How Often Are You Washing Your Sheets?

2 min

Ask anyone you know how often they wash their sheets, and you’re bound to get vastly different answers. While washing our clothes seems almost natural, the need to wash bedding is often forgotten or ignored. A 2024 study from Sleep Advisor found that the average person claimed to wash their sheets every 24 days, but that’s not often enough.

When You Should Wash Your Sheets
It’s recommended to wash your sheets at least once a week, more often if you:

• Suffer from allergies or asthma
• Sleep hot or sweat a lot in your sleep
• Are sick or recovering from an illness
• Have pets that sleep in bed with you

You should also remember to regularly wash other bedding products, such as pillows, blankets, duvets, and protectors. Here are recommendations for how often to wash other types of bedding:

• Wash duvet covers every 2-4 weeks.
• Wash mattress and pillow protectors every 1-2 months.
• Wash blankets, coverlets, and comforters every 2-3 months.
• Wash pillows (if washable) every 4-6 months.

Why Should You Wash Your Sheets Regularly?
Think about your favorite T-shirts or lounge clothes. If you wear the same clothes for days in a row, they may start to stink, and you may start feeling dirty or itchy. The body gives off oils, moisture, and dead skin cells all the time, day and night. Your sheets gather all that grime and buildup night after night.

No matter how “clean” you are when you slip under the covers, your body is slowly dirtying up your sheets, creating a haven for allergens and dust mites. If you’re someone who showers in the morning instead of at night, you’re bringing all the dirt, dust, and body oil buildup from the day into bed each night. Even if you shower at night, you are still lying in your bed for hours each night, producing sweat and dead skin cells.

Regularly washing your sheets and other bedding can help improve your sleep quality, reduce allergy symptoms, offer clearer, healthier skin, and reduce discomfort.

Signs Your Sheets Need a Wash
As with clothing, towels, or any other fabrics, the look, feel, and smell of your sheets can be a good indicator that they’re past due for a wash. Any signs of sweat marks, discoloration, odors, or grime are sure signs of the need for washing.

Sheets that have special antimicrobial or stay-fresh treatments, like Antimicrobial Silver Product Protection or HeiQ Fresh, can stay fresher longer by hindering bacteria and odors in your bedding.

However, even when sheets look and feel fresh, it’s still important to wash them regularly for a cleaner, healthier sleep space free of allergens.

Sources

1. “A Clean Sleep – How Often Americans Change Their Sheets.” Sleep Advisor. https://www.sleepadvisor.org/how-often-americans-change-sheets/
2. “Are You Controlling Allergens in Your Bedroom?” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. https://community.aafa.org/blog/are-you-controlling-allergens-in-your-bedroom
3. “How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets?” Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sheets/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets
4. “How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets.” Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-should-you-wash-your-bed-sheets

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