How often you should wash your bed sheets has become a contentious subject - with more than 50,000 Google searches a year on the topic. Many were mortified to learn that almost half of the UK's single men don't change their bed sheets for up to four months, according to one study published earlier this year.
And while the standard advice is that it should be a chore carried out every week, a bedding expert argues otherwise. The team behind Secret Linen Store say it's actually okay to wash it less often, which can bring some reassurance to households at a time of soaring energy bills.
They believe there shouldn't be a 'one size fits all' approach to washing bed sheets, and argue some households might be washing them too often, which is a waste of money, time, and water. Instead, a number of factors can come into play depending on your lifestyle.
The company has created a Clean Sheets Calculator that determines every person's optimal frequency for when they should be throwing their bedding in the wash. It takes into account things like whether your share your bed with your pets and how many times you shower, through to how often you have sex and whether you eat a lot of food in your bed.
People who shower often and who don't spend long lounging in bed, don't have pets, and sleep in full pyjamas could sensibly leave much longer than a week between their bed linen washes – even up to a month if their bed sheets see very little action – according to the new calculator.
Whereas for people who snack a lot in their beds, sleep naked, share their beds with a dog and sweat a fair amount, the calculator is likely to suggest a weekly wash for heavy usage.
Molly Freshwater, the founder of Secret Linen Store who has also given her top tips for keeping bedding fresher for longer, says: "The truth is that most of us don't wash our sheets every week, and that's totally fine.
"We wanted to create a tool that reassures people that it's okay to leave a little longer between your bed washes.
"How often you wash your bedsheets is completely dependent on how much usage they get, which is why we created a calculator to give people bespoke bed washing advice based on their individual habits."
Environmental impact
The BBC reports that 11 per cent of household carbon emissions are produced from using washing machines, with a warm wash and dryer cycle creating 3.3KG of carbon per load.
Washing your bed linen once a week on a 60-degree wash, with a tumble dry cycle too, causes over 171KG of carbon every year, whereas washing your bedsheets once a month on a 30-degree wash and air drying reduces that amount down to just 7.2KG of carbon.
Expert Molly adds: "Overwashing can cause unnecessary wear of your bed linen, and a full hot wash and tumble dryer cycle has a significant impact on your household carbon emissions.
"Our calculator provides advice with an eco-friendly approach to keeping your bed sheets clean, with tips on how to make your sheets stay fresh for longer between washes and suggestions on reducing your carbon emissions with cooler washers and air drying."
How to keep your sheets fresher for longer
To make your sheets last longer between laundry days, the experts at Secret Linen Store recommend the following tips:
Linen sprays
The smell of freshly laundered sheets is so inviting that it can prompt over washing but investing in a scented linen spray will give your sheets that 'just washed' feel without putting them through the machine too much.
Consider combining some drops of your favourite essential oil with water for a refreshing bedding spry.
Wearing pyjamas
Dead skin cells and oils that your body excretes are one of the main hygienic reasons for washing bed sheets regularly.
Wearing pyjamas protects your bedding by creating a barrier between your body and your sheets, and pyjamas are much smaller and easier to wash than your full bed set.
Small area cleaning
If you do encounter the odd ad hoc small stain, you can blot clean small spots with a liquid detergent spray, rather than hauling all of the linen into the washing machine.
Washing just your pillowcases if they stain quicker than your sheets is another way to reduce your washing load.
Airing the bed
Pull back your blankets or duvet when you're not sleeping in your bed to allow your sheets to breathe; this helps remove moisture that mites need to thrive.
Storing sheets
Fold your laundry and store it somewhere cool and dark, but be mindful of wooden drawers, the smell of some wood could transfer into the dry laundry.
Remember, you should only store sheets when they're completely dry: If your laundry is moist when you store it away, bacteria will grow on the fabric and it will become musty. No one likes musty sheets.
Showering before sleep
Washing the day's dirt off your skin before going to sleep is a top way to reduce bacteria build up in your bedding, plus a hot water soak can aid your night's rest.
Clean Sheets Calculator from Secret Linen Store analyses personal cleanliness and lifestyle habits to advise on how often your sheets need washing. You can try it here: www.secretlinenstore.com/how-often-clean-bed-sheets-calculator
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