A recent discussion at Men’s Health sparked a debate about how frequently people wash their bed sheets. One editor admitted to washing his sheets maybe once a month, which prompted a reaction from colleagues.
A survey conducted by mattress company Ergoflex found that 55 percent of single men between the ages of 18 and 25 wash their bed sheets every three months.
Laundry and hygiene experts recommend washing bed sheets at least once a week. Mary Gagliardi, a researcher for Clorox, compares bed sheets to clothes worn for 8 hours every night, suggesting that they should be washed regularly.
According to Gagliardi, "I don’t think there are too many other pieces of clothing that you’d want to wear 56 hours before you wash them."
Humans shed skin cells at a rate of 500 million per day, according to the American Chemical Society. This means that millions of skin cells can end up in bed every night, along with bodily oils, sweat, and dirt that can harbor bacteria and microorganisms.
Sally Bloomfield, an honorary professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, notes that most of these microorganisms are harmless but can multiply over time. She recommends washing bed sheets once a week and using hot water to kill germs.
Bloomfield suggests choosing the hottest water setting available and using bleach to disinfect bed sheets. For white sheets, chlorine bleach is recommended, while colored sheets require a solid oxygen bleach to prevent fading.
