We always emphasize the importance of keeping Sealy mattresses as clean and hygienic as possible because these can be home to a wide range of pathogens otherwise. But don’t overlook the importance of keeping its bedding clean and hygienic, too.
Infrequent washing and changing of the bedding from the mattress protector to the sheets, duvets, and comforters can be harmful to health. Aside from the leftovers from your late-night snacks sticking to the sheets, these can also harbor a wide range of pathogens. These include bacteria, fungi and allergens as well as dust, dirt and debris settling into both the sheets and mattress over a few weeks.
When these come into close contact with your skin for prolonged periods, your risk for infections and illnesses can increase. For example, your allergic reactions to dust mites can worsen or your acne can break out from the build-up of dirt on your skin from the pillowcases. Plus, bed bugs like to breed in dirty places including linens.
The bottom line: Always wash your sheets every week although you may do it more than once in a week or once every two weeks depending on your specific circumstances. You will not only appreciate the smell of fresh, clean sheets but your body will benefit from it, too!
Change the Beddings
If you’re not using a top sheet, you should ideally change the doona cover once a week. If you’re using one, you can change it once every two weeks but be sure to look for other signs that changing it is a must. You should use your sense of smell and sight to determine whether the doona cover is clean or not.
This general rule also applies to cotton sheets. Even when the cotton sheets still smell nice – no residue of sweat and other stuff – but if you don’t like its appearance anymore, then it’s probably time to spend an hour or so on the task. You will find that visual and smell cleanliness are great tools for maintaining bed hygiene.
With each season, you may want to have all of the past season’s beddings cleaned professionally before these are stored away. The professional cleaning will not only make them smell fresher and look cleaner, but it will also kill any lingering pests and pathogens. Besides, it’s one less chore to worry about during the changing of the seasons, such as during your spring cleaning.
Change Your Pillowcases Weekly
When you’re stripping the bed weekly, you should also change your pillowcases. The weekly changing of pillowcases makes sense – if you’re changing the sheets, why not the pillowcases?
But you have to change them more often than once a week when you have an:
- Eye infection
- Lesions on or around your face, head or neck
- Acne breakout, whether it’s whiteheads or pimples
- Oily face or hair, in which case daily changing of pillowcases is strongly recommended
Changing your pillowcases more frequently can aid in speeding up the healing process and reducing the risk of reinfection. Plus, it will extend the lives of the pillows.
Wash the Mattress Protector, Too
You should always use a mattress protector no matter the brand, size and age of your mattress because it can increase its hygiene life. Be sure to change the mattress protector, too, when you’re changing the sheets.
Air the Mattress for a Day
Don’t be in a hurry to place new bedding on your mattress either. You should leave it uncovered for an entire day, if possible, so that the accumulated sweat and moisture can evaporate. You can leave it be, for example, while you’re at work and then replace the bedding in the evening.
Use Hot Water for Washing
When you’re washing the bedding, you should use hot water on them. The hotter the water, the better it will kill the germs and sanitize the sheets, as well as dissolve the detergent and remove the accumulated grime. Just be careful about handling the sheets afterwards because you may get burned from the hot water.
Be careful about using hot water on cheap sheets, too, because the latter will likely shrink. If you’re buying new sheets, you should choose high-quality ones because these will stand the test of time, as well as be more comfortable on your skin. If you’re in contact with them for at least 6 hours a day, you may as well choose the best one, just as you would with clothes and shoes.
Wash the Pillows
Don’t forget to wash the pillows although it isn’t as frequent as washing and changing the pillowcases and sheets. You should wash them once every three months and replace them at least every six months; three years is the maximum changing of pillows. You may also want to change them before the 6-month period is up if the pillows aren’t as comfortable and supportive as they were.
In conclusion, restful and restorative sleep partly lies in the cleanliness of your pillows, pillowcases and bedding. Be sure to keep them as clean as possible so that sleep becomes easier to get.