With soaring temperatures and sticky nights, it's no surprise that your bedding needs washing more regularly during spring and summer.
In fact, say laundry experts, at least once a week is the frequency you should be aiming for, to keep your bed fresh and hygienic.
Here, they explain everything you need to know about washing, drying, and caring for your bed linen throughout the warmer months.
The Exact Frequency You Should Be Washing Your Bedding In Spring and Summer
We're all familiar with the struggle of trying to keep a bed cool in summer. Whether you lean on your best fans, switch to lighter bedding, or swear by the cross-draft trick, those hot nights mean you need to be washing your bedding more regularly to avoid any bedding mistakes. So, what's the expert-recommended frequency?
Rechelle Balanzat, Founder and CEO of Juliette, advises, 'In spring and summer, I recommend washing your sheets once every five to seven days, and even more frequently, every three to four days, if you sleep hot, sweat at night, or keep windows open,' she says. 'Warmer weather changes everything. Your sheets are exposed to more moisture, body oils, and environmental particles, so they simply don’t stay fresh as long.'
And, as she highlights, while your body produces more sweat and oil when you sleep in the warmer months, creating the perfect environment for bacteria and dust mites to thrive, once you add in things like pollen, open windows, and even sunscreen residue, your sheets accumulate buildup much faster than they do in cooler seasons.
'In fall and winter, you’re typically cooler, drier, and more covered, so you can stretch washes a bit longer,' she adds.
Using the right products when doing laundry makes a world of difference, too. Rechelle recommends:
- Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent, available at Walmart: 'I always recommend a gentle, fragrance-free detergent like this,' she says. 'It effectively removes sweat, oils, and buildup without leaving behind residue or irritating sensitive skin, especially important when your sheets are in constant contact with your body.'
- Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, available at Amazon: 'Baking soda is one of the simplest ways to keep sheets fresh,' she adds. 'It helps neutralize odors and break down buildup, which is key during warmer months when fabrics hold onto sweat more easily.'
- Wool Dryer Balls, available at Walmart: 'Instead of traditional fabric softeners, I prefer wool dryer balls. They naturally soften sheets, reduce drying time, and keep fabrics breathable without coating them in chemicals that can trap heat.' Using them is also a convenient laundry hack to save time.
- Oxygen Bleach Alternative, available at Amazon: 'For white or light-colored sheets, this is a great way to maintain brightness without damaging fibers,' adds Rechelle. 'It lifts stains and keeps sheets looking crisp, which is especially noticeable in summer when everything should feel light and clean.'
Finally, Rechelle shares a pro-tip to keep in mind. 'If your sheets don’t feel fresh when you get into bed, they’re not clean enough,' she advises. 'Spring and summer are when your laundry routine should work a little harder because your body does too,' which, in turn, will help you to sleep better all throughout the warmer months.
What to Shop
If you're going to be doing laundry more regularly, having the right products to keep your bedding looking, smelling, and feeling its best is imperative. Below, you can shop a selection of products that get recommended to me by laundry experts time and time again.
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
Drying bedding outdoors can be difficult, but it is an effective way to keep it smelling fresh, with the added antibacterial benefits of sunshine. Just note − if you have allergies, avoid pollen and stick to drying in your tumble dryer.
These wool dryer balls are extra large and tightly rolled and felted for a natural, long-lasting product that doesn't contain any synthetic fillers. Using them shortens drying times by up to 25%.
This plant-powered liquid laundry detergent is scented with lavender and contains enough for 120 loads. It contains stain-fighting enzymes and is both paraben and phosphate-free.
These laundry brushes work to quickly remove stains from your clothes and bedding, and features 100% natural boar bristles. The brushes are designed with comfortable, non-slip grips.
This laundry bar and stain remover can be used directly on stains or added to your wash cycle for a convenient laundry booster. It's been trusted by shoppers for over 125 years.
Make your white bedding look like new with this laundry whitener and stain remover powder. It's oxygen-based, water-activated, and works effectively as a color-safe stain remover.
Meet the Expert
You can also use these clever tricks to keep your sheets fresh between washes.
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