Most people know that bedding needs to be changed and washed. Nevertheless, questions arise again and again in everyday life, such as how often the bed linen should be washed in a month. Or which detergent is needed for this. Here’s what you need to know about washing bedding, sheets, etc.
Since you sleep in your bed for several hours every day, it is a matter of hygiene to wash the bedding regularly. Most people sweat at night, which provides optimal conditions for germs, bacteria and parasites such as mites. Even tiny skin cells that you lose while sleeping collect in the sheet and mattress.
It is normally recommended to wash bedding every two to four weeks. However, it is best to adapt the washing rhythm to your needs: if you perspire heavily at night or suffer from house dust allergies, a weekly change of laundry is recommended.
Besides, you should Match the washing rhythm to the season: Because you sweat more at night during the summer months, it is best to change your underwear at least every fortnight during this period.
If pets on bed sleep, the covers should also be cleaned more often.
For naked sleepers the same applies, because body parts that would otherwise be covered by pajamas or nightgowns also come into contact with the bedding. Also with extreme sweaty feet or hot flashes at night offers a weekly linen change.
A hundred years ago it was much easier to wash bedding properly: it was usually white, made of pure cotton and boiled in the large kettle in the laundry room. Today, bedding is made from a wide variety of materials and adapted to our needs.
It is true that bed linen today is usually made of hardwearing blended cotton. However, other materials can also be found. The following are suitable for all-season bedding:
Linon is also often used as children’s bedding because the smooth cotton fabric is extremely hard-wearing. Renforcé underwear is medium-thin and therefore also very suitable for summer – such as jersey bedding, whose fibers are climate-regulating and absorbent.
In addition to seersucker, which you can recognize by the typical crepe stripes, typical summer bed linen also includes percale and temperature-regulating satin or linen linen. In winter, on the other hand, you will find fine beaver and flannel covers on many beds. Since both materials have a roughened surface, they warm up well and look particularly cuddly.
Silk covers are the right choice for allergy sufferers: the material offers no habitat for mites and thus reduces the risk of allergies. However, silk is not cheap.
This also applies to linen covers, which are not exactly maintenance-friendly, but are made from 100% natural fibres. They also have the property of absorbing moisture and releasing it into the environment.
In principle, you should wash bedding at 60 degrees, so that all bacteria are killed. But the washing temperatures also differ depending on the material. The following table indicates the maximum temperature at which you should clean the various materials.
You play it safe with a color detergent that contains few fragrances. Because it is suitable for almost all materials and temperatures. Avoid using fabric softener on bedding as it reduces the absorbency of the fabric. In addition, most fabric softeners are enriched with fragrances that can cause headaches or insomnia.
Bed linen that cannot be cleaned at 60 degrees can be washed with so-called hygienic detergents. These fight bacteria even at low temperatures. But: The conditioner is ecologically controversial because it contains disinfectants and fragrances.
- After removing the duvet covers, turn them inside out and fasten the zippers or buttons. This way, the fluff on the inside is better removed during washing and colors and fabrics are also protected.
- If possible, bedding and sheets should be washed separately from other laundry. This way no extra laundry such as socks can get hidden in the bedding. Washing jeans and towels together with duvet covers is not recommended anyway, because the coarser parts of the laundry also affect the fibres.
- When spinning cotton covers, you can safely choose high spin speeds, sensitive fabrics such as satin or silk also do not tolerate high speeds.
- If you can, do without the dryer and let the bedding air dry. This saves energy and money.
- The addition of starch gives the bedding more grip. The “freshly washed effect” is also retained for longer.
- You can add vinegar instead of fabric softener. The vinegar smell disappears during the rinsing process.
It depends on the bedding (pillowcase and duvet cover) and the sheet. If it’s a color-coordinated set, you can put them in the washing machine together.
For example, if you have a white cotton sheet and colored pillowcases and duvet covers, you should wash these separately. Otherwise, it may happen that the colored bedding rubs off on the sheet.
Not only the covers, but also pillows and duvets should be clean. On the one hand, you have to air and shake them up daily. On the other hand, you can put the bedding in the washing machine 1 to 2 times a year, provided that the washing labels indicate this.
Also pay attention to the specified temperature. Otherwise, you can dry clean the bedding from time to time – this extra cleaning is especially useful if you have allergies.
(t-online/dsc)
source: watson
I’m Maxine Reitz, a journalist and news writer at 24 Instant News. I specialize in health-related topics and have written hundreds of articles on the subject. My work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Healthline. As an experienced professional in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated an ability to develop compelling stories that engage readers.
