At the end of a long day, all anyone wants to do is crawl under some fresh, crisp sheets and sleep the night away. But nothing can take away from that all-too sweet feeling of falling into bed like falling into old, worn-out (and maybe a little crusty) sheets. But as you lie there, remembering how excited you were to find just the right style for those sheets, it can be easy to sit and wonder whether it isn’t too soon to buy new ones. To help put that question to sleep, we’ve developed a guide for how often you should replace your sheets.
Why Replace my Sheets?
Some of you may be asking this, specifically the ones who are a little too attached to that perfectly patterned, once perfectly comfortable sheets. The simple truth of the matter is that bedsheets, just like t-shirts and shoes, become worn out over time. Worn out sheets lose their original texture and can become rough, frayed, and uncomfortable, making sleep a lot more difficult. They can even irritate your skin. You may notice more stains, even after thorough washing. When it comes to the point where your sheets are keeping you from a good night’s sleep and taking away from the look of your bedroom, it’s time to replace them.
So How Often Should I Replace Them?
There is no absolute formula for how often you should replace your sheets, but most experts recommend at least every two years or whenever the sheets become old, frayed, or uncomfortable. There are certain factors that lead to sheets wearing out faster, though.
For example, the more you wash your sheets, the faster they become worn out. However, this doesn’t mean that you should wash your sheets less than once a week. In fact, if you know that you tend to sweat in your sleep, if you don’t shower before bed, if you eat in bed, or if you have allergies, you ought to be washing your sheets more often than most, and all those washing cycles will wear out your sheets more quickly. If your dog or cat sleeps in the bed with you, that will also wear your sheets out more quickly. Along with compelling you to have to wash your sheets more to get the pet dander out, their claws will run through fabric far more quickly than our simple human nails.
It’s not only how often we wash our sheets that wears them out, though – it’s also how we wash them. For example, some of us wash our sheets in the same load with towels and other clothes. The rougher material of the towels, even cotton ones, can rub against the fabrics, wearing them down quicker. Even washing sheets with soft clothing can be a problem, because the smaller items can become tangled in the sheets, making them tear. Not following the directions for washing our sheets can also be a problem, especially if we end up washing them on settings either too hot or too cold.
How Can I keep my Sheets Looking Brand New?
The good news is that just like there are things that we can do to wear our sheets out faster, there are also precautions we can take to help keep our sheets good for longer.
The Right Kind of Sheets
There is something to be said about sheet quality, and most will agree that a higher quality sheet will last far longer than a low-quality one. As we’ve mentioned in a previous blog, quality is not all about the thread count. Sheets made of quality, long-staple cotton material like our sheet sets made in the USA will not only give you a comfortable night’s sleep but will also be more durable than others.
Multiple Sets of Sheets
Like we said before, you ought to wash your sheets once a week, maybe a bit more often. But frequent washing wears sheets out faster. The best way to get around this issue is to have multiple sets of sheets that you can rotate between. That way, you can have fresh clean sheets while only washing each individual sheet set half as much. You could even consider getting different sets of sheets for different seasons, swapping out the patterns or styles over time.
Washing and Storing Sheets Correctly
Another way we can counteract the wearing effects of washing our sheets is by washing them correctly. Look at the label for your sheet set so that you can set it to the correct temperature. Use gentle laundry detergent and be wary of how you place the sheets in the wash itself. Leave plenty of room and try not to wrap the sheets around the agitator. When drying sheets, try not to let the sheets go through too many extra tumble cycles in the dryer.
When you’re done washing your sheets, as tempting as it is, don’t just throw them into a linen closet and forget about them if you want your sheets to last longer. Don’t just throw them into the plastic bag they came in either. Fabric ought to breathe, so keeping your sheets in containers made of breathable materials or hanging them is your best bet. Also, be sure that the storage place is cool, dry, and dim. This will keep moisture from damaging your sheets, as well as direct light that can fade the color of the material.
Bedtime Routine
Along the lines of not having to wash your bed as frequently, there are some things that you can change about your bedtime routine that will not only keep your sheets fresh but will also help you sleep better. Beds are comfortable, so oftentimes we’ll find ourselves doing things on them other than sleeping, like eating snacks or working on craft projects. But spending extra time on our beds put more of our body oil on the sheets, not to mention our snack crumbs and any debris from our workday. Besides, doing too many things on our bed other than sleep will actually make falling asleep more difficult.
It can be easy to tumble into bed without showering and with a full face of makeup on when you’ve had a long hectic day, but all that sweat, oil, and makeup will go right into your bedsheets. Besides, washing up before bed helps regulate your body temperature in such a way that it makes falling asleep easier. Besides, doesn’t it just feel nice to go to bed feeling fresh in nice, clean, perfect sheets?
