How often should you change your bedding? The experts advise

Experts reveal when to wash everything from duvets to sheets. Photo / Brandon Cormier, Unsplash

If you are a bi-weekly sheet washer, you might think you are doing enough to keep your bed hygienic.

But it turns out you might need to change your sheets far more often than you think if you have a pet in your household.

Experts shared that a number of health problems are linked to sleeping in dirty sheets.

Chemist Click pharmacist Abbas Kanani told the Daily Mail: “Proper hygiene is important when it comes to sleeping because dirty sheets can contribute to allergies, skin breakouts, asthma, and disrupt sleep quality”.

“On the surface, your bedding may look clean, but it can lead to all manner of health problems if not regularly changed so we’d recommend changing your sheets once a week”, warned The Fine Bedding Company’s Head of Product Development Danielle Mason.

“If you have pets or experience allergies from dust mites, it should be every three to four days for optimal sleeping conditions.”

Experts recommend changing your sheets once a week. Photo / 123RF

Dr Veronika Matutyte was in agreement, stating: “Bedroom hygiene is very important. It helps prevent the spread of bacteria, germs, infections and diseases.”

“The routine is likely different for people with problems such as asthma and allergies and those who experience night sweats.

“For such cases, I usually encourage change and washing of bedding once every week to keep the room fresh and clean and to remove potential irritants.”

Both Kanani and Matutyte agreed that not changing your bedding for too long can cause an abundance of health concerns.

“The average person spends about 227,760 hours sleeping in their lifetime, which equates to 26 years,” says Kanani.

“Dirt, dead skin cells, body oils, sweat and dust mites, including their carcasses and faecal matter can all accumulate on your bedding.

"Wash your sheets regularly and your filled bedding at least twice a year for a good night’s sleep," an expert says. Photo / Supplied

“Dust mites can live solely off of dead skin cells and reproduce quickly. If you have skin allergies that are triggered by dust mites, pollen or other microscopic particles, wash bedding in hot water and this will help to kill off dust mites and other irritating microbes.

“They can also make asthma symptoms much worse so it is really important to keep your sheets clean.”

Another bright side of changing your bedding regularly? Dr Matutyte says changing your sheets reduces the spread of bacteria and fungi bacteria, which is a common cause of diseases like pneumonia, skin infections, measles, influenza and chicken pox.

And while sleep health expert Dorothy Chambers agreed a one week bed sheet washing rotation was best, she said pillow cases should be washed two to three times a week.

Mason also reminded people that washing other items of bedding - such as mattresses, duvets and pillows - is just as important.

She said: “Always check the care instructions, and check whether your duvet and pillows are synthetic or natural, but we’d recommend washing them every few months if you suffer from allergies, or at least twice a year otherwise.

“Your sleep environment is one of the main components that strongly affects the quality of your sleep and therefore your health and mood, so ensure you wash your sheets regularly and your filled bedding at least twice a year for a good night’s sleep.”