How often should we wash our bedding and towels, and why? by Amber C

Laundry.

We all hate it or love to hate it or hate to love it.

Sometimes it's therapeutic, and other times, it's the bane of our existence, and if there's ANYONE out there who can actually fold a fitted sheet properly, please offer classes.

On to business, how often do you wash your bedding and towels? How much is too often or not enough??

Well, according to www.sleepfoundation.org, we should be washing our sheets and bedding once a week.

However, if you aren't sleeping on your mattress every night, you can get away with washing them bi-weekly, but most SHOULD be washed once a week. This includes your pillowcases as well.

Now, why on earth would we take the time to wash them twice per week? I really hope you aren't squeamish…but you can't see the little critters that are making your bed their village and your dead skin cells into their meals. MILLIONS of tiny dust mites live and multiply on your bedsheets, pillowcases and comforters, defecating where you lay your head, feeding on skin cells and bathing in your body oils *insert shivers here*.

If you CAN see the bugs…those are bedbugs…and you need to get rid of that mattress and call a fumigation team, but that's a whole other blog topic. Pillows should be replaced or washed every 3-6 months. If washable, then toss them in your machine and fluff intermittently while in the dryer to prevent the stuffing from getting clumpy. If you want to amp up that good night's sleep, try spritzing a little lavender or rose water onto your pillows, let it dry, and relax into dreamland after a nice chamomile tea.

As for towels and face cloths, those should be washed every 2-3 uses to ensure you're not just basically spreading the days' dirt around your face during your morning wash. Your towels are like your sheets, collecting all the skin that falls off after a good exfoliation session in the shower. This is why our laundry is always lighter when it's freshly done.

If you are worried about your mattress, you can get a good mattress protector that goes on under the sheets so that critters can't get through, and neither will accidents or spills. Ideally, you should clean your mattress every 6 months and replace it every 6-8 years to ensure better sleep and less back and neck pain.

Now, dust mites don't bite, but they are considered an allergen, and their presence can cause symptoms like hay fever, eczema, asthma, coughing, sore throat, itchy eyes and more. In some cases, especially for those with sensitive skin, you may get a slightly irritated rash, almost like a dry heat rash or hives. If this happens, wash the area and apply anti-itch cream or an ice pack. Then change and wash your bedding.

We hope this week's topic has been of some help.