A clean, fresh bed is the key good sleep and good health. Irregular changes and infrequent washing of bedding can cause health problems. No more than 40% of the adult population knows how often to change bed linen at home. And many are surprised to learn that the frequency of changing linen depends on a person’s age, the presence of infectious or chronic diseases, the time of year, and the presence of pets in the apartment.

Why you need to change your bed linen regularly

Every able-bodied person spends 6 to 9 hours sleeping daily; in children, depending on their age, this figure can be 10-12 hours. Every minute, dead cells peel off from human skin, and in one night several tens of millions of epidermal particles can remain on the bed. In addition, fat and sweat, which are produced by the sebaceous and sweat glands, are absorbed into the bed. Together with exfoliated skin particles, these secretions become a favorable environment for:

• dust mites;
• viruses;
• pathogenic bacteria;
• mold and fungal spores.

The rate of reproduction of harmful insects and pathogens increases if food crumbs, pollen from indoor plants, hair and dander from cats and dogs, indoor dust, and cosmetic products for hair, face and body care get on the bed.

In people who neglect hygiene rules and do not adhere to the recommended shift frequency bedding, may develop:

• weakened immunity;
• tendency to fungal, viral and bacterial infections;
• allergies to house dust and other irritants;
• dermatitis;
• frequent bronchitis;
• bronchial asthma.

To avoid adverse consequences, it is necessary to change bedding sets regularly.

How often should bed linen be changed?

Sanitary standards require that at home, fresh bedding be placed on the bed at least 2 times a month. Traditionally, a bedding set consists of a duvet cover, sheets and 2 pillowcases. This configuration is not accidental: the skin of a person’s face and head, compared to the body, becomes oily faster, so it is recommended to replace pillowcases more often.

Several factors influence the frequency of re-making the bed. The contamination of bedding is accelerated by:

• warm season;
• increased air temperature in the apartment;
• increased sweating due to heat, hormonal changes, fever;
• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
• sleeping without a nightgown or pajamas.

Regardless of a person’s age and gender, experts advise putting out fresh linen on Sunday so that the new week begins with pleasant sensations and a good, full night’s rest. Before making the bed, it is recommended to iron the sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases with a hot iron.

How often should adults change bedding?

In the cold season, when people sweat less and less dust gets into the house from the street, adults are allowed to change their bedding 2 times a month, i.e. every 2 weeks. The same frequency can be followed by those who take a shower or bath every evening and like to sleep in long nightgowns or pajamas.

In the summer, when people's sweat and sebaceous glands are actively working, and street dust, industrial gases and car exhaust enter the room through open windows and balconies, it is recommended to change underwear more often - once every 7-10 days. For those who suffer from hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), a fresh set of bed linen should be laid every 5-7 days.

Newborn children

How often to change bedding for newborns and children under 2 years of age depends on the personal preferences of the parents and the characteristics of the organization children's recreation. Pediatricians advise re-making cribs for infants every 3-4 days. This period may increase if the child sleeps in diapers and his urine and feces do not get on the bed.

Even if there are no visible stains on the sheets and duvet covers and they look clean, the bed should be changed at least once a week. This frequency will help to avoid the child from developing allergic reactions from the organs of vision, breathing and skin.

If any stains appear on the surface of the material (traces of regurgitation and other waste products), the linen should be immediately removed and washed. Any organic matter is a breeding ground for pathogenic microbes, fungi and viruses that can undermine the infant’s still immature immune system.

Children from 2 years old

The frequency of changing bedding for children over 2 years of age depends on their activity and health. If a child likes to play on the bed, sleep with toys or a pet, a fresh bed should be made every 4-7 days. Children’s bedding should be changed with the same frequency during illness, and it is advisable to wash the pillowcase daily or every other day. Preschooler or student primary school Bed linen can be changed every 10-14 days. But provided that he takes a bath every evening and puts on pajamas or a nightgown before going to bed.

For teenagers

The onset of puberty is accompanied by hormonal changes, activation of the sebaceous and sweat glands, changes chemical composition secretion secreted by glands. Teenagers often suffer excessive sweating, greasiness of facial skin and hair. If you do not change your bedding set in a timely manner, harmful substances and pathogens will collect on the greasy fabric, which can cause the appearance or worsening of acne on the face and body.

To avoid infection of skin pores, adolescents need to change their bed at least once every 7-10 days. If the fabric quickly becomes dirty from sweat and sebum, the sheet can be changed 2 times a week, and the pillowcase - as needed.

For children suffering from severe acne, a calico or satin pillow cover should be changed every day, after ironing it with a well-heated iron. The same recommendation applies to bath accessories: a teenager should take a clean face towel every morning, or better yet, use disposable paper napkins.

For allergy sufferers and sick people

The frequency of allergic reactions or attacks of bronchial asthma can be increased by bacteria and mold spores, dust mites, and house dust falling on the surface of bedding. To reduce the risk of unwanted symptoms, a person suffering from allergies or asthma should use fresh sheets and duvet covers every 3-4 days and change their pillowcases daily. For infectious diseases, such as influenza or chickenpox, the bedding set must be changed every evening until the patient has completely recovered.

How often to wash

Cleaning bedding includes washing at temperatures ranging from +30...+95°C, drying and ironing. Depending on the structure and composition of the fabric, a bedding set can withstand many washes without losing its integrity, functionality and decorativeness. For example, calico can withstand more than 100 cleaning cycles, satin - more than 200, satin - about 300.

If you have to change your underwear more often than 3-4 times a month, you should purchase sets made from durable natural fabrics. Adults who care about their own hygiene and do not suffer from allergies or hyperhidrosis can buy sets made of silk or poplin - less wear-resistant fabrics.

Washing rules and disinfection procedures

Sets made of calico, satin and other types of textiles will last for several years, will not shrink, will not come apart at the seams and will not fade if you follow the simple rules care:

1. Wash bedding separately from other items.
2. Colored sets should be washed separately from plain ones. Do not mix products from several sets with different colors.
3. Use the washing mode recommended by the manufacturer and indicated on the packaging or label.
4. For everyday washing of lightly soiled laundry, use a temperature range of +40...+60°C. For delicate fabrics, set the water heating to +30...+40°C.
5. Before washing, turn the garment inside out and remove any accumulated dust and threads from the corners.
6. To disinfect linen and cotton fabrics, use the “boiling” mode.
7. Remove stubborn stains with bleaches suitable for this type of textile. For undyed fabrics, use chlorine-containing preparations such as “Whiteness”; for fabrics with a printed pattern, use oxygen bleaches in the form of powder or liquid.
8. Dry naturally at room temperature or in the fresh air.
9. Be sure to iron. Use the mode appropriate for the type of fabric. For better smoothing and complete destruction of harmful microorganisms, use the steam function.

New bedding should be washed and ironed before first use. Water treatment, detergents and high temperature will help clean the fabric from factory dust that has become embedded in the structure of the fibers during cutting, sewing and packaging. The first wash will rid the textile of paint particles and special preparations that are used by manufacturers to give the products a more attractive appearance.

Changing bed linen can easily be considered one of the hygiene procedures important for human health. Keeping your sheets and pillowcases clean is just as important as washing your clothes regularly. If you do not change your bed linen for a long time, pathogenic microorganisms begin to actively multiply in it, causing allergic reactions and exacerbation of diseases. This is why adults and children should sleep exclusively on clean pillowcases and sheets. Regular replacement is the key to comfortable sleep and human health.

How many times should bed linen be changed?

Experts in the field of epidemiology recommend washing a sleeping set for adults once every 10 days. Every night, dead skin cells, sweat, and organic secretions move from the human body to the bed. All this is a breeding ground for bed mites, bacteria, and fungi. If a person often sweats in his sleep, this is a good reason to change his underwear to clean ones even more often, since high humidity is an ideal environment for the growth of fungi.

It must be said that pillowcases should be changed twice as often as other elements of the sleeping set. This is especially important if there are rashes on the skin or the person has any disease of an infectious nature.

Children's bedding should be changed at least once every 7 days, even if the set appears clean. The pillowcase must be replaced with a clean one twice a week. Babies and newborns will need several sets of bedding.

If your baby sleeps without diapers, the sheets can be changed every day, if not more often. To avoid studying bed linen day and night, it is worth purchasing disposable absorbent diapers.

How often should I wash my bed linen?

How many days should you wash your pillowcase, duvet cover and sheets? Washing bedding should occur with the same frequency as changing it. “Adult” sets need to be washed once every 10 days, children’s sets - once a week. If stains appear on the bedding, you will have to replace the set ahead of time.

Children's clothes must be washed separately from adults. Your baby's bedding should be either manually or machine cleaned using a delicate wash cycle. Existing contaminants must first be rubbed laundry soap. It is recommended to use products for children with a neutral pH and no odor. It is better to avoid air conditioners and bleaches to avoid allergic reactions.

Adults' clothes can be washed in hotter water. If the laundry is made of cotton, it is recommended to select the “Cotton” mode, which is equipped with many automatic machines. This program will provide a longer wash at 60 or 95°C. Hot water effectively eliminates pathogenic microorganisms living in bedding. However, in what mode it is better to wash the set, the manufacturers indicate on the label.

On what days should bed linen be changed?

On what day of the week to change your sleeping set is entirely up to everyone. Many people have a “cleaning day” on Saturday, and then they refresh their linens. If we're talking about about a person working from home, or a mother on maternity leave, then bedding can be washed on Monday, Wednesday, and any other day. It is better to set a specific day for yourself to change the sheets in order to control the time that has passed since the last update of the set, and know exactly when to change for new ones.

Bed linen should be changed on a regular basis, because human health depends on it. It is important to monitor the cleanliness of both children's and adult sleeping sets. It is necessary not only to update pillowcases, sheets and duvet covers, but also not to forget to air pillows and blankets at least once a month.

Despite progressive views modern people, superstitions still play a huge role in their lives. There are corresponding signs for almost every occasion in life. Replacing bed linen is no exception. So, when is the best time to change your sheets?

When can bed linen be changed?

A person spends most of his life in contact with bed linen - there is nothing strange in the fact that we transfer a piece of our own energy to him. That is why it is worth paying more attention to various signs - popular beliefs say that the situation in the house will depend on what day you deal with “linen problems”.

The most optimal time to change linen is Saturday - in this case it is better to combine the procedure with weekly house cleaning. And if a new moon also falls on Saturday, then you are guaranteed happiness and harmony in your relationship with your spouse. Some healers recommend doing laundry on Thursday, before sunrise - this promises happiness and good health.

When is it better not to touch it?

There are days when it is better not to touch the laundry. For example, you cannot change it on days church holidays- on these dates it is better not to work unless absolutely necessary, as this can lead to misfortune.

It is not recommended to do this on Sunday either. Many psychics say that this can lead to insomnia and nightmares. Friday is also not a very suitable day - this way you will only reward yourself with minor, but completely unnecessary problems. You should not do laundry on Wednesday - this is a difficult day on which you need to fast and indulge in reflection, and not solve everyday problems that can wait until the next day.

As for Monday and Tuesday, there are no special prohibitions on these days. However, it is better to start the week by doing more important and useful things.

Other signs and superstitions about bedding

Changing clothes - not so much simple thing. We offer you a few more signs that you will probably be interested to know about.

• Don't give up ironing. If you store wrinkled linen, then remember - it attracts adversity into the house. But neatly ironed sheets and pillowcases will ensure harmony.
• Accidentally made your bed inside out? This is a bad sign, prepare for failure. But you can remove an incorrectly worn pillowcase or duvet cover, spread it on the floor and walk on it barefoot.
• Don’t be lazy to make your bed in the morning, otherwise your life will not be as successful as it could be.
• When changing linen you noticed in bed ladybug? This promises a love adventure or a long life together when it comes to spouses.
• If your pet relieves itself on your bed, this promises dramatic changes in life. They can be either pleasant or not very pleasant - it depends on what emotions you react to the incident. So don't get angry at the animal.
• Spouses are not recommended to sleep on red or orange underwear - this promises betrayal.
• Under no circumstances should you give someone bedding that you have already used. This is indecent. And together with a set of pillowcases and duvet covers, you convey to the person part of your well-being and health.

Do you believe in omens?

During the day, a person exfoliates approximately 500 thousand dead cells. At the same time, sleep accounts for 150 million cells that accumulate in bed linen. In addition, the body produces sweat, fat and other substances that create conditions for the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

On average, a person sleeps from 5 to 9 hours. At this time, all bedding is in close contact with the body. The longer they stay on the bed, the more harm they cause to the body.

As a result, there is a risk of dermatitis or allergic reactions. In addition, fungal microorganisms and pathogenic bacteria that cause all kinds of diseases are present on the bed for a long time.

If dirt appears on the fabric, you must immediately change the set of linen. According to sanitary standards, bedding is replaced at least 2 times in 1 month.

At the same time, sebaceous and sweat glands actively function on the skin. Therefore, it is better to wash pillowcases more often. To keep your face healthy and beautiful, this should be done every 2-3 days.

The following factors lead to accelerated contamination of laundry:

• small sizes of laundry;
• warm season - in spring and summer the bed gets dirty faster than in late autumn or winter;
• 2 people sleeping in the same bed;
• increased night sweats;
• violation of hygiene rules;
• lack of pajamas for sleeping.

You should make your bed on Sunday to help you start the new week with a good night's sleep. Before laying down the sleeping set, it should be ironed with a hot iron. It is also worth ventilating the bedroom. This will help get rid of bacteria in the room.

It is worth remembering that in summer and spring underwear should be changed more often

For adults

Typically, adults are recommended to change their underwear at home at least once a month. However, sanitary standards say that this needs to be done even more often - every 2 weeks. People who sweat a lot or take a shower only in the morning should do the procedure weekly.

When choosing the frequency of changing sets, it is worth considering the following features:

1. Bedding should be changed quite often in summer, as the body sweats more. In addition, many people refuse pajamas that cover the main part of the body. In this case, the set is changed every week. If necessary, this can be done more often.
2. In winter, adults can change their underwear at intervals of 2 weeks. If dirt appears on the fabric, this can be done more often.

Newborn children

Young mothers should know how often to change their newborn baby's underwear. Infants are more susceptible to various dangers than adults. This is due to the lack strong immunity in children.

Newborns' underwear should be changed as soon as it gets dirty. Children often regurgitate food or soil the bed with waste products.

Babies need to be kept clean. Of course, doctors do not talk about creating sterile conditions. However, there are generally accepted standards for a crib:

• underwear should be made of natural and soft material;
• if soiled, linen should be changed immediately;
• without noticeable contamination, the procedure is carried out weekly;
• You need to wash children's underwear separately from other things - it is best to do it manually to avoid leaving the bed with residues of aggressive chemicals that can cause allergies;
• You need to iron clothes and underwear with a hot iron on both sides, this helps to cope with bacteria on the surface of the fabric;
• Children's belongings should be stored separately from adults.

Important: If a child sleeps in an adult’s bed, the same requirements apply to linen as to infants’ clothes. It must be changed in a timely manner and washed with gentle means.

In young children, the immune system has not yet developed, so it is very important to keep the child’s bed clean.

Children over 2 years old

For children over 2 years old, underwear is changed when it is dirty or at intervals of 7 days. These recommendations should be followed in kindergartens and other preschool institutions. They apply to groups of incomplete stay - 5-9 hours.

In 24-hour groups, linen is changed, washed and ironed every day. IN kindergarten the child must have 3 sets of clothes for sleeping. Clean items must be ironed with a hot iron on each side.

In preschool institutions, all bedding is chemically cleaned every year. They should also be processed in a special disinfection chamber.

For teenagers

At this age, children love to lie in bed, devoting time to watching TV series or chatting social networks. Often this process is accompanied by eating food.

It is also worth considering that with puberty, work human body is changing. This is accompanied by increased sweating and stimulation of other glands. Therefore, tissues become dirty faster and accumulate large amounts of harmful substances.

To maintain health, when changing linen, you need to take into account its contamination. If you neglect to follow hygiene recommendations, there is a risk of increased skin rashes. Often these children develop a lot of acne on their face. That’s why experts advise changing your underwear 2-3 times a month.

During acute periods of illness, which are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, there is a risk of increased sweating. A large number of viruses and pathogenic bacteria accumulate in the bed. The spread of harmful microorganisms is facilitated by the following pathologies: dermatitis, chickenpox, allergies, prickly heat, intestinal infections.

Systematically changing pillowcases, duvet covers, sheets, and mattress covers in a sick person’s bed helps prevent constant exacerbations of the disease. Thanks to this, it is possible to improve the microclimate in the bed of an infected person and his loved ones. This is especially true if there are children in the family younger age who have insufficiently strengthened immunity.

In hospitals

In medical institutions, bed linen is changed weekly for seriously ill patients. This is done after planned water procedures. However, sometimes the frequency of the process changes - it all depends on the severity of the disease.

If a person is able to move independently, he can change the bed himself or seek help from a nurse. Bedridden patients who cannot change their torso position will require more frequent bedding changes. Health care facilities should have a sufficient number of clean kits available.

Important: If the patient is sweating heavily, he needs to change his underwear immediately. This is also done if there are traces of blood, urine and other secretions on the underwear material.

Don't make your bed right away—daylight kills germs

How to wash and iron clothes

When choosing a washing mode, you need to take into account the material from which the laundry is made. However, there are several universal recommendations regardless of the type of fabric:

• read the recommendations indicated on the kit packaging and try to strictly follow them;
• Before washing, separate white items from colored ones;
• perform sorting;
• the use of bleach must be treated with extreme caution, as it can cause damage to the material;
• for accessories it is necessary to use special means;
• you only need to fill the washing machine drum halfway, this will ensure better rinsing and spinning of the laundry;
• It is recommended to turn all items inside out before washing.

The composition of the fabric of the underwear is of no small importance.

Cotton

White cotton linen can be washed at 90°C. If items are made of colored fabric, the temperature should not exceed 40 °C. It is forbidden to wash cotton sets together with synthetic ones. As a result, the fabric may become stiffer.

Products should be dried flat. In this case, you should avoid exposure to the sun. It is recommended to iron slightly damp items. This is best done from the front side.

Flax

Linen products are allowed to be boiled. When washing sets, you should choose a temperature of 60 °C. Before this, the laundry needs to be soaped and kept in warm water for 1 hour. Then wash with the addition of powder and 1 tbsp. l. vinegar. After which the laundry must be rinsed thoroughly.

The set may only be dried flat. For ironing, the maximum heat is selected. It is best to iron slightly damp material.

Silk

Synthetics

Synthetic sets must be washed at 60°C or less. However, the use of bleaches is not recommended. The temperature during drying should not exceed 50 °C.

Batiste

The cambric bed can be washed at 30°C.

• eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and cope with dust mite larvae;
• make the fabric more durable, since exposure to high temperatures promotes sealing of the fibers;
• give bed linen softness.

At the same time, there are reviews that speak in favor of not ironing:

• after the procedure, products made of satin and silk absorb less moisture;
• underwear accumulates static electricity, which adversely affects a person’s sleep;
• Some psychologists claim that ironing clothes leads to conflicts in the family and even a decrease in sexuality.

Therefore, each person makes his own decision regarding ironing. However, children's accessories must be ironed. This is especially true for the bed of newborns.

If your pets love to bask in your bed, you should change the linen more often

To ensure healthy and restful sleep for yourself and your loved ones, you need to follow these recommendations:

1. Choose underwear exclusively from high-quality materials.
2. It is best to give preference to pastel colors. Such sets withstand frequent washing much better, without losing color even when exposed to elevated temperatures.
3. After waking up, you should leave the bed open for some time. This helps eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and keep the kit fresh.
4. The use of high temperatures and drying in a washing machine helps to remove dirt more efficiently. When choosing temperature regime preference should be given to 50-60 °C. It is recommended to dry laundry in a well-ventilated room.
5. You should not wash your bedding along with your clothes.
6. During ironing, the fibers of the material are sealed. This makes it attractive to look at. In addition, the kits are much easier to stack in the closet. They are easy to refill. Also, after ironing, the laundry becomes more pleasant to the touch.
7. Thanks to the use of high-quality powder and special fabric conditioners, it is possible to make the sets fresher and preserve the structure of the fabric.
8. The use of bleaching agents helps prevent the active proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
9. Systematic ventilation of the room before going to bed, timely cleaning and changing of pillows and blankets ensures a longer use of linen.
10. Thanks to the presence of a mattress cover, it is possible to prevent the accumulation of dirt and their entry into the mattress. The cover is made from high-quality synthetic fabrics. It can be easily removed and washed. Due to this, it is possible to cope with allergies and avoid attacks of bronchial asthma.

Timely change bedding set is the key to well-being and good health. To achieve good results, you need to strictly adhere to sanitary standards. At the same time, it is imperative to provide high-quality care for the linen.

Tweet

It has long been noted that in the process of targeted use of bed linen, it is subject to severe contamination. In connection with this, experts strongly advise changing bed linen at least once every 7 days. Very often, this usual recommendation is ignored by representatives of the youngest generation. This can lead to serious health dilemmas.

The contaminants that accumulate on bed linen are:

• Dead skin cells.

  According to research, the daily loss of skin cells amounts to millions. At the same time, a significant part of the cells die during sleep and remain on the sheets and pillowcases. The accumulation of dead human skin cells on underwear can become a prerequisite for an invasion of mites, which will be indescribably difficult to get rid of.

• Oils produced by the human body during sleep.
• Human later, the release of which reaches its peak at high temperatures.
• Bodily fluids. In this case we are talking about saliva, blood, urine and biological fluids released during sexual intercourse.
• Crumbs of food.

  Unfortunately, many people are familiar first-hand with the habit of snacking at night in bed. The accumulation of crumbs is also considered the native food of ticks.

This list of contaminants is far from exhaustive and can be supplemented with residues cosmetics, dandruff, dirt, sand, pollen, particles of small insects, mold fungi, fungal spores.

Prolonged stay of a person in similar unsanitary conditions is fraught with the occurrence of allergic reactions and a decrease in protective forces body.

Optimal frequency of changing children's bedding

Special attention should be paid to changing the bedding on which your child sleeps.

The point is that children's body differs in insufficient development and formation, therefore, against the background of weak protective forces, there is always a risk of developing serious diseases.

Children's pediatricians insist that ignoring the rules of hygiene in relation to the constant change of bedding in a child's bed is fraught with the development of dermatitis and organ diseases respiratory system. The frequency of changing bed linen largely depends on the age characteristics of the baby.

So, if there is a very small child in the house, at least 2 sets of linen may be needed for a week. If we are talking about older children, then a weekly change of linen is often sufficient.

Weather conditions should also be taken into account, because summer period Children sweat more, and bedding is exposed to the most rapid and intense contamination. If you notice similar changes in sweating own baby, care must be taken to develop sterile and unsullied criteria for sleep.

Parents whose children suffer from bronchial asthma or allergies should also monitor the condition of their bed linen.

It has long been noted that deterioration in sleep conditions as a result of contamination of the bedding used contributes to the deterioration of the condition.

Fabrics for a comfortable sleep

In Russia, cotton and linen are the most popular fabrics for sewing bed linen. Depending on the type and density of thread weaving, chintz, calico, satin, cambric and other types of natural cotton fabrics are distinguished. Manufacturers often give them mixed with the addition of artificial fibers. Cotton has a fundamental quality for bed linen - it allows air to pass through and absorbs water, which is essential for a comfortable sleep.

Cotton does not cause allergies, is comfortable to wash, and is easy to iron. One of the favorite types of cotton is calico. This is a natural fabric without additives of fairly high density. Calico is easy to care for, does not fade, and withstands repeated washing.

Dry calico linen can be somewhat harsh, so it is better to rinse it with special products.

Satin bed linen has a noble shine. Products made from satin are silky to the touch; its quality is associated with natural silk, but the cost is even more affordable.

Linen never goes out of style. Linen towels and tablecloths - good gift for the young housewife. Cotton is often added to linen bedding fabrics to add softness. This one has the unique qualities of warming in cold weather and cooling in hot weather.

Therefore, linen duvet covers can replace light blankets.

Russian home economics

In Russian times, they didn’t actually ask the question of how often it was necessary to change bed linen.

This was done once a week on Saturdays. On this particular day, people traditionally cleaned the house and went to the bathhouse. Laundry took housewives quite a lot of time.

In the post-war years, they washed by hand. The first household washing machines appeared in the USSR in 1950, but they did not make the work of housewives easier: the laundry still had to be soaked, after washing, rinsed several times in running water, wrung out by hand or run between 2 rubber rollers attached to car. Particularly scrupulous housewives boiled snow-white (so the linen became even whiter), tinted it blue (to give it a beautiful shade) and starched it (mainly bedspreads, tablecloths and men's shirts).

We dried the bed linen outside: under the influence of the wind and sun, it dried faster, and there was no need to wipe off the water flowing from the sheets.

The housewives of the Russian Union had another reason not to bother changing bed linen: Russian-made washing machines seriously damaged fabrics; with frequent treatments, calico or calico sheets and duvet covers quickly became unusable. And since it was quite difficult to purchase a fresh set in those days, we had to reduce the number of washes.

The main thing is that it is clean

Modern housewives from time to time wonder how often it is necessary to change bed linen at home.

Supporters of natural fabrics know that cotton and linen perfectly absorb sweat, which, settling on the fibers, attracts various bacteria, as well as dust mites. Having accumulated in large quantities, they can cause discomfort, become a prerequisite for restless sleep and even allergies.

Experts say that bed linen should be changed at least once every 5-7 days. If babies or animals like to sleep in your bed, change sheets and duvet covers once every 2-3 days, and during the shedding period of animals it is better to do this once a day to reduce the risk of hair getting into the respiratory tract.

When caring for a patient with a high fever, change his bed linen 2-3 times a day during the first days of illness and less often when periods of heavy sweating subside. After treatment, the set of linen must be changed again, and the pillows and blanket must be dried in the open air.

Ventilate and dry

There are also a number of tips given by personal hygiene specialists.

1. 1Ventilate your sleeping area after each awakening: fluff up the pillows, straighten the sheet, remove the blanket from the surface.

   10-15 minutes a day will be enough.

2. 2Do not place on the bed personal items that are used in public places: funds, wallets, mobile phones, bags, pants, outerwear.
3. 3Doctors do not advise men to sleep in socks after wearing street shoes.
4. 4Girls need to remove their makeup before going to bed, as the substances that make up cosmetics leave difficult-to-remove stains on pillowcases.
5. 5If you like to eat in bed, try not to stain your bed linen, otherwise you will have to change it often. In addition to the fact that stains from ketchup, coffee and fats are difficult to remove, food leftovers attract bacteria and can become a prerequisite for the occurrence of bedbugs.

   After a meal in bed, the linen should at least be shaken out.

Buttons and elastic bands

When choosing a bed set, consider the size of the bed, pillows and blankets. Traditionally, the manufacturer shows on the packaging which items are included in the set and what size accessories they correspond to. Linen made from natural materials can shrink, so the first wash must be done in a gentle mode at a temperature of no more than 40°C, the next ones - depending on the manufacturer’s advice.

Today, bedding with buttons is extremely rare, however, this is one of the most comfortable options.

Pillowcases and duvet covers with buttons perfectly maintain the geometry of blankets and pillows, preventing the edges from coming out. To secure the blanket in the duvet cover, there are special clothespins that are attached to the corners of the product. But such devices are dangerous, so it is better to use a proven method: make a loop at each corner of the duvet cover, and sew 4 buttons of suitable size to the blanket. When changing the duvet cover, thread the buttons through the loops. A blanket secured in this way will not bunch up inside the duvet cover and cause discomfort.

But they are rarely used as part of sets, and besides, such sheets are difficult to iron. This good option for those who prefer not to iron their bed linen.

Why use bedding while sleeping?

Even on the train, the conductor gives each passenger a set of bed linen. This is hygienically correct. The quality of sleep may depend on the properties of textile products. After all, if the underwear smells unpleasant and causes unpleasant feelings on the skin, then what kind of comfort are we talking about!

High-quality home textiles made from natural fabric fibers perfectly support body thermoregulation.

Its good absorption capacity allows the body to get rid of water (sweat, fat) released through the pores. Pleasant to the touch bedding protects the body from contact with the itchy blanket.

And in the bed there live various tiny organisms that feed on human skin flakes and particles of hair. Stale bed linen creates suitable conditions for the life of this microflora. Over time, a person may develop dermatological disorders. Specks of dust, various debris, crumbs and dirt settle on the fabric, which in turn adversely affects the comfort of sleep.

Frequency of changing bed linen at home

So, how often is it necessary to change bed linens at home?

As a rule, if you change the bed once a week, especially if the bed is constantly dismantled. If you put your sheets, pillows and blankets in the closet once a day, then you can change your bed linen less often. In general, look at the degree of contamination. In the summer, when it is hot, it is recommended to change your underwear more often. Do not eat in bed, do not allow pets on the bed, do not go to bed in home clothes - all this contributes to soiling of the linen, the formation of a nasty aroma, and the accumulation of dust. That is, those allergens that interfere with normal sleep.

By the way, the set can be partially changed. Pillowcases and sheets get dirty the most, so it’s better to change them once a week, but the duvet cover can be updated every 2-3 weeks, depending on how you cover yourself.

The same requirements apply to changing bed linen in the nursery.

How younger child, the more often it is necessary to remake his bed, especially if the child is ill. It is recommended for newborns to change their bed linen every 2-3 days, or even every day. These are pediatric requirements.

Who lives in our bed?

A study carried out in the United Kingdom found that around 4% of English people change their bed linen... once a year. Yes, exactly once a year.

If they knew what was happening in their bed during this time, they would be horrified.

People often sweat while sleeping. This makes the local climate in the bed damp, and, consequently, it becomes a real breeding ground for microorganisms. For example, there may be mold in your bed - no matter how hard it is to believe. Mold spores may not even be noticeable at first, but sooner or later you will discover them - and, most likely, after harm to health has been caused. The spores can cause you to develop shingles or even ringworm.

The next inhabitants of your stale bed are dust mites.

They are a real disaster for people with allergies and are especially unsafe for those who suffer from asthma. Dust mites eat everything that remains after us in bed: particles of skin, sweat, sperm, and so on. If you wash your clothes occasionally, the ticks get a huge amount of food, and, therefore, multiply more actively.

But even this is not the whole fauna of our sleeping place. Just as often as dust mites, bed bugs infest beds. They are true vampires because they bite you to drink your blood. The places where they bite are very itchy, and hives may also appear.

But the most disgusting consequence of bedbugs can be a powerful allergic reaction that develops into anaphylactic shock - and this is deadly.

Other bedding

You probably already realized that bed linen needs to be washed often. But almost all people, having realized this simple truth, forget about the other components of the sleeping place. It's not just your sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers that need to be cleaned; Everything in the bed must be cleaned frequently.

Mattresses and pillows must either be washed or dried in the sun at least once every six months or a year.

Blankets and feather beds that are in the bed must be frequently cleaned and carefully dried. The same goes for bedspreads.

How often to change your underwear

So how often do you need to change your bed linen? In truth, the answer depends on various reasons, for example, on your state of health, on who you sleep with, how often you sleep at home, and, in the end, on whether you are a fan of snacking or drinking coffee in bed.

The optimal period at which most professionals meet is once a week. This may seem very common to some, but health is certainly more important than your laziness.

Not so long ago, we found out whether it is necessary to smooth the sheets, and in this article we will touch on a related question - how often is it necessary to change bed linen at home?

Naturally, any housewife decides this issue herself, but it is still better to find out an expert worldview and the prerequisites for a certain regularity.

Sleeping hygiene is extremely important. After all, a person spends a third of his life in sleep, and he has to come into contact with the entire contents of the bed. We are not talking about the spouse, of course, but about something more unpleasant:

• Dust mites that grow in unwashed bedding.

  They often cause allergies, lower immunity, and generally have negative consequences.

• Dead skin cells - people shed every night and small particles fall off the skin that are invisible to the human eye.
• Dandruff and hair from pets who absolutely love to lie on their master's bed.
• Sweat is produced most abundantly on hot summer nights, when the body needs to cool down more.
• Little ones - some members of the household absolutely adore snacking in bed before going to bed, and often it is not possible to wean them off the bad habit.

  After such a meal, there are many small pieces and crumbs left that interfere with a peaceful sleep.

• Stains - where would we be without them? In this case, stains can remain not only from sweets or other goods, but also from cosmetics, dirty hands, saliva or other human secretions.

Just imagine what will happen in your bed if you put off washing for a very long period of time. Even if you are not a clean person and such a neighborhood does not frighten you, then think about your own health.

While you sleep, you inhale dust, fur and other contaminants from your bed, which can lead to asthma or allergies. If you already have these diseases, then it’s all the more worthwhile for you to think about cleanliness in your home - this is the key to health!

How often do you need to change your bed linen?

Much depends on the time of year, the fabric and your family's personalities. For example, if your cat really likes to sleep on the bed, you should change the bed a little more often or at least clean off the fur.

If the spouse sweats a lot, it is necessary to change it more often, and if the whole family takes a shower before bed, it can be done less frequently.

It’s quite clear about the time of year - in the summer people sweat much more than on cool nights. Therefore, on hot days, it is imperative to change the bed once a week, especially the pillowcases and sheets. In winter, it is enough to change once every 2 weeks.

Well, you shouldn’t wait for X hour, if suddenly a child drops a sandwich on the sheet - change it immediately.

It is worth changing children's bedding twice as often if someone in the family has caught a cold, so that pathogenic microbes do not accumulate.

What kind of bed linen should there be?

The most popular fabrics for bed linen are cotton or linen.

In summer you can use silk, and in winter time woolen blankets. Do not use synthetic ones, which do not absorb water well and do not allow air to pass through. After all, one of the main purposes of sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers is to absorb sweat. In addition, they are more likely to get dirty and absorb foreign odors, so you will have to wash them more often.

Now you need to check your bedding to ensure the best protection for your bed. So, to keep your bed clean, make sure you have:

• The pillowcase protects the pillow from adverse effects, so you don’t have to wash it very often.

  But even if there is a pillowcase, the pads must be washed at least 2 times a year, and preferably every 3 months. After all, they also accumulate a lot of harmful things that need to be gotten rid of.

• Duvet cover – serves to protect the blanket so that you don’t have to wash and dry it every week.
• A mattress pad or sheet is placed on the mattress to collect all dirt and protect the mattress. Otherwise, a whole colony of dust mites will develop in it and dust will accumulate. It is best to put special sheets with oilcloth in children's beds to protect the mattress from urine. After all, it is extremely difficult to wash a mattress from child urine or other contaminants (you can read the most common methods at the link).

Wash bed linen on a special cycle or set it to a higher temperature (from 60 degrees) to kill dust mites and wash away all harmful microorganisms.

Now you need to decide how often you change bedding at home specifically in your family, and write this down in your diary.

It’s most convenient to do this on the same day so that it becomes a habit. Most often, housewives choose weekends for this - Saturday or Sunday.

Danger under the blanket

It turns out that hiding under a stained blanket is a whole range of possible health threats.

Also, pet hair, cosmetic residues, waste products, food crumbs, particles of insects and sand can accumulate on the bed... So, a fresh bed is not only wonderful, but also safe.

How often it is necessary to change bed linen: norms

Many people do not know exactly how many times a month they need to change their bed linen.

In a day? On weekends? Or is it enough to carry out the function every 14 days? There is no one right answer here. It is necessary to take into account the situation, who is using the kit (an adult or a child) and even the time of year. The main tips look like this.

Pillowcases require special attention. People whose hair quickly becomes greasy need to change pillow protection more often than other bedding. So that the time when you need to change your bed linen does not take you by surprise and you do not have to wait for the washed set to dry, have two or three replacement sets in reserve for each bed.

Washing rules and disinfection procedures

How should you wash your bed linen? Read the product label: in it you will find information about the composition of the fabric, what water temperature is best for certain conditions, and how to care for the set.

Proceed with the following general advice.

• Optimal temperature. Traditionally, it is recommended to wash sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers in the hottest possible water. This way you can get rid of all germs and dirt. But if cotton and linen were used to produce the sets, then the temperature should not be higher than 60°C.
• Disinfection. In order to get rid of dangerous microorganisms, the use of chlorine bleaches is allowed.

  But this is only if the fabric is snow-white. For colored people, you can choose an oxygen product with a more gentle composition, but no less effective.

• Drying. Bacteria do not like hot air and ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, it is best to dry bed linen in the sun.
• Ironing. Almost everyone hesitates whether to iron their bed linen after washing. This is an inevitable process, which is an additional guarantee that harmful microorganisms are neutralized. Set the iron to the “Cotton” setting and boldly work the surface of the fabric.

It is imperative to wash new bed linen.

Bacteria could have reached the surface during transportation or as a result of damage to the integrity of the packaging. In addition, before going on sale, they are treated with specific agents that can provoke an allergic reaction.

Care of bedding

You already understand why you often need to change your bed linen. But how to properly organize the care of various bedding items at home?

Sheets and duvet covers

Do not spin these products in a drum with ordinary things- sweaters, pants, underwear.

Only proximity to light-colored bath towels is acceptable. When processing, the following rules should be taken into account:

• wash sheets and duvet covers with soap or powder at 60°C;
• stubborn stains are removed before washing;
• for bleaching, you can add a quarter glass of lemon juice when washing;
• do not dry out the bed and iron it while the linen is still slightly damp.

To remove stains from sheets and duvet covers, use household chemicals or folk remedies- soda, vinegar, ammonia, citric acid.

Blanket

Wool products are preferred cold water and drying at minimum speed.

Down products require careful washing; they are dried in the sun, otherwise a persistent musty smell will appear.

Before starting the process, check the blanket for damage or unraveling seams. Otherwise, all the “filling” remains inside washing machine and will render it unusable. After washing and drying, vacuum the product without giving the dust a chance to remain.

It is better to dry clean large items, but not electric blankets. Solvents can damage wiring. You can wash clothes that are protected by duvet covers once or twice a year. Otherwise, once every one to two weeks.

Blankets and bedspreads

Before washing, it would be a good idea to check whether the product is fading.

If yes, then it is better to use dry cleaning services. And at home, adhere to the following rules:

• water for washing must be cool;
• It is better to replace regular powder with liquid;
• The “drying” mode should be at minimally low speed.

If the bedspreads are used only as a decorative element, then they need to be washed once every three to four months. But if they serve as additional blankets every night, then water procedures should be carried out as often as for linen.

Pillowcases and pillows

To remove particles of dust and the stratum corneum of the epidermis, try to beat the pads every day.

Pillowcases love to splash around in hot water. For washing, use the same products as for other parts of the bedding.

Pillows with pillowcases can often not be washed (once every one to two months).

Every weekend it is advisable to hang them out in the fresh air for ventilation.

Mattress covers

Mattress covers are lifesavers for those who want to increase the lifespan of their mattresses, protect themselves from allergies and maintain cleanliness. Wash mattress covers according to the same instructions as for duvet covers and sheets. Water procedures must be carried out at least once a month or when soiled.

But washing the mattress itself is a troublesome task. It's better to leave it to the experts. It must be treated with a vacuum cleaner or steam at least once every six months. Stains are removed with upholstery shampoo diluted 1:3 in cool water.

Knowing how long it takes to change bed linen and following these tips, you will maintain the aesthetic appearance of the set and avoid health problems.

By the way, in decent hotels the freshest bed is made not only after the departure of each guest or at the request of those living in the room. In hotels with a significant number of stars, the bed is refreshed several times a day.

Deep sleep

It's so nice to go to bed in a clean bed. The smell of freshness helps you relax, and sleep on unstained sheets will be deep and measured. To wake up refreshed during the day, you just need to make sure your bed is clean.

Obviously, one-and-a-half bed linen for the first person does not get dirty very quickly, so you can wash it once every two weeks.

It is better to remake a double set for two after a week. The frequency of changing linen also depends on the time of year. In summer, this can be done more often than in winter.

Healthy sleep

Dust accumulated on bedding contains viruses, spores, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. If they are constantly inhaled, there is a risk of developing allergic reactions, difficulty breathing, irritation of the mucous membranes, and suppression of the immune system. It is a scientifically proven fact that dead human skin cells are food for bed mites. In turn, its waste products are a strong allergen, just like ordinary dust.

For people prone to allergies and asthma, it is better to change the entire set every 2-3 days.

Particular attention should be paid to pillowcases, which need to be changed more often.

During infectious disease or at high temperatures - more frequent washing of the bed sheets is required, and after treatment, fresh linen should be laid.

Change bedding at least once a week

The generally accepted view that it is acceptable to change sheets every two weeks is incorrect. Already a week after using the bed for its intended purpose, the population of dust mites reaches limits that are unsafe for health. Under the condition that two people of average build sleep in the bed every day, up to 16 types of mold grow on the surface of the bed in two weeks from sweat, each of which is capable of stimulating massive allergic reactions even in a relatively healthy person.

For these reasons, a regular change of sleeping accessories must occur at least once a week.

In options highest temperature In case of illness, hot weather or sleeping with small children, bedding needs to be changed even more often - once every two to three days. The same applies to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, people with eczema and psoriasis.

Wash clothes at a temperature of 55 degrees

This temperature is the lower limit for dust mite death. Additional protection against fungus and mold will be achieved by using hot drying clothes.

Some delicate items cannot be washed at high temperatures.

The solution in this case may be to use an antiseptic conditioner or, if you or your children are at risk for allergies, it is better to switch to the most practical options bed linen made of calico, satin, poplin or cotton.

Do not determine the cleanliness of laundry by appearance.

Of course, if you accidentally spill coffee on a pillow or spill chocolate chip cookie crumbs on a blanket, it will be clear that the linen needs to be washed. But the absence of visible stains and dirt does not mean the real cleanliness and safety of your bed.

Even if your sheets look white after two weeks of use, they need to be washed - and washed often.

By the time they really look stale, they are guaranteed to have already become home to dozens and hundreds of dust mites, mold and fungi. They cannot be seen with the naked eye, since their sizes are microscopic, but they constantly live in an environment associated with the natural secretions of human skin, since they provide food for these microorganisms.

Important: up to a third of all inhabitants of our planet suffer from allergies to dust mites. At least a quarter of them cannot correctly diagnose diseases and have been treated for years for colds and persistent runny nose and eczema.

Clean your mattress and pillows regularly

Frequently changing your bedding will reduce your dust mite problem, but will not completely solve it.

Even weekly washing of bed linen cannot ensure good cleanliness if you forget about the expiration date of the mattress, pillows and blankets.

Dust mites have the annoying property of accumulating inside bedding, in the upholstery of mattresses and sofas. If you put unstained sheets on them, they will instantly become saturated with mite secretions and mold nanoparticles. The same statistics claim that almost all of us use pillows and blankets much longer than the allowed period - pillows are changed on average once every 3 years, blankets last about 7 years, and mattresses do not change at all for a decade. During this time, their weight increases as much as three times due to the weight of the ticks living in them.

What's going on under everyone's blanket?

Many people are shocked by the reasons why bed linen is often changed.

Let's look at what directly accumulates on sheets and duvet covers:

• Dust and mold.

  Dust can accumulate on bedding. It not only contains dirt brought in with things from the street, but also flies into the open window. The microscopic fragments contain mold spores, small bacteria and other organisms. If you constantly inhale air containing such dust, you can get allergies, problems with the respiratory and immune systems;

• Ticks. These are small pests that are extremely difficult to recognize with the naked eye. The main food product of such creatures is dead skin fragments that get stuck in the fabric of sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases. But such mites do not harm people or furniture. Nothing similar can be said about their waste products, which, in combination with fungal microspores, provoke an allergic reaction in almost all people;
• Worms.
• Wool and dandruff. Pets often lie down on their owner's bed. Also, dandruff constantly falls from the head and remains on the bed linen;
• Sweat. May be released when it gets hot to sleep;
• Crumbs and leftover food. Some people like to eat in bed. After this, there are practically always fragments of food left on the bed, which prevent you from falling asleep normally;
• Stains.

  Facial cosmetics, food products, body secretions, and dirt on your hands can leave stains on your bed linen.

It is difficult to imagine what will happen to the bed linen if it is not changed for a long time. Dirty people should seriously think about their own health.

1. Changing bed linen on Sunday means poor sleep throughout the week.
2. If the bed is not made, diseases will stick to the owner.

How often do you change?

To understand how often it is necessary to change bed linen at home, it is necessary to take into account the seasonality of the material from which it is made and the other personal characteristics of each family member.

It is necessary to change bed linen very often, at least every three days, if pets love to sleep on the bed.

IN summer time During the year, you can put silk on the bed, and in winter - woolen blankets or bedspreads. It is not recommended to use artificial synthetic fabrics that do not breathe well and absorb water. The fact is that one of the main purposes of bed linen is to absorb sweat. In addition, synthetics get dirty much more quickly and absorb odors, so they also need to be washed often.

A regular bedding set includes:

• Pillowcase. It collects a huge part of the dirt, protects the pad, and does not require frequent washing.

  Even if there is a pillowcase, the pads should be washed at least 2 times a year or every 3 months;

• A duvet cover is used for a similar purpose, but only to protect the blanket. You don't have to dry it or wash it often. The duvet cover needs to be changed approximately once every two weeks;

• A sheet or mattress protector is used to protect mattresses. If you do not use this bedding, over time a real colony of dust mites will appear.

  For children's beds, it is better to use a special sheet with oilcloth. This way the mattress will be protected from urine. It is very difficult to clean a mattress from such stains. For natural reasons, children's bedding will often have to be changed depending on the age of the child.