This Is How Often You Should Really Be Washing Your Sheets and Other Bedding (2024)

Maintaining clean sheets is no easy feat. Even with the most comfortable sheets, no matter how frequently (or, let's be honest—infrequently) you wash them, that fresh-out-of-the-dryer feeling tends to fade after the first few nights of sleep.

General laundry rules exist for just about every other piece of fabric in your home—sports bras and jeans included—but confusion reigns when it comes to cleaning bedding. Just how often should you wash your sheets? We turned to the experts for answers.

When to Change Your Sheets

As a general rule, Tricia Rose, founder of textile company Rough Linen, advises washing sheets weekly to keep them looking and smelling as fresh as possible—regardless of whether they're silk or sateen sheets.

"Once a week is standard," says Rose. "A lot of it is left to personal preference, but as soon as your sheets stop feeling fresh is the best time for you to wash them."

Shelby Harris, MD, is slightly more conservative. "Regular washing, or about once every one to two weeks, is recommended to maintain cleanliness and a healthy sleep environment," says Harris.

Ideal Washing Frequency for All Bedding
Fitted and top sheetOnce a week or bi-weekly
PillowcasesOnce a week
Duvet coversOnce a week if you don't use a top sheet. Once a month if you do.
ComfortersOnce a week if you don't use a top sheet. Once a month if you do.
Duvet insertsEvery 3 months
Weighted BlanketEvery 3 months (If over 20 pounds, bring to a laundromat.)
Mattress padEvery 3 to 4 months
Pillow insertsEvery 3 to 4 months

Why You Need to Wash Pillowcases More Often

According to dermatologist Rachael Nazarian, MD, pillowcases should be cleaned at the same time as sheets—and at least once a week. If you wash your sheets bi-weekly, remove your pillowcases ahead of time and wash them separately.

Rachael Nazarian, MD

"It’s important to regularly clean bedsheets, but most especially our pillowcases, as they are constantly coming in contact with various components of our body and can transfer to delicate areas such as our eyelids, occluding and blocking glands, and leads to irritation and inflammation."

— Rachael Nazarian, MD

"When we sleep, oil from our hair moves from our pillowcase to our face, along with other oils, bacteria, sweat, and even saliva from our mouths. The accumulation of all these things can lead to irritation of our skin, acne development, and even infection," says Nazarian.

For people who do not wash their hair daily, Nazarian says that "environmental pollutants, free radicals, dirt, oils, and hair products remain on your hair and contribute to the vast number of items that transfer around our face and body," which can lead to premature aging of our skin.

For more delicate silk pillowcases, using a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle in cold water is recommended.

Factors to Consider for Less Frequent Washing

The weekly or bi-weekly suggestion is very much a guideline, and it can be amended to suit to your lifestyle. See below for other factors you should keep in mind to help you dial in the right laundry schedule for your household.

Hygiene Habits

The frequency of washing your sheets is impacted by the season and your nightly habits. Whether you shower in the morning or evening matters—if you do the latter, then your sheets are likely a little cleaner than someone who washes up immediately upon waking.

Perspiration matters as well. "Your sweat levels and what you wear to bed will affect how quickly your bedding gets sullied," Rose says. If you're a hot sleeper and you haven't invested in a set of cooling sheets, you're probably going to sweat more. In this case, washing weekly instead of bi-weekly is ideal.

Number of People and Pets in the Bed

How many people are sleeping in said bed? "If you share a bed, it gets twice the wear," says Rose. In addition to people, if your lovable dog or cat is a frequent sleeping companion, their hair, fur, dander, smell, and any dirt from the outside can contribute to unsanitary conditions for sheets. If you share a bed, wash your sheets more frequently than once every other week.

As tempting as it is to cozy up with a snack in bed, avoid eating where you sleep. Crumbs can contribute to dirty sheets and invite unwanted critters into your bedroom.

Bedding Material

Consider the fabric you're sleeping on. For example, cotton and bamboo sheets vary in care compared to linen. Linen requires less frequent washing than cotton does because the durable fabric repels dirt and can be cleaned easily with a shake-out or a simple brush. If you have linen sheets, don't sweat much, and don't sleep with pets or children, you can get away with bi-weekly sheet changing.

What Happens If You Don't Wash Your Sheets Regularly?

Pushing back laundry day every once in a while isn't a huge deal, but you shouldn't make this a regular occurrence. Sheets that go too long without washing can actually lead to a variety of health issues.

According to allergist and immunologist Purvi Parikh, MD, "If you don't wash your sheets regularly, they can accumulate dirt, skin cells (which dust mites feed off), dust mites, and mold. This can cause allergies, asthma as well as skin infections and acne." Eek. Harris adds it can even lead to sleep disturbances, fungal growth, and even bed bug issues.

While dangerous consequences aren't common, it's better to be safe and stick to a frequent cadence that works for you. "Regular washing helps eliminate allergens, germs, and irritants, contributing to a healthier sleep environment and overall well-being," says Harris.

How Often to Wash the Rest of Your Bedding

Your sheets aren't the only bedding component that needs regular TLC. Duvets, mattress pads, and comforters also need to be cleaned so you can get the most use out of them.

Duvet Covers

As for duvet covers, Rose suggests easing up on habitual washes since a duvet floats over your body and gets far less wear than sheets do (and can be a real hassle to put back on). "Duvets take some effort to change, so less frequent washing saves yourself from that nuisance," she says. If you use a top sheet, wash once a month.

Mattress Pads

Since mattress pads sit under a fitted sheet, you only need to clean them every so often, around once every quarter. Also, bear in mind thatfrequent runs through the washer and dryermay cause heated mattress pads to break down more quickly.

Comforters

Your comforter is the one item of bedding that can be cleaned the least frequently. When cleaning your comforter you have two options: using your washing machine or taking it to the dry cleaner.

If your comforter is down, it can be washed whenever you wash your sheets if you don't use a top sheet. If you do use a top sheet, wash only once a month. Just make sure your washer and dryer are big enough to accommodate it. If the comforter is made of another material, such as wool, cashmere, or silk, it should be dry cleaned a few times a year.

If you are sick, wash all of your bedding—no matter how recently it was washed—to prevent the spread of disease in your home.

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This Is How Often You Should Really Be Washing Your Sheets and Other Bedding (2024)

FAQs

This Is How Often You Should Really Be Washing Your Sheets and Other Bedding? ›

"Regular washing, or about once every one to two weeks, is recommended to maintain cleanliness and a healthy sleep environment," says Harris. Once a week if you don't use a top sheet. Once a month if you do. Once a week if you don't use a top sheet.

How often should you realistically wash your sheets? ›

Washing your bed sheets about once a week ensures they always stay fresh. Add this task to your weekly cleaning schedule to help reinforce the habit. Keep in mind that you don't necessarily need to wash sheets the same day as you strip your bed.

What happens if you don't wash your sheets for months? ›

From ringworms to onychomycosis (skin lesions, crumbling toenails) and even pneumonia, your family and guests can contract many fungal and bacterial infections from sleeping on unwashed sheets. These infections can lead to rashes and severe itching and even leave scars.

How often do married couples change their sheets? ›

Men are more likely to wait longer between sheet changes than women (29.6 days vs. 19.4 days). On average, single people go 37 days before changing their sheets, while those in relationships go 21.8 days, and married couples go 19.9 days.

How often should you wash your bed comforter? ›

Generally, you should aim to wash your comforter every one to two months, but treat stains and spills immediately. "Monthly washing helps prevent reduced loft from soils building up inside the comforter on the filling," says Gagliardi.

How often should I wash pillows? ›

If your pillow can be washed, it should be washed at least twice a year. If you eat in bed, have pets, or sweat a lot, you should wash pillows quarterly. Special pillows like body pillows or throw pillows should be cleaned every 3 to 6 months. This is dependent on how, where, and how often they are used.

How often should you wash your towel? ›

How often to wash towels. The best way to prevent germs from growing on your bath towel is to let it dry completely between each use, and wash it frequently. The Cleaning Institute recommends washing bath towels after three uses. If you shower every day, that means laundry almost twice a week.

Can you get bed bugs from not washing your sheets? ›

It is easy to avoid bed bugs in your home by following a few essential home care tips. The most important of these is that you keep the house clean. You cannot get bed bugs by simply not washing your bed sheets. Dirty or unwashed bed sheets are usually not why bed bugs invade your bedroom.

What's the longest you should go without washing your sheets? ›

Most people should wash their sheets once per week. If you don't sleep on your mattress every day, you may be able to stretch this to once every two weeks or so.

How often should I wash bedding to prevent dust mites? ›

Wash bedding in hot water (at least 120 degrees F) once a week. Reduce clutter, stuffed animals, and other places where dust mites live. If that's not possible, wash stuffed animals weekly in hot water (at least 120 degrees) to kill and wash away dust mites.

Why does my boyfriend turn the sheets yellow? ›

When we sleep on them, naturally occurring body oils, sweat, and dead skin (the primary cause of yellow staining) become embedded in the fibers.

How often should seniors change their sheets? ›

Bed sheets also absorb sweat, dead skin cells, and bodily secretions, which can be unhygienic, especially for the elderly who stays in bed most of the time. How frequently one should wash their beddings depends on the circ*mstance, but in general, changing it once every two weeks is ideal.

How many times a week are married couples intimate? ›

“Normal” is whatever feels fulfilling for you and your partner, and communication plays a key role in making sure both parties feel fulfilled. That said, a 2017 study that appeared in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that the average adult currently enjoys sex 54 times a year, which equates to about once a week.

How often should you wash your hair? ›

Most people don't need to wash their hair daily, or even every other day. How often you should wash your hair depends on quite a few factors. The basic answer, according to Seattle-based integrative dermatologist Elizabeth Hughes, is that you should wash it once it's oily and feels unclean to the touch.

Should you wash blankets before use? ›

However, you should always wash new bedding and comforters first before use (even if they are all wrapped up in airtight packaging)! Sheets, comforters, duvets, pillowcases — these are all produced in factories full of dust, chemicals, dyes, and other skin irritants. So yes, you should wash a comforter before using it!

How often do you wash blankets? ›

How Often to Wash Bedding and Other Bedroom Decor
Sheets and pillowcasesWeekly
BlanketsOnce to twice per month
Comforters with coversTwice per year
Duvet coversWeekly to monthly
Mattress coversMonthly
5 more rows
May 15, 2024

Is once a month enough to wash sheets? ›

Dermatologist Alok Vij, MD, says you should wash your sheets at least every two weeks — maybe more, depending on factors like whether you live in a warm climate and whether your pet sleeps in your bed. Dr. Vij talks dead skin, dust mites, bed bacteria and how to keep your skin safe when you lie down to sleep.

Why do my sheets get dirty so fast? ›

The average sleeper spends 7 to 8 hours in bed each night, leaving ample time for sweat, body oil, dirt, dead skin cells, and dust mites to build up.

What percent of people wash their sheets weekly? ›

A survey of 1,000 Americans about their linen-cleaning habits finds that men clean their linens less often than women. Forty-one percent of women wash their sheets once a week, while 33 percent of men do the same.

Is it okay to change sheets once a month? ›

To cut to the chase, Dr Browning says we should be changing our sheets once a week, or every two weeks at the most. Hygiene is a big factor, and one of the reasons is sweat. If you've ever tried sleeping in a heatwave, you'll know how difficult it can be.

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