Why you must wash your bedsheets every week
<p>Bedding can be tricky to wash and dry (particularly if you don’t have a lot of space) so while most people clean their sheets every so often, odds are they don’t find their way into the laundry basket every week. But this could actually be quite dangerous.</p>
<p>Speaking to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.tiphero.com/" target="_blank">Tip Hero</a></strong></span>, laundy expert Mary Marlowe Leverette has revealed some nasty truths about our bedsheets, suggesting they’re probably not as clean as we think.</p>
<p>Leverette believes you must wash your bedsheets once a week (at the very least). And there’s a good reason for this. Leverette states, “During sleep, we continue to perspire, and body oils and soil are released. It is possible to find saliva, urine, genital fluids, and fecal matter in the fibers. If the [linens] are not washed regularly, and the occupant has scratches or wounds, they can be come infected.</p>
<p>"Athlete’s foot and other fungi can be transferred from fabrics. Infrequent cleaning of sheets and pillowcases allows the fluids to seep into the pillows and mattresses, and those are much more difficult to clean than tossing sheets in the washer.”</p>
<p>But that’s not the only reason we should be cleaning out sheets every week. Leverette also drew attention to the flakes of skin you lose on your sheets every night, becoming a huge attraction to dust mites and microscopic bugs. Not only do they feast on human flesh (disgusting!) but they also cause some more significant problems.</p>
<p>Leverette adds, “The excrement of the mites can cause breathing problems for those with allergies and asthma, but can easily be removed by washing in hot water. By not washing linens frequently, the oils and fluids build up and embed in the fibres, making them much more difficult to remove. If you have ever pulled some sheets from the linen closet, and they smell slightly rancid and stale, that is body soil left in the fibres because the sheets were not cleaned thoroughly.”</p>
<p>The only way to avoid these creepy crawlies? Regularly washing your sheets.</p>
<p>Leverette suggests, “Ideally, bed linens should be washed every week using the hottest water recommended for the fabric. If the weather is extremely hot, and the sleepers perspire heavily or the sleepers are ill, more frequent washings are recommended.”</p>
<p>How often do you clean your sheets? Do you think Leverette advice is spot on, or is it being a tad excessive? Let us know what you think in the comments section. </p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/09/tips-for-spring-cleaning-your-wardrobe/"><strong>5 tips for spring-cleaning your wardrobe</strong></a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/health/body/2016/09/common-reasons-you-have-trouble-sleeping/"><strong>5 common reasons you can’t sleep</strong></a></em></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/home-garden/2016/09/how-often-you-really-should-wash-your-sheets-towels-and-curtains/"><strong>How often you really should wash your sheets, towels and curtains</strong></a></em></span></p>
