– Hi, I’m Lexie Sachs with the Good Housekeeping Institute. And today I’m going to show you how to easily fold a fitted sheet. First, hold the sheet with your hands in the corners, the long side going across your body and the top of the fabric facing you. Take one corner and tuck it into the other. Then repeat that top on the other side. Now your finished sheet is folded in half with the corners tucked together. Repeat that top one more time. So now all four corners are folded into each other. The next part use a table or another flat surface like a countertop or your bed. You should see a C-shape in the fabric when you lie it down. Fold the sheet in thirds from the outside in, and you can smooth it out as you go and fold it in thirds from the opposite direction. (upbeat guitar music) Flip it over and you are done. (upbeat guitar music continues)
Advertisement
You should probably wash your sheets more frequently. Here’s what experts suggest
Your bed is definitely full of dirt, sweat, oil and dust mites.
Updated: 7:05 AM EDT Aug 26, 2021
If it’s been a while since you washed your sheets (or, honestly, you can’t even remember the last time you swapped them out), you’re in good company. On average, Americans say they wash their sheets every 24 days, according to a recent Mattress Advisor survey. However, they only considered bedding legitimately gross after over a month had passed. Since you’re nose-blind to your own body odors, you likely don’t notice the funk in your sheets as much as someone else might, says Laura Goodman, M.S., a senior scientist for P&G Fabric Care. But, whether or not they’re smelly, unwashed sheets can lead to some health issues over time, like irritated skin, acne and allergic reactions to dust mites. So, how long is too long to go without a fresh set? Here, your guide to how often you need to wash your sheets, why you’re best off sticking to the schedule, and how to cope if you’re already dreading laundry day. So, how often should you actually wash your sheets? As a general rule, you should wash your sheets every one to two weeks, says Goodman. Another note: If you’re prone to acne, you might want to toss in your pillowcases even more often (think: two to three times a week), per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). The same goes if you tend to fall asleep without removing your makeup, wash your hair only a few times a week, or lather on heavy moisturizer before bed, says Goodman.What happens if you don’t wash your sheets that often? First, there’s the ick factor: Every hour, you shed about 200 million dead skin cells (that’s upwards of 1.4 billion per night, times two if you’re sleeping with a partner). And, in your bedding, tiny, eight-legged dust mites feast on your dead skin cells. While these critters don’t carry any disease, their body parts are one of the most common triggers for year-round allergies, per the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American (AAFA). If you don’t regularly clean your sheets, you might find yourself sneezing with a runny nose or, in extreme cases, even wheezing or having a hard time breathing, says Goodman.Beyond pesky dust mites, you’re also spending lots of quality time with whatever you’ve picked up or put on throughout the day, including dirt, makeup, lotion and environmental pollutants, to name a few, says Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.As all of these substances come in close contact with your skin as you sleep, a wide range of problems can ensue — from skin irritation to acne to possibly even infections (though we’re talking worst-case scenario here), Zeichner says. If you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea, you’re at most risk because your skin barrier (the top layer of your skin) is already weakened, he says. Even worse? Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi tend to thrive in moist environments — including your dirty pillowcase, Zeichner says.But what if you don’t have time to wash your sheets every week? Life’s busy, especially if your washing machine and dryer are a drive away. The easiest solution is to stock up. Keep three sets of sheets for your bed and cycle them out every one to two weeks, suggests Goodman. When you do have time to wash your sheets, make sure to follow the care label for any specific washing and drying instructions (typically, polyester blends are best washed in warm water, while cotton can tolerate hot water), notes Goodman. If possible, opt for the hottest washing temperature setting in order to kill dust mites, per the AAFA. And, of course, remember to separate your sheets by color — dark colors or reds can dull or bleed onto lighter colors, a recipe for tie-dye sheets if you’re not careful. And while you might be tempted to dump in the whole jug of detergent if your sheets are super dirty, don’t overdo it. Using more detergent than your load calls for could mean detergent molecules themselves become lodged in your sheets, which can, unfortunately, further irritate your skin, Zeichner says.Now, as you strip your mattress, lug around your hamper, and re-make your bed, just remember: Nothing beats the simple luxury that is sliding into crisp and clean sheets!
If it’s been a while since you washed your sheets (or, honestly, you can’t even remember the last time you swapped them out), you’re in good company. On average, Americans say they wash their sheets every 24 days, according to a recent Mattress Advisor survey. However, they only considered bedding legitimately gross after over a month had passed.
Since you’re nose-blind to your own body odors, you likely don’t notice the funk in your sheets as much as someone else might, says Laura Goodman, M.S., a senior scientist for P&G Fabric Care. But, whether or not they’re smelly, unwashed sheets can lead to some health issues over time, like irritated skin, acne and allergic reactions to dust mites.
Advertisement
So, how long is too long to go without a fresh set? Here, your guide to how often you need to wash your sheets, why you’re best off sticking to the schedule, and how to cope if you’re already dreading laundry day.
So, how often should you actually wash your sheets?
As a general rule, you should wash your sheets every one to two weeks, says Goodman.
Another note: If you’re prone to acne, you might want to toss in your pillowcases even more often (think: two to three times a week), per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). The same goes if you tend to fall asleep without removing your makeup, wash your hair only a few times a week, or lather on heavy moisturizer before bed, says Goodman.
What happens if you don’t wash your sheets that often?
First, there’s the ick factor: Every hour, you shed about 200 million dead skin cells (that’s upwards of 1.4 billion per night, times two if you’re sleeping with a partner). And, in your bedding, tiny, eight-legged dust mites feast on your dead skin cells. While these critters don’t carry any disease, their body parts are one of the most common triggers for year-round allergies, per the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American (AAFA). If you don’t regularly clean your sheets, you might find yourself sneezing with a runny nose or, in extreme cases, even wheezing or having a hard time breathing, says Goodman.
Beyond pesky dust mites, you’re also spending lots of quality time with whatever you’ve picked up or put on throughout the day, including dirt, makeup, lotion and environmental pollutants, to name a few, says Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
As all of these substances come in close contact with your skin as you sleep, a wide range of problems can ensue — from skin irritation to acne to possibly even infections (though we’re talking worst-case scenario here), Zeichner says. If you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea, you’re at most risk because your skin barrier (the top layer of your skin) is already weakened, he says.
Even worse? Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi tend to thrive in moist environments — including your dirty pillowcase, Zeichner says.
But what if you don’t have time to wash your sheets every week?
Life’s busy, especially if your washing machine and dryer are a drive away. The easiest solution is to stock up. Keep three sets of sheets for your bed and cycle them out every one to two weeks, suggests Goodman.
When you do have time to wash your sheets, make sure to follow the care label for any specific washing and drying instructions (typically, polyester blends are best washed in warm water, while cotton can tolerate hot water), notes Goodman. If possible, opt for the hottest washing temperature setting in order to kill dust mites, per the AAFA. And, of course, remember to separate your sheets by color — dark colors or reds can dull or bleed onto lighter colors, a recipe for tie-dye sheets if you’re not careful.
And while you might be tempted to dump in the whole jug of detergent if your sheets are super dirty, don’t overdo it. Using more detergent than your load calls for could mean detergent molecules themselves become lodged in your sheets, which can, unfortunately, further irritate your skin, Zeichner says.
Now, as you strip your mattress, lug around your hamper, and re-make your bed, just remember: Nothing beats the simple luxury that is sliding into crisp and clean sheets!