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Few things in this life provide as instant a dopamine surge as the feeling of freshly laundered sheets against your skin at the end of a long day. Beyond just happiness, though, new research shows that the cleaner your bedding, the healthier you’ll be—both physically and mentally—and the better you’ll sleep. Ready to do some laundry? Here, the experts at PeachSkinSheets walks us through the do’s and don’ts of sanitizing your sanctuary.
DO
Start with high quality bedding, like PeachSkinSheets. Sure, the 1500 thread count level of softness and velvet-soft finish feels sumptuous against your skin, but there’s more to these sheets than good looks alone. Spun from high performance, athletic grade SMART fabric, they’re designed to optimize body temperature, wick away moisture, and stand up to pet snuggles and frequent washing. Even better? There are 32 gorgeous colors to choose from, plus brand-new coordinating comforters and duvets. I recently changed my bedding to PeachSkinSheets and I am obsessed with how soft and dreamy they are!
Wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly. This is the recommendation, but of course we’re only human—life happens! If suds-ing up every seven days simply isn’t in the cards, prioritize your pillowcases and commit to a bi-weekly wash for the rest.
Clean your duvets and comforters seasonally. Assuming you’re sleeping under a top sheet, quarterly laundering is sufficient for these pieces. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule: Bedding should always be sanitized after you’ve been sick, and you’ll want to wash your toppers more frequently if you suffer from indoor allergies or sleep with a pack of pets.
Wash your face before going to bed. Sleeping with your makeup on is the fastest way to ruin your sheets and your skin. To keep both clean, take a few minutes to wash or wipe off cosmetics before you settle in. Some prescription and OTC skincare contain bleaching ingredients, like benzoyl peroxide, and hydroquinone. If you use them, consider making the switch to all white bedding—or slip a white pillowcase over your colored one for an extra layer of protection.
Mist your bedding between washes with a fabric safe linen spray. It’s a spa-like move that adds a super luxurious touch, but there’s science behind it, too: the more Zen your bed smells, the quicker your brain will slip into sleep mode. Choose notes known for their relaxing properties, like lavender, vanilla, clary sage, or rosemary.
Rotate regularly. You’ve heard of rotating your mattress, but this applies to sheets too. To extend wear, rotate your fitted sheet from top to bottom and rotate sheet sets to help them wear evenly and last as long as possible.
DON’T
Forget to pre-treat stains. Detergent is more than adequate for overall cleaning, but any kind of bodily fluid (or the occasional muddy paw print, coffee stain, or ink blot) will require a little extra TLC. Give your sheets a once-over before you toss them into the wash, taking care to blast any spots with a spray-on remover. Remember to use non-chlorine bleach as needed, since chlorine bleach can break down fabric fibers. Don’t have a pre-treat spray? No problem—use a cotton swab to rub a small amount of detergent directly onto the stain before laundering.
Jam-pack the washing machine. The more room your sheets have to circulate in the water, the cleaner they’ll end up. To keep the laundry process organized and headache free, wash each family member’s bedding and towels together in separate loads.
Scorch your sheets. Not only is warm water perfectly capable of killing germs, but it’s way less likely to cause shrinkage or fading. The same is true for drying—rather than setting your machine too high for 15-minutes, opt for a 45-minute tumble dry setting on low.
Let your sheets sit in the dryer once they’ve cooled. This will only create wrinkles! To de-crease them quickly, throw a damp towel into the dryer with the sheets and turn it on for 5 more minutes. Remove them immediately, and store each set folded tidily inside its own pillowcase.
Use liquid-filled dryer balls. Not only can the chemicals weaken fabric over time, but they can also leave behind a residue that interferes with your bedding’s breathability. It’s ok to use fabric softener and dryer sheets, but don’t worry—high quality linens maintain their velvet-like texture without softening products.
