We all love our beds! We spend a third of our days in them, and with today’s life expectancy, we spend 20 to 25 years sleeping. That’s a lot of time! It’s important to keep our beds clean to control dust mites and other microorganisms that could settle in our sheets.
Typically, people who do not wash their sheets frequently consistently sleep with more allergens than they should, and that can mean an increased risk of developing asthma or dust allergy.
Wash sheets when it’s time
For those who already suffer from seasonal allergies – in spring or summer – it is essential to change and wash sheets periodically, as it helps to reduce the adverse effects of the immune system abnormality.
For these cases, it is advisable to wash sheets up to more than once a week. And it has many benefits, as it has been studied and proven to be a habit that manages to prevent diseases (apart from reducing the effects of allergies).
For example, a Cambridge study in day care centers affirmed that washing bed linen every day can reduce the frequency of gastroenteritis. Other studies also claim that cleaning the sleeping mat prevents respiratory tract infections.
More washing in summer
In each season of the year the growth of mites and other microorganisms varies, therefore, depending on the season we will have to increase the number of washes, or not. For example, in summer we will have to wash the sheets more often, since it is when we sweat the most.
Also, in case we get sick or someone in our house is allergic to dust mites, it is recommended to wash the sheets very frequently and with hot water, at about 60 degrees Celsius.
Avoid contact with dirty hands or clothes.
To minimize the dirt that can accumulate between the sheets and maintain hygiene, we must avoid small details that can dirty them, such as touching them with dirty hands or dirty clothes. Therefore, we should avoid sitting or leaning things on the bed when it is unmade, since all the dirt will stick to the sheets.
Moisture, the bedding’s worst enemy
It is important to bear in mind that the passage of microorganisms – such as bacteria and fungi – from one surface to another is greater if it is wet. Thus, we should avoid the bad habits of sleeping with wet hair after a shower or leaving sweaty clothes on the bed, as this will leave more microorganisms impregnated on the surface.
If the clothes are dry, the transmission of microorganisms is hardly detectable, but it all depends on the contact time and friction.
It is also advisable to shower before going to bed to remove dirt from the body that can stain the sheets, but above all, we must dry our hair well so as not to wet the sheets.
