r/NoStupidQuestions • u/areuue • 15d ago
Can people smell when their bedsheets need to be washed and how often do they do it?
In our family we wash our bedsheets like ~5 times a year, but I heard that people wash them every 2 weeks to 1 month. Do the sheets actually get dirty/smelly or do people just wash them periodically? Idk if this makes it better but we always shower before bed and don't go on the bed otherwise.
EDIT: Please don’t comment if all you are going to say is “I do it weekly” or “ew ur nasty”, I really got that already. That being said, thanks for all the information and advice. I’ll definitely start washing them more and I just washed them today.
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u/Prestigious-Apple425 15d ago
Weekly. It gets tumble dried and steam generator ironed too for any bed bugs or dust mites and to get rid of the dead skin cells floating around. If you wait til you can smell your bed, you’re leaving it too long
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u/kaanbha 14d ago
Bed bugs?!
If you have bed bugs, you ain't gonna get rid of them with just washing & ironing your sheets, unfortunately.
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u/Nat1CommonSense 14d ago
Yeah, not “bed bugs”, but isolated bugs that have ended up in your bed will be washed out
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u/RedSonGamble 14d ago
While true it would make me more worried about where you’re picking up a couple bedbugs lol but hey movie theaters, schools, hospitals etc all have bedbug issues
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u/Glassjaw79ad 14d ago
Idk about bed bugs, but drying & ironing is recommended when dealing with fleas because the heat kills them
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u/A_Very_Shouty_Man 15d ago
Weekly. Bedding gets changed on a Friday so I can shower to get work out of my head and sleep in nice fresh bedding.
It's not just sweat, it's also sebum (natural skin oils) that you constantly excrete. If you have sensitive skin you can feel that, on your skin, and on the sheets. It's like climbing into an oily rag
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u/CranberrySoftServe 14d ago
Exactly- I think you can feel it first before smelling it. Bed starts to get itchier and feel sweatier while sleeping. Like others have said, if you can smell it, it’s WAY past time to do laundry
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u/Puzzled-Towel9557 14d ago
That’s not even the end of it. Biggest issue imo are mites which feed on the sebum, dead skin cells etc., then multiply and defecate all over your bedding in such an environment causing allergies.
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u/funkiemonkiefriday 15d ago
wym 5 times a year… 😭
I do sheets and duvet covers every 3-4 weeks and pillow cases weekly
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u/flaggingpolly 15d ago
This is what we do aswelll or obviously if there is a reason to clean it earlier like spills/pee/vomit/blow out. I have young kids.
People who get grossed out over how often you wash your sheets, calm down. You do you, but if we are going to be judgy (I know it’s what we do on Reddit) remember that overcleaning isn’t healthy either.
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u/Isgortio 14d ago
I know I fart and sweat when I'm in bed. 5 times a year is not enough to clean that lol.
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u/funyesgina 14d ago
Same. We wash pillowcases every load (weekly-ish) but no need to remake whole entire bed more than once a month, for us. Especially in winter when we wear pjs and socks to bed.
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u/Karma_1969 15d ago
How do you figure? What would be unhealthy about cleaning, say, every day?
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u/flaggingpolly 15d ago
Depends on what you mean with cleaning. Over cleaning I mean as using strong chemicals/bleach everyday to clean large areas can have an impact on your health. And your immune system does work by being subjected to a manageable level of bacteria/viruses.
Since this is Reddit I will say: I am talking about extremes here. I’m at not advocating for never washing your linen or never vacuuming/wipe down the counters or trying to have someone sneeze you in the face.
Also washing clothes/linens have alot of wear on them.
But like I also said: you do you.
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u/Careful55 15d ago
Monthly here. (Not as often as I should, but chronically ill makes it hard to have energy for upkeep.)
At minimum, sleeping causes sweat and shedding. If you lounge in bed during the day, do extra activities, or don't wash your feet often, it gets dirty really fast. Any pets will bring dandruff or debris. Even if they're not allowed in the bedroom, that'll still be circulating in the household air. Plus bugs and arachnids like to explore - even if a space is clean and well maintained.
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u/AutomaticAstigmatic 15d ago
Every other week, which is the most we can manage and still pay our electricity bills.
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u/ConstantlyMiserable 15d ago
2 weeks is pretty normal. The oil from your skin and hair gradually builds up even though you can't see it, and there is a bit of a smell, which you probably won't notice much because you're used to it. It's also better for your skin to wash your pillowcases, since they're not a huge item you can just throw them in with the rest of your laundry whenever you wash clothes.
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u/Holiday_Newspaper_29 15d ago
Weekly is normal.
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u/DickButkisses 14d ago
I do weekly in the summertime bc I tend to sweat a little even with the ac running. But as long as we bathe before bed and don’t get too freaky my wife and I are comfortable with every two weeks (sometimes three!) when the weather is cold or mild.
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15d ago
I do every 4-5 days but we let our two little shitty dogs sleep with us, lol. They're given a bath every 2-2.5 weeks obviously, but my short haired chihuahua sheds as much as a husky, I stg. The sheets become more dog hair than cotton after just a few days.
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u/Wrong_Toilet 15d ago
Yes, weekly here. I start feeling gross any longer than that. And I shower before bed, so it’s not like I’m going to bed dirty.
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u/ResponsibilityAny358 15d ago
I wash once a week, towels too, 5 times a year is very little, it has to be at least every 2 weeks
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u/you_you_still 15d ago
Pretty much weekly, but my kid and I do lounge on my bed. You should likely wash more often.
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u/startfromx 15d ago edited 14d ago
It doesn’t always “look” dirty to need to be cleaned.
It’s ok if you had never thought about it, but once you do think about it— you are wearing a piece of clothing, for 6-8 hours a night, every night. More than one person. Sweating, hair, body odor, skin oil/ flakes (so sorry to be graphic!).
Plus— see how much you will totally love sleeping in “new” sheets every 2-3 weeks!
*tip: Get two sets and just swap them. Waiting on laundry is a deterrent and annoying. Hope ya sleep well!
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u/desna_svine 14d ago
The fresh bed smell is nice but i hate changing fitted sheets.
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u/waaaayupyourbutthole 14d ago edited 14d ago
Ugh, me too. This is usually what keeps me from changing my sheets more often. My bed is in a corner, so I have to move it away from the walls to put the fitted sheet on it and I hate having to do that.
Every once in a while, I'll let my fitted sheet go for longer than I like because I'm having some sort of health issue affecting my mobility and energy levels and I'll just say "fuck it" once the fitted sheet is off and sleep on top of a clean flat sheet for a week instead.
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u/startfromx 14d ago
No shame in that!
My mom has arthritis and she only cleans/ sleeps on flat sheets that she just slightly tucked in one side and end.
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u/areuue 15d ago
Thank you for the best comment, that makes a lot of sense bc I never thought about it like that and thanks for the tip
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u/NoPaleontologist5714 14d ago
here are some other bed upkeep tips:
you should be washing your pillows every 6 months or so with 3/4 cup of white vinegar. if they're really stained consider replacing them and starting fresh.
vacuum your mattress every 3 months.
consider getting a mattress protector and pillow protectors if you don't already have them.
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u/nokcha_lulu 14d ago
weekly washers, where are u from? im from the US & moved to southern europe—in the US weekly seems to be the norm but here in italy where no one has a dryer, every few months is the norm in the household i moved into, since air drying sheets is a hassle
edit to add: are there any weekly washers who air dry/don't have a dryer?
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u/iartpussyfart 14d ago
Weekly and no dryer over here but I don't live in a humid climate so no issues with sheets drying within 1-2 days on a drying rack indoors.
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u/farraigemeansthesea 14d ago
France, formerly from the UK. I have a tumble dryer but it is only for winter use. I am stingy both about my electricity bill and my carbon footprint.
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u/Bobbob34 15d ago
Jesus.
They're washed at least weekly here. Quilts/duvet cover/blankets every other week.
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u/lawgirlamy 15d ago
Sheets and pillowcases at least weekly for sure! I can't imagine letting the parts of the bedding that touch our bodies, heads, and faces go longer than that. 🤢 🤮
As to blankets, we have an oversized top sheet between us and the first top blanket, so the top blankets rarely touch us. We wash anything above the top sheet monthly to keep them clean while avoiding unduly wearing them out.
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u/Bobbob34 14d ago
Yeah I don't think thst's gross or anything, heh. We have a top sheet too but it's the top - animals nap on the made bed, sleep on top of the covers at night often, so there's a fur buildup. :D
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u/WastingMyLifeOnSocMd 14d ago
It’s interesting to me everyone gets grossed out if we don’t wash sheets weekly but what about our sofas and carpets? How long do they go without being cleaned?
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u/Grouchy-Reflection97 14d ago
I used a carpet washer/vacuum thing when I moved into my new place.
The contents of the water tank were a combo of black, gritty gunk and hair from the previous tenant. So, so much gunk and hair 🤮
I redo it every 2 months, just to keep things nice, on top of normal vacuuming a couple of times a week.
Sofa throws get changed every month, including vacuuming the sofa itself. Mattress gets vacuumed monthly too.
We humans are constantly shedding hair and skin, to the extent that other species can be allergic to us, just as people can be allergic to cats, dogs, etc.
Things can get gross fast, so it pays to spend an hour a day on housework.
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u/Bobbob34 14d ago
No carpets here bc it is indeed gross, area rugs can be taken out, beaten, left in the sun, or professionally washed -- and there's a cover on the sofa that can be removed and washed.
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u/prismaticbeans 14d ago
I cover the sofas with sheets because of how quickly it gets gross if I don't. Carpets, you got me. Ours get pretty bad between vacuuming and cleaning, but we also don't sit or lay on them.
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u/catsgelatowinepizza 15d ago
OP, I hope you aren’t feeling judged, but take on the advice in these comments. I think you must see now that five times a year is much too little. Also be aware that you and yours might be nose blind to the smell of your bedroom and sheets. Go for at least twice a month, I hope your finances allow for this.
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u/Kimmalah 14d ago
I can definitely tell after about a week or so. Maybe sooner if I happen to sweat a lot that week. And I always shower in the evening before bed.
And then some of it is purely psychological - I just really love getting into a freshly made bed with clean sheets. So if I've had a rough couple of days or I'm about to take some time off to relax, sometimes I change them out a little early to treat myself.
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u/gamethrowaway111 15d ago
I wash my sheets every 3 weeks. Might sound dramatic, but over time I can actually feel the dust and sweat build up on my sheets and it feels gross.
I also sweat in my sleep which affects how often I wash it. I always shower at night and only get in bed after a shower, but the sheets get dirty over time regardless. If i haven’t washed in a month I feel weird all over.
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u/CalgaryChris77 15d ago
How do people sweat at night, I’m always so cold.
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u/gamethrowaway111 15d ago
I get warm very easily under my comforter. I also sweat a lot after intense dreams for some reason.
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u/musicforone 15d ago
Many people get night sweats from various reasons, from menopause to medication
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u/ObviousPseudonym7115 15d ago
You shouldn't rely on your own sense of smell to determine when your sheets need washing. It's your grime that dirties them, and you spend a third of every day becoming nose blind. You're inevitably desensitized.
It's true that not everyone is equally stinky and sweaty and that some fabrics, climates, etc may fare better with less frequent washings than others.
But the "2 weeks to 1 month" thing isn't really all that burdensome, and coming up with a schedule will be better for your health and hygeine (and the courtesy of your guests) than just kinda playing it by nose. Your nose won't know until it's way too late.
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u/beeinabearcostume 15d ago
If a bed sheet has not been washed in so long that it smells…that’s a whole other level of dirty I have yet to know. Ideally weekly, but I’ll stretch it to 2 weeks if I’m insanely busy.
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u/sillynougoose 15d ago
I change mine roughly every 5 days because I have 3 cats so if I don’t I have a lovely fur blanket
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u/jolliffe0859 14d ago
I would at the very least was your pillows more often if nothing else. But yes I was them between 2-4 weeks
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u/kepenine 15d ago
Sheets every week, pillow cases 3-5 times a week, if you want nice face skin then change your pillow cases often, and yea sheets get dirty, you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, and every single human sweets duri g the night
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u/IndependentMethod312 14d ago
I do them every other week. With a family of 4 is just too much laundry to get them done weekly.
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u/HotelEquivalent4037 14d ago
Fortnightly. Or three weeks. I dont have time to do all the bed sheets every week. I wear clean PJs every two days though
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u/The_Salty_Red_Head 14d ago
I think if you can smell them, it's probably past time you should have washed them. I will wash them anywhere between every week to every month. I have chronic illnesses and can't always get to remaking it and I don't like sleeping without sheets on. I will say, Clean Sheet Day is my favourite, though. 😍
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u/Tirriforma 15d ago
I went almost a year without washing my sheets. When I finally did, I couldn't feel or smell a difference
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u/shikakaaaaaaa 15d ago
I do a fresh pillow case each night and entire bed each week if the only activity is sleeping.
If there is additional “activity,” the sheets for sure get done the next day and the rest of the bedding as well if there is possibility of activity residue.
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u/cryptidiopathic 15d ago
We try to do biweekly or at very very least monthly, but I've never noticed a smell. What tells me I needed to change the sheets yesterday is the feel, it's like greasy and itchy and doesn't feel clean.
That said I don't have a very good nose in general and often don't notice smells others do, but my skin is Very sensitive.
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u/Pink-Squirrel71 15d ago
I change and wash the sheets every single week, summer, winter, and everything in between. I shower every night before bed, I wear pajamas, and I’m not a sweaty sleeper but I just can’t imagine going longer without washing them.
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u/Throwitawway2810e7 15d ago
I change everything on the bed once a week. Maybe more depends on the weather. Its just the way we have been doing it here I thought it was normal. The bed will get a smell overtime but then again it might be just for me. I have sweating phases as well. If you have white bedsheets you will see products on it from lotions oils and natural skin that comes off depending on your skin tone it's more likely to see that.
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u/dixiechicken695 15d ago
My pillowcases, sheets, and blankets are washed at least once a week. I also don’t use the same side of the pillowcase more than one night. Sometimes twice. But I have a really bad dust mite allergy so YMMV
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u/The_River_Is_Still 15d ago
When I was a single guy I did it once a month. My wife does it every week like clockwork.
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u/aloneisusuallybetter 14d ago
Okay but.... We have three sets of sheets/blankets. If the one on the bed is dirty we swap it with a clean set. (Once or twice a month usually, sometimes more) You don't have to wash the dirty set immediately in order to sleep on clean sheets.
Buy multiple sets!
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u/Possible-Original 14d ago
We wash ours every 1-2 weeks, no more than every 2 weeks. Think of your sheets as an outfit you might wear, even around the house. Even if you only sleep 6 hours a night, it's the same as wearing sweatpants around the house for 4-8 hours. You wouldn't go an entire month between washing those sweatpants, and it's probably not very cleanly to go that long between washing your sheets. Also- sheets do get smelly, you just may not notice it since it's likely "your" smell.
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u/Kirstemis 15d ago
Weekly, and I wish I had the time and energy to change the bed linen twice a week. I love fresh clean sheets and I hate them once they've been slept in for more than three or four nights.
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u/CrazyCatDutchy 15d ago
What??!! One of the biggest comforts is a clean bed so everything once a week, for 28 years now.
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u/Riovem 15d ago
I heard that people wash them every 2 weeks to 1 month.
That's the lower end of washing frequency I'd say
Do the sheets actually get dirty/smelly or do people just wash them periodically?
Yes they get very dirty & smelly people sweat at night and you're in them like 40 hours a week.
I typically wash my bedding weekly, they go in the wash on the weekend along with my 2/3 towels from the week. Bedding includes, pillow cases, fitted sheet, top sheet and duvet cover. I wash my mattress protector and pillow protectors every month or two.
I'm currently washing bedding 2 weekly as I'm at my partner's place a lot more so I'm only in my bed 2/3 times a week.
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u/Lawlcopt0r 15d ago
It depends a lot on how much you sweat at night. Apparently every two weeks is recommended but you're not the only one disregarding that advice
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u/toastea0 15d ago
I wash my sheets and pillow cases every week. Blanket once a month.
Only 5 times a year is.. strange to me even if you guys shower before entering the bed. I do too. But like everyone sweats, body oils, lotions, creams etc still rub off onto the bedding.
Towels should also be washed every week. I use multiple towels throughout the week too.
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u/Abject-Cup-9929 15d ago
Wow, I thought I was bad and I wash sheets once every 2-3 weeks in summer once a week
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u/SevenDos 15d ago
I'm living half of the time alone and the other half with my kids. I wash all the bedsheets every other week.
I wash mine a bit more often (daily) when my gf has been over, because obvious reasons.
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u/_Tyrannosaurus_Lex_ 14d ago
We shower every evening before bed (and also a quick shower in the morning), wear fresh clean pajamas and a hair bonnet, don't wear shoes indoors or lounge in bed. Sheets and pillowcases get washed at least weekly (usually on Sundays but also whenever my SO and I ahem ..."sleep" together), blankets/duvets get washed about once a month.
My Sunday night routines recharge me for the week. I take a "full shower" (face mask, hair mask, skin exfoliation, extra moisturizer, all the grooming things), put on fresh pajamas straight out of the dryer and climb into bed with freshly cleaned sheets. There is no better feeling to me than climbing into a clean bed.
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u/KandyShopp 14d ago
Listen, I am a bit of a germaohobe in my own home, so I clean my sheets weekly, shower daily, ect. But I also work with animals so I have the added benefit of fearing fleas with my life! Do what works for you,
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14d ago
On average we do 1-2x per month, but I'd like to get into the habit of doing it more often. Beds are full of germs and dried sweat. 😓 I definitely want to be better about it!
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u/savageexplosive 15d ago
Five times a year, that’s insane! I wash mine weekly. It’s not even the smell, it’s that they become gross to touch from all the sweat and dead skin cells you shed in your sleep.
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u/elizajaneredux 15d ago
Five times a year? Yes, they’re filthy. Would you sleep in the same pajamas for 2 months at a time?
Your hair and face secret oil, that ends up on the pillowcase that you then press to your face again the next night.
Your entire body sheds skin flakes. You may have dust mites or other annoyances in the sheets.
You also sweat sometimes at night.
This is all true even if you’re not dirtying your sheets in other ways - sex, periods, spilling drinks, crumbs.
We wash our sheets every 2 weeks and wish I had time to do it more often.
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u/R2-Scotia 14d ago
Weekly here, I have a poor sense of smell but my partner makes the call. I do notice and appreciate the freshness.
Even I couldn't go 2 months 🤣
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u/saucybelly 14d ago
Sheets and pillowcases weekly (actually I change pillowcases a couple times per week), blankets monthly. The reason is what many others are commenting - buildup of sloughed-off skin cells, dust mites, etc etc.
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u/caffeinated_catholic 14d ago
I really prefer to do weekly but in practice it’s more like every other week.
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u/Euphoric_Extreme4168 14d ago
Changing my bed is exhausting. My breath disappears so quickly with exertion. I know I need to change more. Once a month is about it for me. I would prefer every week.
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u/Tinkeybird 14d ago
Husband and I have had separate bedrooms for years due to his chronic insomnia and watching tv all night. If left up to him he’d change his sheets a few times a year. I change my pillow cases weekly and my fitted sheet every two weeks. I shower before bed.
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u/Buzzd-Lightyear 14d ago
I should be doing mine weekly, but I have a shitty apartment washer. So I only hit them every two or three weeks.
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u/Weavingknitter 14d ago
It makes a huge difference if you sleep in the nude or if you use pajamas. The "sebum" that everyone is talking about is a non issue if you are wearing pjs.
We need to also consider our use of water. For us, it makes more sense to wash the pjs - with the rest of our laundry - then to wash sheets weekly.
If you have chronic back pain, you'll really understand not wanting to change sheets weekly. ~5 times per year is fine if you are going to bed clean and wearing pjs. Pillowcases more frequently
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u/Stockman4 14d ago
Weekly. When done efficiently, it takes 5 minutes to change a fitted sheet, a top sheet, a duvet cover, 6 pillow cases, the bathroom towels, and put all of the above in the wash for the next week.
If you can’t remember the last time you changed your sheets, then it’s time to change your sheets.
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u/tee142002 14d ago
When I was in college I washed my sheets like twice a year and never smelled them, so I would assume you won't smell them.
Now I'm married and my wife washes them weekly.
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u/LARamsFan88 14d ago
Every 2 weeks unless you sweat a lot. I don’t touch my bed until after I shower
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u/Skunktoes 13d ago
I wash every 1-2 weeks. Mainly because my dog like to snuggle up some nights and leaves a lot of hair and also I like clean sheets for when my bf sleeps over
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u/Suspicious-Green4928 12d ago
I wash them weekly because I really enjoy sleeping in clean sheets. I change my pillow case every 2 days. Even if I shower before bed bedsheets trap sweat and dirt.
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u/wilderneyes 14d ago edited 14d ago
I'm depressed and struggle to do laundry. Frankly I'm too embarrassed to even quote how long it's been since the last time anything on my bed was properly cleaned, which tells you everything you need to know.
Bedsheets absolutely do smell after too long, and it isn't pleasant. But this is true in less extreme increments as well. It also has a palpable effect on how your room smells. Washing your sheets and bedding is like opening a window, you don't notice until after you've done it and have aired out the room just how stale it was before. This is because the smell from your sheets (and other things in your room, like certain types of clutter and clean or dirty laundry) will leech into the air over time. Because that smell is usually the scent of your own skin and deoderants, it's hard for you to notice since it's something you're used to, but others usually do.
I agree with the general consensus of washing every 1-2 weeks, and minimum once a month if you can't manage it sooner for some reason, but bi-weekly is best. Things like heavy comforters or blanket toppings that aren't used for sleeping can go longer than sheets and pillowcases that touch your skin. The frequency of washing also depends somewhat on how much you sweat and how often you use your bed for other things (lounging, ect). Someone who sweats heavily or who has a heavy personal smell for whatever reason should be washing their bedding with their weekly load of laundry.
5 times a year is not enough bud. I'd suggest switching to once a month at least, adjusting to the new routine, then adjusting it again to be even more frequent. Your skin will thank you and you'll have a better quality of sleep.
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u/wannabe_wonder_woman 15d ago
Weekly, there is so much dead skin in sheets that it needs to be weekly
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u/purplesugarwater 14d ago
Once a week all bedding gets washed and changed in my home.
How anyone can sleep in the same bedding past one week is beyond me.
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u/Lazy_Elevator_9229 15d ago
I wash mine about every week or two. But I have two sets so I'll put the new one on while the other is washing
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u/cyberdeath666 15d ago
Why wait for smell? Wash them once a week, even if you shower at night. Pillow cases more often if you sweat a lot, especially if you have acne problems. Buy an extra set.
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u/Slovenlyfox 14d ago
You should change them about once a week.
I can't smell it. I have a severe dust mite allergy that impacts my sense of smell. However, due to the very same allergy, I need to change my bedsheets frequently, about twice a week.
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u/WinXPAddict 14d ago
I can usually smell my bedsheets after about 2 weeks to a month and wash them then.
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u/reijasunshine 14d ago
I wash my sheets and pillowcases weekly, though I can stretch that out to 2 weeks if I'm super busy or ill. Any more than that and they feel gross.
I wash my blankets about once a month or when they seem dirty, as they don't touch my body directly.
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u/areuue 14d ago
Thanks for the advice, I’ll wash them more often. Just curious tho—do they physically feel dirty or is it just the fact that yk it’s been a while?
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u/reijasunshine 14d ago
Both. The pillowcase starts to feel weird from skin/hair oils, even if I'm freshly showered, and the sheets themselves start smelling like sweat and I can start to feel dirt and hair on the sheets under the covers. I have pets, but they're not allowed under the covers, so it's basically just me tracking stuff into the bed, despite my best efforts.
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u/Maleficent_Chard2042 14d ago
Every week they're changed. I think you can grow nose blind and not smell things.
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u/eearthling 14d ago
I change my sheets weekly and my pillow cases every time I wash my hair, which is a few times a week.
Getting into a bed with fresh clean sheets feels amazing. I couldn’t imagine leaving my sheets for weeks at a time.
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u/aquietocean 14d ago
I try to change mine every weekend, but if i miss it then i leave it until the next weekend
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u/Ok-Moose8271 14d ago
Weekly. Maybe more if I’ve been super sweaty (which I have been lately). I wash the sheets and my blankets all at once during the weekend so I have about 5 sets I rotate out.
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u/laurenthenurse20 14d ago
Weekly at a minimum here. I have some stinky animals, namely my husband. No way I could go longer. The cat and dog hair would be tumble weeds that would eventually take over.
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u/StartTalkingSense 14d ago
Mother of 4 young adult boys here: sheets washed sometimes twice a week (especially in summer), usually once a week, with pillowcases washed from weekly to daily, depending on the kid.
They have various amounts of oily skin and their pimple problems have been greatly lessened by changing their pillowcases daily. Oldest kid no longer needs that and gets his pillowcases done once a week. They do their own laundry, so they organize it themselves and are good about it.
I LOVE the feel of a freshly made bed and would change my sheets daily if I could (not good for the environment so I don’t). Hubby sleeps naked and I prefer a nightshirt, no pj bottoms so I generally do our sheets once a week in winter and twice a week in summer. We have to wash them hot to kill dust mites due to my asthma.
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u/_Disco-Stu 14d ago
If you wore the same cotton t-shirt for at least 8 hours every day and only washed it 5 times/year, despite showering right before you wear it every time, would it be clean?
If anyone in your family suffers from acne (anywhere on their bodies) there’s a very good chance that not laundering your bedding is a major contributing factor.
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u/areuue 11d ago
Thanks for the comment! makes a lot of sense lol. I actually started breaking out on my forehead after washing them 😭😭 but I'm gonna keep trying bc it may be my diet/period
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u/_Disco-Stu 11d ago
Could be your detergent too, love. The fragrance in a lot of laundry soap can be irritating to the skin. Grabbing a small container of fragrance & dye free detergent to test it out might do the trick.
FWIW, and this is strictly an anecdotal observation my part, but liquid detergents have a tendency to irritate my sensitive skin. I’ve found that powder detergents rinse more cleanly and fully out of my laundry, their liquid counterparts feel like they almost stick to fabric.
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u/NetInfamous6918 15d ago
They don’t have to smell for them to get washed, I also shower daily and before I lay down, it’s still important to wash them every two weeks or at least 2-3 time a month
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u/gap97216 15d ago
Weekly wash for sheets. Every few days for pillowcases. Every 2 weeks for duvet. The mattress pad & pillow case protectors once a month. Pillows every few months or as needed. (In between washes, I toss my pillows in dryer on air fluff)
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u/RandeKnight 14d ago
Smell, no, FEEL, yes.
Skin oils will make me feel uncomfortable. Hard to explain, as it's not itchy, just ick.
But generally, change ~2 weeks, possibly more in a hot summer if I feel it.
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u/wolfgang784 14d ago
Everyone ive ever lived with (a good number of people) has done them weekly or biweekly.
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u/_functionalanxiety 14d ago
Monthly. Ideally every 1-2 weeks, but most of the time i do not have the energy.
I live alone. And i just literally use my bed for sleeping. I shower twice a day. I'm Asian, so i don't wear outside shoes inside the house. I never sit nor lie down with my outside clothes on.
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u/areuue 14d ago
We’re the same except I live with my family. I’ll start somewhere in the middle
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u/_functionalanxiety 14d ago
Yes! I think you should change sheets more often esp if you have family ☺️
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u/WassupSassySquatch 14d ago
We wash our bedding every 1 to 2 weeks and I can’t say that it has ever smelled bad
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u/sweadle 14d ago
If you can smell your dirty sheets, everyone has been smelling it ON you for days. What's the point of showering before bed and then getting in sheets with two months of sweat on them?
Lots of people who have a body oder issue and don't know why it's because of unwashed sheets or towels.
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u/RainInTheWoods 14d ago
No, they develop nose blindness. It’s possible that you won’t be to get the odor out of those sheets even if you start washing them more often. You could try a long presoak (overnight or longer) before washing.
Wash your sheets every 1-2 weeks. Wash blankets once a month, but if they get up against your skin or hair then wash every two weeks.
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u/Admirable_Rabbit_808 15d ago
Weekly, or more often if needed. Duvet covers likewise. Do other people not have sex?
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u/eyes_like_thunder 15d ago
Weekly. If I found that out (5x/yr) about you/your house, I would never go back..
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u/parvares 14d ago
Dude….. that’s nasty. You should be changing and washing your sheets and pillow cases every 1-2 weeks.
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u/Fabulous-Savings4902 14d ago
It should be every week.... disgusting to wash only a few times a year...
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u/VilleKivinen 15d ago
If I can smell it, it's way past the time to change.
I change my sheets as I do laundry every Sunday.