tide, the steps necessary to ensure a good, clean wash of your bedsheets includes: 

• Checking the label for any specific cleaning requirements so that your sheets come out undamaged as well as clean. 
• When washing them through a cycle use the hottest temperature of water as directed by the care label attached to the sheets: "Polyester blends are best washed using warm water, while cotton can tolerate hot water. Hotter water kills most germs and also takes care of dust mites that thrive in bedding." 
• Wash the sheets regularly. 
• Sort them by color to ensure no vibrant colored clothing bleeds onto the lighter colored clothing. 
• Dry them properly as directed by the care label of the sheets. 
• Iron bed linen, "because ironing helps kill the last of the germs and dust mites that might remain after the wash." 
• Store your linens in a dry, cool place. 

Stains are also important to tackle before you send your sheets through a wash cycle. Last but certainly not least, when you’re drying your sheets, use the lowest setting possible to prevent shrinkage and protect the fibers of the sheets from heat damage.