How often should I change and wash my bedding?

There’s just something about getting into bed when it has fresh bedding on – it feels restorative, and you’re almost always guaranteed a better night’s sleep. On the flipside of that, changing bedding is one of life’s tedious and often overlooked chores. The question is, how much of a difference does it make if you wash your bedding every 2 weeks or every 3-4 weeks? If you’re not sure, we’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll answer the question ‘how often should you really be changing and washing your bedding’, and we’ll provide tips on how to make it as easy and efficient as possible!

We all lead busy lives, and when time is precious, the chores that feel more time consuming than others can be pushed down the queue of priorities – washing bedding can be one such chore. However, regularly cleaning your bedding can make all the difference when it comes to providing a healthy, comfortable sleeping environment so it’s worth keeping it high on that list of things to do.

So why is it so important to wash your bedding regularly?

There are lots of reasons, some of which don’t make for the nicest reading. Humans shed 500 million skin cells a day (not all in bed), which makes your bed a hotspot for dust mites. These mites can cause health issues such as asthma and eczema and trigger allergies so they’re very unpleasant bedfellows. They’re not alone – there are millions of bacteria that like to call your bed home – the majority come from human skin and although are mostly harmless, they can occasionally cause skin infections and acne.

The thought alone is enough to make you rush your bedding to the washing machine straight away! The actual recommendation is to wash your bedding every one to two weeks – that includes your duvet cover, bedsheet and pillowcases.

It’s also important to wash your pillows and duvet – you sleep with them every night, and while they may be covered, over time they can still accumulate an unhealthy amount of dust and bacteria. If your pillows are feather, down or microfibre, they can be washed in the machine every four to six months – make sure to choose a delicate cycle and dry them on a low heat. Memory foam pillows can’t be washed in the machine, but most allow you to remove the covers, which you can wash (make sure to read the care instructions).

If you have a bedspread, washing this every four to six months is advisable, and if you have pets who sleep on the bed, washing more regularly certainly won’t do you any harm!

How to care for different types of fabric bedding

Not all bedding is the same, and it’s always sensible to check the care instructions before washing it. Silk and satin are more delicate and may need a gentler wash. More durable fabrics like cotton are hardier and can cope with warmer temperatures. If you duvet covers, pillows or bedsheets are different colours, wash them separately so that the colour doesn’t seep out into different items. Even if your bedding is all the same colour, if it’s a struggle to fit it all into the machine in one go, then separate it out into smaller washes to ensure everything receives a thorough clean.

While some washing machines have a bedding setting, if you have to manually choose what setting you’re going to wash it on, 60 degrees is the ideal temperature to remove any dust mites and bacteria. Before choosing that temperature, make sure to check your fabric is compatible – more delicate bedding may shrink if it’s too hot.

What detergent to use to get the best results

The choice of detergent will depend on several factors – sensitive skin can be a big factor, as can the environment (some detergents are more environmentally friendly than others). Some detergents can even damage your fabric, reducing its lifespan! There are also different types of detergent, including sheets, powder, liquid, and capsules, all of which can have a different scent, so it’s fair to say, the choice can be overwhelming! The easiest way to narrow it down is to work out what your primary objective is.

If you want to keep colours bright, liquid or gel are a good choice, but they aren’t always the best at keeping your whites white – if it’s bright white you want, powder is a good choice.

If sensitive skin is a consideration, non-bio is the best option but that won’t always get tough stains out.

Lots of detergents use recycled packaging now and there are plenty that will post them out to you in a cardboard box, reducing the use of plastic. Look for the ‘Eco-Cert’ sign or the ‘Leaping Bunny for cruelty-free products.

Ultimately, we all lead busy lives, and washing our bedding is another job that we need to squeeze in as and when we have time. But if you want to provide yourself with optimum conditions for sleeping and ensure that there’s no build up of dust mites or bacteria, washing your bedding every two weeks is ideal.