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The bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary of calm. It’s where you sleep at night, so you want to make sure that your bed is the picture of perfection and comfort.

That is why you put effort into your bed. You pick all the creature comforts that make it a place worth sleeping in: the perfect mattress, the right pillows, and of course, sheets that you like. But most importantly, you also make sure that you keep your bedsheets clean.

Photo: Pixabay/Stuart Bailey

Sleeping in a dirty bed is neither hygienic nor a pleasant experience. And we all know that bed sheets need to be cleaned. But for some, there might be some discrepancy as to which ones? When you buy a sheet set, the contents of the box are pretty standard. You’ve got the fitted sheet that goes on top of your mattress, and then your top sheet which goes flat over the fitted sheet. But there are varying opinions as to when that top sheet needs to see the inside of a washing mashing. Because, after all, we should have a clean barrier between us and the duvet cover, right?

Well, now there is an addendum to the debate, and that is if we really need a top sheet at all? For some, it seems like a lot of hassle to regularly wash such a flimsy little sheet, so why not just ditch it altogether? Well, the short answer is that no, it’s not exactly necessary.

Photo: Pixabay/StockSnap

The whole purpose of the top sheet is to provide a barrier between you and your comforter to ideally protect your comforter from skin cells and other germs. The idea is to not have to wash your comforter as many times as your sheets. But, it all does come down to personal preference, so if you don’t mind washing your comforter as often as you wash your sheets, then it’s totally fine to ditch the top sheet.

As for how often you should be washing your sheets, the universal answer is at minimum, every two weeks. Ideally, once a week. But definitely don’t let it go for more than two weeks because of hygiene reasons.

Photo: PXHERE

The average person sheds more than just skins cells every night. They also shed oil, sweat, and sometimes even saliva every night which find their way onto the sheets. If that isn’t gross enough, those bodily secretions can create a prime real estate for bacteria and dust mites to gather and breed in your sheets and pillowcases. And a build-up of dust mites can cause allergy flare-ups or rashes. Yuck!

So, when it does come time to wash your bedding, remember to use the warmest temperature possible – that is still safe for your sheets’ requirements – in order to help kill most of the bacteria and dust mites that might be lurking in your sheets. It’s also advised that you wash them by themselves in order to avoid other articles of clothing getting tangled up inside them. And when drying, line drying them outside on a sunny day is always a good idea as sunshine can be a natural disinfectant. But if line drying isn’t a possibility, tumble dry on low.

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