How Often Should I Change my Bed Sheets?

There is considerable debate on how often you should change your bed sheets. Several surveys conducted over the years suggests that the majority of people change their sheets anywhere from once a week to once a month. Most people recommend changing the sheets at least every two weeks, and some people may need to change them more often, depending on certain needs.

We shed skin cells at all times, and at night we shed these in our beds. Unfortunately these cells are the food of dust mites, and if you have allergies to dust mites, it may make sense to keep skins cells in bed at a minimum. Some people have extreme allergies and really need to change their bed sheets once a day. Most others can get by with changing sheets once a week, which is about the average rate of sheet change if you employ a housecleaner.

Obviously, if bed sheets get soiled sooner, they ought to be changed immediately. People who suffer from night sweats, or kids who have accidents at night should have sheets changed right away. Since it can take a while to get sheets washed and cleaned, it’s recommended you have three pairs of sheets for each bed. This way you have one available for immediate changing, one on the bed, and one that’s getting washed. You may need more sets if you routinely get behind on the laundry.

If you don’t have terrible allergies from dust mites, and your bed sheets aren’t soiled, it’s not likely to cause huge problems if you wait a little longer to change sheets. There are many people who only change bed sheets once every couple of weeks or once a month, and a few people in surveys don’t use sheets at all. It is a mistake to not use sheets and a good mattress cover. Failure to use these may increase dust mites in your mattress and reduce mattress life. It can be less expensive to buy three pairs of bed sheets or even two, than it is to have to replace a mattress sooner than you’d like.

Another related question is how often you should change blankets and things like comforters. You can lengthen time in between changing comforters if you use comforter covers like duvets. This allows you to simply wash the cover every few weeks. Some people do recommend changing all bed clothing once a week, but many people find this difficult. If you do have allergies, but have trouble getting all bedclothes washed each week, consider using lighter blankets that are easier to wash, instead of using things like bulky comforters or quilts.

Age
1. How old you are does play a role in how often your bedding needs to be washed. Children do not sweat as much as teenagers and adults and can have their sheets and pillowcases washed every two weeks. For teenagers and adults, washing the sheets and pillowcases weekly is adequate, especially during the hotter months of the year. Mattress covers and other blankets should be washed every two weeks.

Allergens
2. For people who struggle with allergies, bedding should be washed every couple of days. This will cut down significantly on the the number of allergy attacks you will have. In this situation, it is best to wash all bedding, sheets, pillowcases, mattress cover and blankets at the same time. In an effort to avoid wearing out your bedding too quickly from all of the washing, try rotating through two or three different bedding sets. Also, shower at night before getting into bed. Doing this will cut down on the amount of pollen and other allergens that would otherwise get into bed with you.

Other Activities
3. The bed is also a place for much more than sleep, such as sex and snacking. If either of these things are regular occurrences in your bed, it is best to wash bedding after each such activity, since food and bodily fluids attract outside germs and also create their own.