A recent survey in the UK found that almost half of single men wash their bed linen once every four months. What about your sleeping habits? Maybe you're not as sloppy as these bachelors and used to washing your sheets once a month. Or maybe you don't have a set schedule; You can only tell when it's time.
According to germ experts (yes, they exist), it's important to wash your linens regularly. Otherwise, you're literally sleeping on a bed of bacteria. But how often do you really need to change your sheets? Read on to find out.
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How often should you wash your linens?
Although there are no scientific studies on beds for people in the home, Dr. Charles Gerba, PhD. , a professor of virology in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Arizona, says studies have been conducted on bed sheets in hospitals . dr Gerba says these studies have shown that bacteria are transferred from human skin to bedding and that about a third of that bacteria is fecal bacteria (E. coli). "Fungi also seem to be widespread," he adds.
"Sheets are a great place for bacteria to settle and grow. All they need is water and food, which our bodies provide," says Jason Tetro , scientist and author of The Germ Files . If you don't wash your linens for too long, Tetro says bacteria will continue to grow, potentially leading to skin irritation and possible infection.
Tetro says bacteria can multiply every 20 minutes in a lab. In the real world, they say it takes several hours. With this in mind, Tetro recommends washing your bedding every two weeks. If you tend to sweat in bed or eat in bed, both experts recommend washing them even more often. "What matters most is the number of bacteria transferred — the inoculum, if you prefer," says Tetro. "If you don't sweat a lot, the overnight inoculum won't be too heavy and two weeks should be enough. If you tend to sweat a lot, the nightly inoculum will increase and you might want to clean them weekly.
Interestingly, Tetro says polyester contains more bacteria than cotton. "It also absorbed more of the body's natural secretions, which meant the bacteria could grow in larger numbers," he adds. So if your sheets are polyester, you might want to wash them more often.
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What about pillowcases, blankets and duvets?
Maybe you want to wash your pillowcases more often than your sheets. dr Gerba says this is where most bacteria and fungi are found.
When it comes to comforters, duvets, and blankets, Tetro says anything that comes in direct contact with skin should be washed as often as sheets. But if your blankets or comforters are in contact with the sheets instead of your skin, they can be washed less frequently, like once a month.
Even if you're still wondering whether or not you should toss your linens in the washing machine, Tetro says to smell them. "You should never neglect the smell test," he says. "Bacteria tend to stink once they get to a high enough count. If your sheets -- and clothes -- tend to smell, chances are there's a lot of bacteria in there and they need to be washed.
Put these tips into practice and you can rest easy. (And maybe you'll pass the information on to the single men in your life , too.)
Then check out these TikTok virus cleaning hacks that really work.
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