Microbiologist reveals how frequently people should actually be washing their sheets
A microbiologist has revealed how frequently people should actually be washing their sheets - and the figures might surprise you.
In the busy balance between work and life, changing your bedsheets can feel like an arduous task, with many people taking weeks and some even months to put on fresh bedding.
However, if you’re someone who struggles to maintain a regular routine then one microbiologist has given her insight into why you might want to make a change to your habits.
Dr Primrose Freestone, who is a professor of clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, is urging people to make sure that they are changing their sheets and pillowcases at least once a week.
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But if you’ve got pets in the bed, have been ill or tend to sweat a lot in the night, then the bedding should be washed even more regularly than that.
According to a YouGov poll from 2022, just 28% of people in the UK wash their sheets on a weekly basis, many admitting to leaving it much longer than that.
But that’s not good for you, according to Freestone, as in a report by The Conversation, she explained: “Each night, as we sleep, we shed hundreds of thousands of skin cells, excrete oils from our sebaceous glands, and sweat up to half a pint of fluid – even if we’ve showered just before bed. Our skin hosts millions of bacteria and fungi, many of which are transferred onto sheets, pillows and duvets as we move during the night.
“That fresh sweat may be odourless, but bacteria on our skin, particularly staphylococci, break it down into smelly byproducts. This is often why you wake up with body odour, even if you went to bed clean.
“But it’s not just about microbes. During the day, our hair and bodies collect pollutants, dust, pollen and allergens, which can also transfer to our bedding. These can trigger allergies, affect breathing, and contribute to poor air quality in the bedroom.”
Freestone continued: “While we often focus on how many hours we’re getting, the quality of our sleep environment matters too.
“Regular laundering removes the biological soup of sweat, skin, dust and microbes, which helps to reduce allergic reactions, prevent infections and keep odours at bay.”
And what about if you sleep with a pet in the bed? According to the expert, this just makes things worse.
Freestone added: “Animals introduce extra hair, dander, dirt and sometimes faecal traces into your sheets and blankets, increasing the frequency at which you should be washing them.”