Normally, a person sleeps about 7-8 hours a day. All this time, the skin is in contact with the fabric of the bed linen. And even if you take a shower before bed, skin particles, dust, pollen or pet hair will still end up on the bed. So how often do you really need to change your bed linen?
Content
Why is it important to change your bed linen frequently?
Changing your bed linen regularly is important for a number of reasons.:
Hygiene. The fabric gets dirty quickly when it comes into contact with the skin. An evening shower will not help: particles of skin, skin care products or pet hair will end up in the bed anyway.
Quality of sleep. Many have noticed that they sleep better in a clean bed. And it is not a matter of subjective feelings. Clean fabric allows air to pass through better, removes moisture than dirty fabric. Therefore, sleep will be more calm and sound.
Dust mites. These pests live in huge numbers in human beds. It is almost impossible to get rid of them completely. But you can easily reduce the population. To do this, just take proper care of your sleeping place, including regularly washing and ironing textiles.
Bacteria, pathogenic microorganisms. The warmth and moisture from the human body create favorable conditions for the development of microbes. If you change bed linen rarely, the colony of bacteria becomes more numerous. Regular washing helps reduce the number of microorganisms.
What happens if you don't change your bed linen on time
Failure to change bed linen regularly can lead to a number of undesirable consequences.
- The risk of developing allergies and bronchial asthma increases. In addition to dust mites, various allergens can accumulate in a stale bed (especially in spring and summer). Pollen and plant fluff get in through open windows. A person then inhales all of this.
- The condition of the skin and hair worsens. Skin in contact with fabric gets dirty from dirty bed linen. Pores get clogged with dirt, which leads to acne, irritation, oily shine and other unpleasant consequences. Especially if your skin is initially prone to breakouts. The situation is similar with hair: it gets dirty from a dirty pillowcase, which leads to an untidy appearance.
- The risk of developing infectious and respiratory pathologies increases.
How often to change bed linen
An adult should change bed linen at least once a week. There are also a number of factors to consider.
If you sweat excessively, you will have to wash your sheets and pillowcases more often.. Humidity promotes the development of bacteria. It is advisable to choose a waterproof mattress cover so that moisture does not penetrate the mattress.
During an infectious disease, you should also do your laundry more often.. Firstly, when coughing or sneezing, many bacteria get on the bed linen. Secondly, a person often sweats profusely when sick, creating increased humidity. High temperatures also promote the development of microorganisms.
If you wear makeup at night, consider washing your hair more regularly.. Moreover, if you apply only cream or toner to your face, then it is enough to change pillowcases more often or put a clean towel on them at night. But those who like to apply cream or body lotion will have to change the entire set at once.
If you have an allergy to house dust, it is especially important to change your linen regularly.. Otherwise, the symptoms may worsen. Moreover, it is worth wearing a respirator to protect against dust particles getting on the mucous membranes during the process. A respirator should also be used for seasonal allergies.
If you love sleep naked, it is also worth making a fresh set more often. Pajamas partially retain dirt, due to which the bed gets dirty less.
After waking up in the morning, do not rush to make your bed right away. Give the sheets and duvet cover some time to dry.
Rules for children
Children should have their bedding changed more often than adults. Newborns should have a new set of bedding. daily (or more often if the child soils the sheets). From 2 to 12 years of age, linen changes are required. every 3 days. For teenagers - once every 4 days: Due to excessive sweating during puberty, they soil the bed more.
Rules for the seasons of the year
Depending on the time of year, it is worth considering a number of nuances. Along with the change in weather conditions, the recommendations for washing bed linen also change.
Winter
During the cold season, there is less dust, allergens almost do not enter the house, and people open windows much less often. In addition, sweating decreases, because it is not so hot in the room. Some experts allow changing bed linen once every 2 weeks.
Spring
In spring, various allergens penetrate into the apartment through open windows. Allergic reactions may worsen at night. If this is your case, wash your bed linen twice a week.
Summer
In summer, sweating increases due to the heat. In particularly hot weeks, you can change it every 1-2 days. In cooler periods, 1-2 times a week is enough.
Autumn
In autumn it becomes cooler, the concentration of allergens in the air decreases significantly. So you can switch to winter mode and change sets once every 1-2 weeks.
Tips and lifehacks
Cheap sets often cannot withstand regular washing at high temperatures, so it is worth giving preference to high-quality textiles.
Don't go to bed with damp, wet hair.. Firstly, a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms is created. Secondly, moisture penetrates into the pillow. If you use a feather model, mold can even develop in it, which is extremely dangerous for human health.
Buy several sets at onceThis will help avoid an unpleasant situation when one was sent to the wash, and the other has not yet had time to dry.
If there is no possibility to change the linen in time
Sometimes unpleasant situations arise when timely replacement of bed linen becomes absolutely impossible. For example, a spare set was used for unexpectedly arriving guests. In such a situation, you should change the bed linen more often. air out blankets, pillows, sheetsThis will allow them to dry out and prevent the formation of conditions conducive to the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
Frequently asked questions
No! You need to use a mattress cover and regularly wash it too. Harmful microbes and mites will accumulate in it. If there is no mattress cover, the mattress itself will suffer, which is much more difficult to clean.
Yes, it is worth it. The pet will additionally bring dirt into the bed. Hair and traces of dandruff will remain on the bed. So, if you do not plan to wean the animal from co-sleeping, change the bed linen every 3-4 days.
Synthetic items will have to be washed more often. They are less breathable and promote sweating. This creates an environment favorable for the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
It is desirable. Some microorganisms survive washing, and high temperature helps to destroy them.
It is worth thinking in advance whether you really need sets made of premium, expensive fabrics if they can only be washed at low temperatures. Cold water is not able to destroy most bacteria and mites.
Video about changing bed linen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beJVbtBD5G0
