The Best Way to Wash Your Bedding Ever

by BrightNest

You spend a third of your life wrapped up in your sheets like a burrito. That makes it really important to clean them! Why? Because while you’re feeling snugly and catching some Zs, your body releases things like sweat, drool and dead skin cells. This can quickly lead to funky smells and allergy-inducing dust mites, so clean your sheets and pillowcases using this awesome (and easy) process.

the best way to wash your bedding ever, bedroom ideas, cleaning tips

1. Frequency. If you’re an extremely fastidious person (or the paragraph above really grossed you out), then we recommend washing your bedding every week. However, washing every two weeks is totally acceptable and will keep your…ahem…bed residue at pretty low levels. Tip: If you’re prone to acne, definitely wash your pillowcases every week (or even twice a week!).

2. Water Temperature. For maximum disinfecting power, it’s best to wash your bedding in hot water. However, hot water will shrink your sheets over time, so we recommend a compromise: use warm water for most cycles, but mix in a hot water cycle every third of fourth time.

3. Detergent. A mild detergent is best for the longevity of your sheets and pillowcases. The whole “liquid vs. powder” debate really depends on two things: your personal preference and your washing machine’s preference. Many newer models function much better (and last longer) if you use liquid detergent, so check your owner’s manual.

4. Fabric Softener. You don’t need it! Fabric softeners can make your sheets and pillows feel waxy over time and decrease their absorbency (which is not fun on hot summer nights). Instead, add ¼ cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle.

5. Pillows. They don’t need to be washed as much as your pillow cases and sheets, but pillows do get pretty dirty! wash your pillows twice a year to keep them fresh.

More great tips and tricks: http://bit.ly/PStj6C

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Rita Hall on Aug 15, 2018

Can you wash a Tempic pillow

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6 of 25 comments

Barbara Aubrey on Nov 25, 2014
Good grief even back in the 30s when Mom was reeling from the depression and washing was a tub of water and scrub board, every day a clean top sheet and the existing top sheet became the bottom sheet - must confess I let mine go to three times a week and I an NOT a factitious house cleaner but we learned even in school, to bath more than once a week, know and use the 5 brushes, maintain a clean bed and before any other clothing buy good supportive shoes as the basics to a healthy life and so changing bed linens once a week or oh my, every two weeks blows my mind - unless you are assuming everyone takes a shower before bed time.

5 Reply
- Teresa on Aug 27, 2023
  
  i can’t believe there is a tutorial on how to wash sheets.
  
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Sylvia Picone on Oct 06, 2016
You never want to wash your sheets in hot water. Hot water causes pilling of the sheets. Using vinegar in the rinse should kill any germs. Yes you can add it to the fabric softener dispenser since the vinegar is the fabric softener.

1 Reply
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- Melinda Graves on Dec 07, 2016
  How much vinegar to each load? Thank you
  
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- Sylvia Picone on Dec 07, 2016
  I never measured but I guess I ad approximately one quarter cup
  
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- Sue Blackman on Jun 05, 2024
  
  Some people recommend hot water to get the body oils (and their smells) to wash out of the sheets.
  
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