How often should I wash my bedding? -CNET

This story is part of Home Tips , CNET's collection of practical tips for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

There is a lot of debate about how often bed linen should be changed. Given how quickly sheets and pillowcases become covered in dead skin, dust mites, and dust mites, keeping them clean is important.

The average American waits more than three weeks (24 days) to change their linens, according to a 2022 Mattress Advisor poll , which found that most people didn't find unaltered linens "disgusting" until after 35 days.

We lose about an ounce of fur every three days, so it's long between washes.

Find out below how often you should clean your sheets, pillowcases and other linens, as well as when it's time to toss your pillows in the washing machine.

For more tips, see Household Items Most People Never Clean (But Should) and How to Clean Your Kitchen in Less Than 15 Minutes .

How often should you wash your linens?

There is some leeway in how often the experts suggest washing. If you sleep at home every night, the Sleep Foundation recommends washing them weekly.

On the other hand, the Good Housekeeping Institute says every two weeks is fine.

Either way, if you have pets, allergies, or if you sweat a lot, more often is better.

Read Next : How To Wash Your Pillows

And if you have COVID or any other infectious disease, you should change all linens as soon as you feel better to avoid re-contamination. The water should be between 60 and 65.5 degrees Celsius to kill any germs.

Choose the disinfection option of your washing machine; If your washing machine doesn't have a disinfection option, use the highest heat setting on your dryer.

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What about other beds?

The table below provides general guidelines for washing linens, but individual items may have specific instructions, so always check the label first.

Linens must be changed every two weeks. If you use a top sheet, this can be extended to once a month.

Incidentally, it is not just the sheets that need to be cleaned: sweat, dust and dead skin also end up on the pillows with a cover, which is why you should wash them at least every six months . (Also, washing them can swell them up and make them last longer.)

pillowcases	Weekly
duvet covers	every 2 to 4 weeks
blankets and duvets	every 2-3 months
cushion (washable)	every 4 to 6 months
duvet inserts	every 4 to 6 months

Read Next: How To Properly Machine Wash Linens

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