Sleeping soundly is essential for our overall health and well-being, but have you ever wondered how often you should be washing your bed linens? As a microbiologist, I’m here to share the science-backed guidance on maintaining a clean and healthy sleep environment.
Most of us spend around a third of our lives in bed, and the quality of our sleep plays a crucial role in our daily functioning. Beyond just the number of hours we get, the cleanliness of our bedding can have a significant impact on the quality of our rest. While a crisp, inviting bed with fresh sheets, soft pillows, and a cosy duvet may feel luxurious, it also supports better sleep by promoting a more hygienic sleep environment.
According to a recent YouGov poll, however, only 28% of Britons wash their sheets once a week. Surprisingly, some admit to leaving it much longer, with some stretching it to eight weeks or more between washes. So, what’s the recommended frequency for keeping your bedding clean and healthy?
Let’s delve into the science behind what’s happening in your bed every night. As we sleep, we shed hundreds of thousands of skin cells, excrete oils from our sebaceous glands, and even sweat up to half a pint of fluid – even if we’ve showered just before bed. Our skin hosts millions of bacteria and fungi, many of which are transferred onto our sheets, pillows, and duvets as we toss and turn.
While that fresh sweat may be odourless, the bacteria on our skin, particularly staphylococci, break it down into smelly byproducts. This is often why you wake up with body odour, even if you went to bed clean. But it’s not just about microbes – during the day, our hair and bodies collect pollutants, dust, pollen, and allergens, which can also transfer to our bedding and trigger allergies, affect breathing, and contribute to poor air quality in the bedroom.
Dust mites, fungi, and other unseen bedfellows also thrive in warm, damp bedding and mattresses, feeding on the skin flakes we shed. Their faecal droppings are potent allergens that can aggravate eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. And if you share your bed with pets, the microbial party gets even livelier, with extra hair, dander, dirt, and sometimes faecal traces introduced into your sheets and blankets.
So, how often should you be washing your bedding? Experts recommend washing sheets and pillowcases at least once a week, or every three to four days if you’ve been ill, sweat heavily, or share your bed with pets. Wash at 60°C or higher with detergent to kill bacteria and dust mites, and consider tumble drying or ironing for deeper sanitisation. For pillows, you can also try freezing them for at least 8 hours to target dust mites.
As for mattresses, vacuum them at least weekly and air them out every few days to maintain hygiene and prevent the buildup of moisture, which can create a breeding ground for mites. Use a plastic or allergen-proof mattress protector and replace the mattress every seven years.
Pillow interiors should be washed every four to six months, as the internal filling can harbour bacteria and mould. Blankets and duvet covers should be washed every two weeks, or more often if pets sleep on them, to remove the accumulation of skin cells, sweat, and allergens.
Your bed may look clean, but it’s teeming with microbes, allergens, mites, and irritants that build up quickly. Regular laundering isn’t just about keeping things fresh – it’s a matter of health. So go ahead, strip the bed, wash those sheets, and freeze your pillow. Your microbes (and your sinuses) will thank you.
