Your bed is where you start and end each day, and likely where you spend almost one-third of your life. So, why wouldn't you want it to be the most comfortable and cleanest area in your home? It's important you know how to properly wash, dry, and store your bed sheets to keep them in good condition, but when do you replace them?
Your sheets are an extremely personal household item that you sleep on every night. While you may take time to select fun colors and patterns that match the design of your bedroom, bedding, or personality, it's often how they feel that ultimately makes your decision to buy them. And, even if you do find a sheet set that is both comfortable to sleep in and the perfect bedroom design match, how long should you keep them before going out and buying a new set?
The answer many experts recommend:
Every Two to Three Years
You should completely replace your sheets after two to three years of use. While this may sound excessive, there are a few great reasons you should be replacing your sheet sets on a regular basis like this. Consider your favorite top you wear a lot because you love how it looks on you. Eventually, it starts wearing out, right? You can actually see visible wear and tear signs such as:
- Yellowing
- Thinning
- Pilling
- Less vibrant color
These are common indicators for your sheets too that it's time to replace them. You may also begin feeling the decline, too, which can impact your sleep quality. If your sheets aren't comfortable and cozy anymore, or they have pilling, you're likely not going to sleep as well.
While you should be replacing your sheet sets after two or three years, there are a few things you can do to extend the life of your sheets. For instance, you can make sure you have more than one set of sheets, and change between them frequently. But, be careful not to over wash your sheets either, as this can contribute to wear, or possibly shrink and not fit over your mattress. You can change them frequently, but just make some adjustments in your laundry routine to help preserve them better.
Taking Care of your Sheets to Help Extend Their Lifespan
Here are some things you can do to preserve your sheets.
- Buy High-Quality Sheets
Look for sheet sets that are constructed with long-staple cotton to make sure you're not only getting a soft sheet, but an incredibly durable one, too. Many people swear by Egyptian cotton sheets. Longer cotton fibers are spun into finer, stronger yarns, but still produce the incredibly supple and smooth weaves. Other good options include brushed microfiber sheets, and sheets made out of bamboo fiber.
Single-ply threads with long-staple cotton means the threads weaved into your sheet sets are light, but also very strong. Beware of sheet sets made with multi-ply yarns, which are a group of fibers that are weaker, and twisted together to give off the sense of false strength. They're often shorter-staple, lower-grade cottons. These result in coarser, thicker, and heavier threads that have a higher chance of poking out of the weave, which makes them more vulnerable to thinning.
- Wash Your Sheets
The frequency of which you wash your sheets is obviously your personal preference, but again, you don't want to overdo it. Generally, you should wash your sheets weekly to remove dust, dirt, and dead skin cells. After all, you lose up to 40,000 old skin cells every day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, and many of these wind up on your sheets.
Generally, you’ll want to wash your sheets in the hottest temperature possible. However, some sheets manufacturing instructions say use warm water instead of hot water, since hot water can shrink the fibers of the material. You should also wash your pillowcases inside out if they're colored or printed to protect the color. If your sheets have features like delicate trim, read the care instructions label before you wash them.
Use oxygenated bleach on light colors and whites (chlorine bleach is not recommended for many linens, since it's too harsh) when you're trying to get out tough stains. If discoloration concerns you, try removing face lotions and cosmetics before you go to sleep at night, since they can cause discoloration.
- Dry Your Sheets
When you dry your sheets, be sure to tumble dry them according to the instructions label, and take them out of the dryer before they've completed the cycle to reduce wrinkles. But, you do want to be sure they're fully dry before you store them to avoid any growth of mildew in your home.
Now, your sheets won't necessarily fall apart in two to three years. They just may begin looking and feeling worn out, and you'll want to buy a new set to maintain the comfort and optimal sleep you receive from your natural latex mattress.
