How to Wash Bedding

Having a clean bed is important for multiple reasons. Most of us know the satisfaction we feel when sliding into a bed with freshly washed sheets. Not only that, but washing sheets gets rids of soils, stains, and even allergens¹. So, what’s the best way to keep sheets and other bedding clean? Follow the tips below on how to wash bedding and keep your bed the haven it’s meant to be.

How to Wash Sheets

When you think of bedding, sheets are probably what come to mind. For health reasons, experts say washing sheets at least once every two weeks² is recommended. Other advice on how to wash sheets includes the following:

Wash sheets alone. Almost everyone who has ever washed sheets has discovered some half-dry rumpled shirt or towel balled up inside sheets when removed from the dryer. Save yourself a headache and don’t add anything else to the machine when washing sheets.
If using a traditional washing machine, be careful when placing sheets inside. Wrapping sheets around the agitator can cause them to wrinkle or even tear.
Check the care labels. Perhaps you tend to wash everything on the “normal” cycle, but depending on the fabric of your sheets, a different cycle might be recommended. When selecting a cycle, also consider how soiled the sheets are.
Use the hottest temperature setting the fabric can take, allowing for a better clean.
Don’t wash light sheets with dark ones. The dark ones can bleed onto the light colors.

How to Wash Bedding Other Than Sheets

While washing sheets properly is important, other types of bedding can also become contaminated with allergens and dirt. As with sheets, be sure to read all care labels for your specific bedding. Here are some tips for washing bedding other than sheets:

You can machine wash and dry most mattress pads and blankets at home.
Blankets should be washed at least once every three months.
Many pillows can be washed in your washing machine at home. For others, taking them to a dry cleaner might be appropriate. If drying at home, take them out of the machine and fluff them occasionally to prevent clumping.
Comforters may need to be dry cleaned, but if they don’t, it’s better to take them to a Laundromat and wash them in a large-capacity machine than try to stuff it inside your own machine at home.

Whatever you’re washing, check out XTRA’s detergents and other XTRA products for all of your laundry needs.

SOURCE: Effectiveness of laundry washing agents and conditions in the removal of cat and dust mite allergen from bedding dust (Sep. 2001). The Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Retrieved August 8, 2017 from: http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(01)62173-0/abstract#article-footnote

SOURCE: Laundry Advice For Allergy Sufferers (Jan. 2014). National Allergy. Retrieved August 8, 2017 from: http://www.natlallergy.com/learning/2014/01/02/laundry-advice-for-allergy-sufferers