How Often You Really Need To Wash Your Sheets

Washing your sheets once a week can help keep your sleeping environment clean. Dirt, body oils, sweat and dead skin cells accumulate on your bedding while you sleep. Bacteria, fungi and dust mites can also build up and harm your health.

Researchers haven’t determined an exact frequency for washing your sheets. However, as bedding gets dirty very quickly, it is a good idea to wash your sheets every week. At most, you should wash your sheets every two weeks.

You lose about 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) of dead skin cells every day, and much of it stays in your bed. Microscopic organisms called mites like to munch on dead skin cells. These mites multiply in your bedding and can worsen allergies and asthma.

Dirt and moisture from sweat, oils, and other bodily fluids on your sheets can also create an ideal environment for bacteria and fungus to grow.

Pillowcases also collect buildup from hair products, acne-causing bacteria, and facial oils. If you use a lot of hair products or have sensitive, acne-prone skin, consider change your pillowcases about twice a weekor flip your pillow to the other side mid-week.

Duvet covers and comforters should only be washed about once a month, as they do not directly collect the majority of dirt, oils and skin cells.

You may need to change your sheets more often due to the following lifestyle and health factors:

• Allergies: Washing your sheets weekly can help eliminate dust mites that cause allergy symptoms.
• Disease: Viruses and bacteria can linger on sheets for days or weeks. You should change your sheets immediately after you recover or as soon as you soil the bed with bodily fluids.
• Skin infections: Contagious fungal infections, such as ringworm, and bacterial infections, such as impetigo, can linger on the tissues. If you have a skin infection, change your sheets more frequently to reduce the spread of germs.
• Night sweats: If you regularly sweat while you sleep, try changing your sheets every few days to prevent the buildup of bacteria that thrives in excess moisture.
• Sleeping naked: You may want to change your sheets more often if you sleep naked. Being naked transfers more bodily fluids and disease-causing bacteria like E.coli to your sheets.
• Animals : Pets add dander, hair and dirt to your sheets, which may require weekly or bi-weekly washing to repel dust mites, grime and bacteria.
• Skin care and cosmetics: Regular application of body oils, heavy lotions, or hair products can soak into your sheets, creating buildup that needs to be washed out at least once a week.

If you avoid washing your sheets, you risk turning your bed into an environment filled with bacteria, fungus, and dust mites. This can lead to hygiene and health problems such as:

• Allergy symptoms: Dust mites can trigger asthma and cause allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching and coughing.
• Bacterial skin infections: Bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureusthrive in warm, humid environments like dirty sheets. This can lead to skin infections such as folliculitis, impetigo and cellulitis.
• Acne and skin irritation: Dirt, oils, hair care products, and bacteria on dirty sheets can clog pores, leading to acne and breakouts. Dust mite buildup can also worsen sensitive skin conditions like eczema.
• Fungal infections: A mold called Aspergillus can grow on leaves. Aspergillus endangers the lives of people with weakened immune systems.
• Smelly and stained sheets: Bacteria, sweat, body oils and dirt that build up on sheets can make them smelly and yellow.