Skip to main content

Dirty in bed: Why you need to wash your sheets right now

Dirty Sheets Cleaning
bikeriderlondon/Shutterstock
Sheets are like the jeans of your bed. People feel they can use them over and over without cleaning them; that fine layer of accumulation is just making them more comfortable, right? Not really. There are all sorts of microscopic reasons to throw your sheets in the machine — way, way more often than every three or four months. And sorry, freezing your bedding won’t work any better than it does with jeans.

Recommended Videos

“People should wash their sheets at least once a week, more frequently if they are sick or if they are caring for children, pregnant women, or [the] elderly,” Robin Bechanko, Senior Microbiologist at NSF International, tells Digital Trends. A recent video titled “10 Disgusting Things That Live in Your Bed” highlighted a few reasons why you should be sanitizing your sheets: bed bugs, dust mites, mold. While you can put away the garlic-and-bile mix, as it’s unlikely you have MRSA in your bedroom, the mites are pretty ubiquitous. And that doesn’t even take into account the dead skin, drool, sweat, and pet dander that’s also coalescing in your linens.

Related: Clean your microwave in minutes with this simple, chemical-free technique

To help de-germ your sheets, you should be washing them on the machine’s “hot” cycle. According the NSF’s certification protocols for allergen reduction, the washer’s water temperature has to reach 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius) for at least three minutes during the sanitation cycle. That’s just too hot for the dust mites, which are a trigger for many people’s allergies. It’s not just those critters that die off in the hot water, though. “Certification means that NSF scientists have tested the sanitization cycle to ensure they effectively reduce harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa that can potentially build up in bed sheets if they go unwashed for a long period of time,” says Bechanko. Blasting your bedclothes with the highest setting in the dryer also lowers the germ count a bit.

Of course, you should make sure your sheets can withstand the heat by checking the care instructions on the label. If you’re worried about wear and tear, it might be time to invest in another set, so you don’t have to wash them as frequently. Remember that your sheets aren’t a visible force field either, so some of the gunk from your sheets is making its way to your mattress and pillows. Get some covers for them; those you don’t have to wash as often, but aim for something more like quarterly, as opposed to annually.

Also consider what you’re putting into the machine. Color-safe bleach doesn’t have the same disinfecting properties as regular bleach, unfortunately. To kill any bacteria that are hanging around the washer, you can run a cycle without any clothes but with bleach.

So, go home and do a load of laundry tonight. And maybe throw those jeans in, too.

In addition, check out our list of the best laundry sanitizers.

Topics
Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Last day to get this Arlo security camera bundle for $200!
The contents of the Arlo Pro 5S 2K 3-Camera Bundle.

To ensure the safety of your family and your home, you're going to want to take advantage of security camera deals. Here's a package that you should consider -- the Arlo Pro 5S security camera bundle for only $200 from Best Buy, following a huge $300 discount on its original price of $500. This offer started yesterday and will only last through the day today though, so if you want to get it for less than half-price, you'll need to complete your transaction for it immediately. Don't wait until the last minute as there's a chance that the stocks that are up for sale run out quickly!

Why you should buy the Arlo Pro 5S security camera bundle
It's the Arlo Pro 4 that's sitting on top of our list of the best home security cameras, but the Arlo Pro 5S is an amazing option. Our Arlo Pro 5S versus Arlo Pro 4 comparison reveals that the newer model is worth the extra cost for features such as dual-band Wi-Fi with support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, a low power mode that saves up to 30% more battery, and enhanced protection during Wi-Fi outages. The Arlo Pro 5S is capable of capturing videos at up to 2K resolution with a 160-degree viewing angle and color night vision. You can also opt to sign up for an Arlo Secure membership for extra benefits such as cloud recordings, smart notifications, and more.

Read more
This new air purifier from SwitchBot features a HEPA filter and can charge your smartphone
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table near a bed.

SwitchBot has officially launched two new air purifiers -- the SwitchBot Air Purifier and the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. Both are equipped with a HEPA filter to tackle all sorts of air particulates and allergens, though the Air Purifier Table offers several additional features that make it a more versatile member of your smart home.

Regardless of which air purifier you choose, you’ll get a capable device that can clean a 215-square-foot space in just over seven minutes. For a larger 1,800-square-foot space, that gets bumped up to an hour. Carrying a clean air delivery rate (CADR) of 236 cubic feet per minute and capable of operating at a quiet 20dB, it should be a solid choice for both standard bedrooms and larger living spaces. Along with a HEPA filter to remove bacteria, the SwitchBot Air Purifiers feature a carbon filter to extract pet odors from the air along with a pre-filtration layer to trap pet fur.

Read more
Serta’s Presidents Day Sale: Save Nearly $1,000 on Adjustable Mattress Sets
A couple in a Serta bed.

You don’t have to wait for a major holiday to snag deals on mattresses. Serta is offering up to $925 off select styles that’ll save you nearly $1,000 during their Presidents Day sale — and serve you with some hotel-worthy comfort. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your existing bed or are buying your first-ever mattress for a new home, refresh your bedroom without having to pay full price.

The best part? That’s not the only sale Serta is hosting. In addition to Presidents Day discounts, the mattress brand is celebrating their 25th anniversary and is giving you $25 Extra Birthday Bucks that’ll drop the price on certain mattresses and more sleep essentials. Keep reading to learn how you can get close to $1,000 off on a new mattress.

Read more