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How often should you Wash your Pillow Covers, Duvets and Bed Sheets?

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 03 February 2021 23:29
Pillow Covers Pillow Covers

Nothing can be more relaxing and comforting than getting into bed which has clean, crisp bedding after a long tiring day, right? But we’re more accustomed to washing our clothing when the hamper is overflowing, we like to clean kitchen shelves, counters and sink area as we need to visit it multiple times a day, we also take pain to run a duster over our furniture when visible dust starts to show up, but when it comes to cleaning our bedding we often are neglectful and forgetful about it. We just like to jump in the bed, forget about all the worries and have a nice, long sleep.

I understand that washing bedding is not something anyone looks forward to and most of us just believe in washing things that have visible dust accumulated on it. But washing pillow covers and other bedding items is very important for one’s health and for the long life of the bedding itself. Washing bedding with your weekly laundry pile can be long, tiring and back breaking. Many people don’t have time for their weekly laundry let alone bedding but trust me, once you know that just how dirty and filthy your bedding becomes overtime, you’ll be charged enough to take up the task and do the added chore.

Why Should I Take This Pain?

Be ready to be grossed out!! The number one reason why we should all be washing our bedding frequently has to be the amassing of dead skin cells on the bedding. We shed around 15 million dead skin cells every night! But the disgusting part is that it just doesn’t pile up in there, no not at all. A critter called dust mites is ready to gobble up them and the more they eat your dead skin cells the more they procreate and multiply in numbers. All the bedding that comes in direct contact with our skin like pillowcases, bedspreads, duvets and comforters are all a home for dust mites and that too rent-free.

If that wasn’t a reason enough to wash your bedding frequently then read this. Bedding that is laced with dust mites leads to problems like asthma, allergies and other skin problems like eczema. If you or your pattern sweat a lot in bed then it will further aggravate the situation as warm, cozy bedding is a perfect environment for blooming of dust mites and other bacteria. You might also want to give your bedding a toss in the washing machine if you’re a pet lover, if you like to eat in bed, if you love to snuggle up in bedding without showering or if you sleep without your clothes on.

Now this may not make you sick enough that you have to visit a doctor or get admitted in hospital. But what it does is that it paves a way for other diseases and makes you more vulnerable to them. It exposes you to fungi, pollen, animal dander, body oils, secretions and other nasty things. As a result of this continuous negligence, about 20 million Americans have dust allergies which are a proof itself that we need to pay attention to this part of our lives. So washing your bedding is very important and must be done on regular bases.

How often should we take This Pain?

We need to focus on how often we should be washing our bedding to steer clear of all the above mentioned things. Every bedding item has different washing rates, thank god, as we can now adjust them with our other laundry stacks. Let’s take a deep look into that.

Bedspreads/Bed sheets Washing Intervals

The recommended gap between washing of bedspreads is 7 days. I think it’s a very doable task as 1 or 2 sheets can be easily handled with other clothes. The bed sheets and bedspreads come in direct contact with our skin so they’re a hub of dead skin cells, sweat, moisture, secretions and body oils. Make sure you have at least 3-4 spare bedspreads so that you don’t have to lie down on your mattress until the bedspread dries. Also wash your sheets at 60C at least, anything lower than that will not kill any bacteria or those sneaky critters. Plus drying them out in sunlight will also be a great ideal for a thorough cleaning drive.

Pillows and Pillowcases Washing Intervals

Pillows come in our direct contact for the longest hours, so we must wash them at least twice a year if they are pillow-cover-protected and more ideally after every 3 months if they are with pillow-cover-protection. It is said that up to one-third of the weight of the pillow is due to the buildup of dead skin cells, dust mites, bugs and bacteria over a period of time. An ideal temperature for pillows is also 60C. Pillowcases just like bed sheets, need more frequent washes, you can toss the matching pillowcases with the bedspreads with them every week.

Comforters, Duvets and Blankets Washing Intervals

Comforters, duvets and blankets can be washed twice a year if they are protected by a cover, otherwise they also need to be washed every fortnightly. Duvets and comforters also act as a barrier between your bedspreads, which protects them. Make sure you protect it with a cover as it is very hard to wash duvets and comforter often. As duvets and comforters are heavy with filling, normal washing machines might not be compatible with this heavy load. The cover can be easily tossed in the machine but the comforter itself will need to be taken to Laundromat. Also check on the duvet cover for washing instruction for better understanding of the filling. Pro tip: try to dry the comforter quickly as it has a filling which absorbs moisture that can lead to smell.

Conclusion

I know washing bedding with your weekly load can be overwhelming but trust me; it will all be worth it. If you find it really hard to put up with all the above instructions then take some precautionary measures. Restrict pets from getting into the bed with you, shower before going to bed, put your bedding in sunlight for a couple of hours every week and try not to eat in bed. All these measures can slower down the process but I still recommend washing your bedding every now and then.

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Alex Harry

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